Okay, I’m cheating just a bit on this one…publishing something a day late and then back-dating to cover the crime. But I was gone most of the day yesterday, and when I was home, the Internet was flaky. Since we’re all familiar with those “belated” birthday cards, just pretend like this is one of those, and all [...]
Archive for May, 2008
Turning 78 with a 44…
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1930, Clint Eastwood, Harry Callahan, Where Eagles Dare on May 31 | Leave a Comment »
It’s the Little Things
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, French Frigate Shoals, Midway, Operation K on May 30 | Leave a Comment »
For the Japanese, the upcoming attacks on the Midway Islands had little to do with the islands themselves and everything to do with a singular goal: luring the remnants of the American fleet into the “loving arms” of the vastly superior Japanese fleet. All the American battleships were either under repair or under the waters [...]
1st in Freedom…13th in Statehood
Posted in Constitutional period (1789-1809), United States, tagged 1790, Rhode Island, Thirteen Colonies, U.S. Constitution on May 29 | Leave a Comment »
Today’s History Lesson celebrates the addition of Rhode Island to the Union. The “Rhode” part is probably descended from the word “red”, which was the color of the soil explorers first found on the shores. The second part likely references the fact that some of the state is comprised of islands…so “Rhode Island”.
This smallest of states was one [...]
British Navy Orders Bismarck For Breakfast
Posted in Atlantic, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1941, Admiral Gunther Lutjens, Ark Royal, Bismarck, Dorsetshire on May 27 | Leave a Comment »
The sinking of the Hood by the Bismarck caused no small embarassment for the British Admiralty…and no small anger, either. True, it was a one-in-a-million shot that pierced the Hood just forward of its rear tower, but still, this ship had been the pride of the Navy for two decades. And it hadn’t just been [...]
That’ll Be the Day…Pilgrim.
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1907, Iowa, John Wayne, Marion Robert Morrison, Winterset on May 26 | 1 Comment »
I just wrote about the birth of one of my favorite authors, and today I get to talk about the birth of my favorite actor…Marion Robert Morrison. Marion was born on May 26, 1907, in the little town of Winterset, Iowa…roughly 40 minutes from my house. He was a heavyweight at birth, tipping the scales at a [...]
The Ludlum Instantiation
Posted in American literature, Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1927, Jonathan Ryder, Michael Shepherd, Robert Ludlum on May 25 | Leave a Comment »
©William C. Minarich
On May 25, 1927, Robert Ludlum was born in New York City. He spent time in the theater as both an actor and a producer, and he made a pretty good living doing voice-overs for TV commercials. But it was his writing that helped him achieve world-wide acclaim.
The books in the store describe him [...]
The Classic Confrontation
Posted in Atlantic, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1941, Battle of the Denmark Strait, Bismarck, Hood on May 24 | 2 Comments »
The Battle of the Denmark Strait was, without question, one of the most famous engagements of World War II. It was also one of the shortest, lasting less than twenty minutes. While its name may be something of a mystery to you, its combatants certainly are not. This is the famed meeting of the German [...]
If at First You Don’t Succeed…
Posted in Period between World Wars (1919-1939), tagged 1939, Germany, Italy, Pact of Steel, Poland on May 22 | Leave a Comment »
On May 22, 1939, Germany and Italy signed the “Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy”. Better known by its abbreviated name, the “Pact of Steel“, the agreement was mostly about cooperation between the two countries and contained the pretty common treaty-type things you’d expect. Stuff like “We’ll work together to initiate policy.” [...]
Maybe We Should Have Knocked First
Posted in Mediterranean, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1941, Crete, General Bernard Freyberg, General Kurt Student, Operation Mercury on May 20 | 2 Comments »
Since late 1940, Germany had been working diligently to gain as much of the Balkans as possible. Having decided to invade the Soviet Union, Adolf Hitler sought, by pen or sword, to protect the area’s backside…the Mediterranean Sea. Using the pen and the Tripartite Pact, he gained Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia. With the sword, Hitler rescued Mussolini’s troops and [...]
Anybody Want a Peanut?
Posted in Post-war history (1945-), tagged 1946, André the Giant, Georgia Championship Wrestling, The Princess Bride, WWF on May 19 | Leave a Comment »
I don’t know how big he was when he was born, and reports vary as to his actual measurements when he was fully grown, but there’s no question that André the Giant was a mountain of a man. Born in France on May 19, 1946, he was discovered as a teenager by wrestling manager Lord [...]
Dam and Busters
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1943, Ruhr Valley, No. 617 Squadron, Avro Lancaster, Operation Chastise, Dambusters on May 17 | Leave a Comment »
Sometimes we look at the immediate results of our work and think that we really haven’t accomplished all that much. But, over time, we start to see the larger impact that our efforts have. War is one of the great breeding grounds for such operations and I think Operation Chastise (better known as the “Dambuster” missions) is [...]
The Muppet Master
Posted in Later twentieth century (1961-2000), United States, tagged 1990, Jim Henson, Labyrinth, Muppets on May 16 | Leave a Comment »
Every once in a while, I get a little envious of people who have two attributes operating in perfect harmony: humor and vision. Phil Vischer, who created the incredibly popular “Veggie Tales” series, is one. Stephen Hillenburg is another. He’s merely the genius behind “Spongebob Squarepants“, considered by some cartoon critics to be the best one ever shown [...]
Breaking the Stalemate
Posted in Mediterranean, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1944, Cassino, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, General Harold Alexander, Gustav Line, Italy on May 14 | 1 Comment »
Allied forces had been fighting a World War I-style static war in Italy for several months. And much like the little boy that repeatedly tries to get through the gate you set up to keep him out of the basement, they had run up against Germany’s Gustav Line and been soundly repulsed. But unlike the little boy’s [...]
From Westerns to Western Italy
Posted in Mediterranean, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1944, Frederick Schiller Faust, Italy, Max Brand, Santa Maria Infante on May 12 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve mentioned Rick Atkinson’s terrific Liberation Trilogy in the past. Two of the three books have been published, “An Army at Dawn” (covering the North Africa campaign) and “The Day of Battle” (dealing with the invasions of Sicily and Italy). As I was reading “The Day of Battle“, I came across the story of Max [...]
Ten Thousand Lakes…Ten Billion Mosquitoes
Posted in Middle nineteenth century (1848-1861), United States, tagged 1858, Garrison Keiller, Mall of America, Minnesota, Mystery Science Theater, Prince on May 11 | Leave a Comment »
As an Iowa resident, I’m supposed to be making jokes about Minnesota, not celebrating her. Maybe it’s just a Midwest thing, but Iowans make fun of Minnesota and Minnesotans are quick to return the favor. But today is the day we put all ribbing aside to bake a cake in honor of the “Land of 10,000 [...]
Some Trust in Chariots…
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1940, France, Germany, Low Countries, Maginot Line on May 10 | Leave a Comment »
…and some trust in horses. But the writer of that statement continued on, suggesting there were much more reliable things on which one could depend. It’s safe to say that we often misplace our trust and end up disappointed. The French did so in the 1930’s and, on this day in 1940, experienced a disastrous result.
In 1930, [...]
The Great V-E Day Debate
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1945, Alfred Jodl, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, V-E Day on May 8 | 2 Comments »
Ok, I’ve been super-busy today, but I wanted to say something about at least one of the myriad events that mark this day. So I’ll write for a minute or two about the controversy surrounding V-E Day. Yeah, everyone recognizes May 8, 1945 as the end of the war in Europe. But it’s not the only [...]
The Start of Better Things
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Admiral Takeo Takagi, Coral Sea, Lexington, Port Moresby, Shoho on May 7 | 1 Comment »
The Battle of Midway has received tons and tons of ink (and deservedly so) because it was considered to be the turning point in the war against Japan. But in order to turn something around, it has to first be halted. So if Midway was the turning point, the Battle of the Coral Sea pretty much [...]
The Rock Crusher – Pt. 2
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Corregidor, General Jonathan Wainwright, General Masaharu Homma, Philippines on May 6 | 1 Comment »
There are so many possible topics for Today’s History Lesson, and it’s a bummer that I don’t have time for all of them. The Hindenburg airship disaster and the opening of the Chunnel would be fun topics to discuss with you. But I kind of left you hanging yesterday on the whole Corregidor thing, so let’s polish that [...]
