Innovation. In today’s world, it’s a word we hear an awful lot. And I suppose that’s good, because it’s all around us. I’m typing on a laptop computer due to innovation. It has an LCD screen due to innovation. It weighs in at less than 6 pounds due to innovation. It’s 86°F outside as I [...]
Archive for May, 2010
The Virginia Plan: 18th-Century Innovation
Posted in The Confederation (1783-1789), United States, tagged 1787, Constitutional Convention, Edmund Randolph, Federal Convention, Virginia Plan on May 29 | 2 Comments »
The Other Midway Force Sails North
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Aleutian Islands, Attu, Battle of Midway, Kiska, Midway on May 28 | Leave a Comment »
For a good number of you, the Battle of Midway needs no special mention. And that’s especially true of regular visitors of this site. While not discussing the battle in minute detail, we’ve looked at numerous events surrounding this pivotal engagement. But while it may not require an introduction, the introduction of the battle is our [...]
The Philadelphia Convention Officially Opens
Posted in World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1787, Constitutional Convention, Federal Convention, Independence Hall, Philadelphia on May 25 | 2 Comments »
We recently discussed the arrival in Philadelphia of the delegates that would meet, in the words of Congress, “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.” We also explained that methods of travel in 1787 didn’t look much like what we have today. There were no planes, trains, and automobiles. Nor were there [...]
Panzer Pause Packed with Peril
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1940, Dunkirk, Field Marshal Hermann Goering, General Franz Halder, General Gerd von Rundstedt, Operation Dynamo on May 24 | Leave a Comment »
There are certain events that occur in our lives that we can remember in great detail. We may recall where we were when the event happened, the people we were with, and maybe even the clothes we wore. For my generation, it’s probably the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For my parents, it was [...]
Atlanta Burned by Unexpected Heat Wave
Posted in Twentieth century (1901-1960), United States, tagged 1917, Atlanta, Georgia, Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, Skinner Storage Company on May 21 | Leave a Comment »
The new laptop has been here for a couple days, and I’m getting used to it. For the price, it’s a pretty good machine. Dual-core AMD processor, a really nice screen, plenty of memory, and a decent keyboard. All in all, nice. It was full of add-on apps that Lenovo gets paid to stuff on [...]
Sugar Loaf Hill: Mighty Sweet Name, Mighty Bitter Taste
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1945, Okinawa, Shuri Castle, Sixth Marine Division, Sugar Loaf Hill, Wana Ridge on May 18 | Leave a Comment »
Sugar Loaf Hill. A casual glance at the name might take your mind to one of those special squares on a Candy-Land board. You know, those special cards you draw where you move forward or backward a bunch of spaces – the Molasses Swamp or the Dew-Drop Inn or whatever - that add a little excitement [...]
British and Japanese go Ship-to-Ship One Last Time
Posted in China/Burma/India, World War II (1939-1945), tagged Andaman Islands, Haguro, HMS Saumarez, HMS Venus, Indian Ocean, Kamikaze on May 16 | Leave a Comment »
As World War II approached its conclusion in the Pacific, one could make the statement that the U.S. Navy dominated the action in the theater. And that would be true. One could also make the statement that, in May of 1945, the U.S. Navy was the only one involved in sinking Japanese ships out there. And [...]
Kawlun: General Stilwell’s City of Refuge
Posted in China/Burma/India, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Burma, Dysentary, General Joseph Stilwell, India, Kawlun, Major Frank Merrill, Malaria on May 14 | Leave a Comment »
Good news…a laptop has been ordered to replace the dead one and should be here next week. I’ve never purchased a “whole” computer from Newegg because I usually just buy all the parts and assemble it myself. But assembling a laptop? Due to their fragility, I would have preferred to buy a laptop locally, but [...]
Stars Gather for the Federal Convention
Posted in The Confederation (1783-1789), United States, tagged 1787, Alexander Hamilton, Constitutional Convention, Federal Convention, Independence Hall, James Madison, Philadelphia, President George Washington on May 13 | Leave a Comment »
The Constitutional Convention that ended in September of 1787 certainly ended differently than the one that began in May. In fact, it’s only known as the “Constitutional” Convention because of the results. It began as a “Foederal” Convention. But actually, it kind of began before that. In 1785, Maryland and Virginia got into a heated [...]
Fort Eben Emael Falls to Modern Tactics
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1940, Belgium, Eben Emael, Fort Eben Emael, General Kurt Student, Meuse River on May 10 | Leave a Comment »
“Nothing about the town of Eben Emael suggests that it would be etched into the pages of history. …a forgotten village in its early days, the origin of its name not known although some say it is inherited from several prehistoric caves close by, now turned to growing mushrooms.” This description might not be especially [...]
Codes Captured by the British Bulldog
Posted in Atlantic, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1940, Bletchley Park, Enigma, HMS Bulldog, U-110 on May 9 | Leave a Comment »
Well, we’re putting the closing touches on yet another weekend. I took a half day off on Friday, which lengthened things out a bit, but weekends always seem too short. There is a ton of stuff to do, and such a short time to get it done. Therefore, should I be elected President, I will [...]
Stilwell Leads Final Exodus From Burma
Posted in China/Burma/India, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Burma, General Joseph Stilwell, Imphal, India on May 7 | Leave a Comment »
“They were a ragged line of 114 tired and hungry people – Americans, British, Indians, and Burmese; civilians and soldiers alike – and they were now on the run from several thousand Japanese troops that were clawing through the jungle after them, only fifteen or twenty miles behind. The year was 1942. It was May, [...]
Adams Trumps Trump with “You’re Fired!”
Posted in Constitutional period (1789-1809), United States, tagged 1800, Alexander Hamilton, James McHenry, President George Washington, President John Adams, Secretary of War on May 5 | Leave a Comment »
It is no real secret that John Adams had a difficult Presidency. The reasons are many. He followed in the shadow of the revered George Washington. He was fully exposed to the unbridled fury of the press which, as we have seen before, showed little restraint and an even more fleeting adherence to the truth. [...]
Operation Mo: No Stooge, no Scalpel Here
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Gavutu, New Guinea, Operation Mo, Tanambogo, Tulagi on May 3 | Leave a Comment »
We’ve talked a lot about “operations” in this forum, and with good reason. There have been a ton of them down through the years. I don’t mean the hospital kind, but the military kind. And the Second World War was full of them. Every combatant built its offensive (and defensive) plans as an operation. Some [...]
Merlin Performs Magic on the Mustang
Posted in North America, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Aircraft, Merlin, North American P-51 Mustang, Roll-Royce, Ronald Harker on May 1 | Leave a Comment »
The North American P-51 Mustang was a plane that very easily could have been relegated to the archives of “also-ran” aircraft. When we first looked at it almost 18 months ago, we noted that pilots enthused about the its performance at medium altitude. Fast, nimble, forgiving, and very manueverable, the P-51 was a joy to [...]
