As my knowledge of America’s Revolutionary era has reached the “ankle-deep” stage over the last couple years, there are a few authors that I should probably thank. Without question, Ron Chernow’s studies of Alexander Hamilton and (most recently) George Washington get a mention. David McCullough is another, especially for his biography of John Adams. For [...]
Archive for March, 2011
Abigail Adams: Mother of Independence
Posted in The Revolution (1775-1783), United States, tagged 1776, Abigail Adams, Equality, President John Adams on March 31 | 2 Comments »
The Guns of Keise Shima
Posted in Pacific, World War II (1939-1945), tagged Keise Shima, Okinawa, Operation Iceberg, Ryukyu Islands on March 28 | 1 Comment »
It’s a quick one this evening, but it’s two days in a row that I’ve been able to get here, and that’s saying something in light of my recent (and prolonged) absences. Operation Iceberg (the Battle of Okinawa) needs no introduction to those who study the Second World War. This famous “last battle” of the [...]
Task Force Baum Bombs at Stalag 13
Posted in Europe, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1945, Captain Abe Baum, General George Patton, Hammelburg, Lt. Colonel John Waters, Stalag XIII, Task Force Baum on March 27 | Leave a Comment »
“They formed a pitiful spectacle: eight hundred POWs who had spent forty-five days being shuffled across Germany from camp to camp during the coldest winter in living memory. They carried rough wool Wehrmacht blankets rolled around their emaciated bodies, backpacks made from old Hessian sacks, homemade portable stoves, and each other as they hobbled into [...]
Patrick Henry’s Choice
Posted in Colonial history (1607-1775), United States, tagged 1775, Boston Tea Party, George Washington, Henrico Parish Church, Intolerable Acts, Patrick Henry, Second Virginia Convention on March 23 | 1 Comment »
When the delegates to the First Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia in the early fall of 1774, there was plenty of discontent and dissatisfaction. The taxes on British tea led to a boycott of the product…until the British government passed the Tea Act of 1973, which drastically reduced the price of tea in the Colonies. [...]
CSS Georgiana: Lost and Found
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Confederate States of America, Naval history, United States, tagged 1863, Charleston, CSS Georgiana, E. Lee Spence, South Carolina on March 19 | 1 Comment »
The struggle to get here and put anything in print continues. But there is light at the end of this tunnel, and things are starting to lighten up. Activity around this place should pick up in the week or two. I’ll keep things brief tonight, just because I’m a bit out of practice. On March [...]
The First Cracks in JN-25 Appear
Posted in North America, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1942, Encryption, Island AF, JN-25, Midway Island on March 13 | Leave a Comment »
On March 13, 1942, U.S. cryptanalysts wedged the first cracks into Japan’s JN-25 code system. As we well know, this bright spot falls into that dark, 6-month period for the U.S. armed forces between the disaster at Pearl Harbor and its first victory at Midway. The advent of radio had really transformed radio communications for the world’s [...]
The Desert Fox, Out of the Desert
Posted in Africa, World War II (1939-1945), tagged 1943, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Operation Capri on March 9 | Leave a Comment »
It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the 9th day of March, and this is the first piece of the month. But work continues to swamp, and some other things have interrupted the daily routine as well. I hope I can get this thing back on track. Let’s take a quick run to North Africa [...]
