Wednesday, October 4, 1944. Scorched Earth.

"Scene in a kitchen of a typical Russian family. These people are among the many who have been recently liberated by rapid Allied advances at the newly established Displaced Persons Center at Briey, France.  4 October, 1944."   There's obviously more to this story than what the caption provides.

Operation Nordlicht began in Finland by the German Army.  It was a planned withdrawal using scorched earth tactics, with the final line to be in  Lyngen Municipality in Troms county, Norway.

"This photo shows a GI relaying fire data for artillery back from forward observation post near Havert, Germany. 4 October, 1944. 29th Infantry Division."

The Battle of Morotai more or less ended, with the ending being an Allied victory.  Some fighting would continue to the end of the war.

Moscow asked for permission for the Red Army to enter Bulgaria.

The Serbian collaborationist government was dissolved.

Today in World War II History—October 4, 1944:British paratroopers land at Patras, Greece, and on Crete and Aegean islands.

The U-92, U-228 and U-437 were rendered inoperable by an RAF raid on Bergen.

Famous Democratic politician Al Smith died at age 70, five months after the death of his wife.

Last edition:

Tuesday, October 3, 1944. Breaking the Siegfried Line.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Animals, Battle of Aachen, boats and ships, Dogs, Estonia, Finland, Finnish Army, Italian partisans, Italian Social Republic, Italy, Lapland War, Netherlands, Royal Air Force, World War Two

Thursday, June 26, 1924. Nominating Al Smith.

 

The Coolidge family went to a baseball game.

Jesse Barnes.   Barnes battled left and pitched right.  He first played in major league ball in 1914, and last in 1927.  He died in 1961 at age 69.

In baseball, but not at this game, Jesse Barnes of the Boston Braves opposed Virgil Barnes of the New York Giants in the first brother vs. brother pitching duel. in major league baseball history. 

Virgil Barnes.   The younger of the two Barnes pitchers, he first played major league ball in 1919 and last in 1928.  He died in 1958 at age 61.

The Giants won.

Both brothers had been pitchers for the Giants at one time.

The United States and Bulgaria exchanged ratifications of an extradition treaty.

At the Democratic Convention, Franklin Roosevelt nominated Al Smith for the Democratic ticket.  

William McAdoo had been assumed to be the shoe in nominee in 1923, but things had begun to go off the rails.  It had been learned that he had accepted a $25,000 campaign contribution from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny, who was associated with the Teapot Dome Scandal.  He returned it, but at the convention he received the support of the Ku Klux Klan and refused to reveal if he was a member or not.  He did not repudiate the Klan, which in turn caused Catholic support to evaporate.

Last prior edition:

Tuesday, June 24, 1924. The Democratic Convention opens.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, 1924 Election, Blog Mirror, Calvin Coolidge, Fascism, Florida, Italy, Newspapers