Saturday, December 19, 1942. The storm ends.

Today in World War II History—December 19, 1942: 80 Years Ago—Dec. 19, 1942: Free French take Pichon, Tunisia from Germans.

From Sara Sundin's blog.

Today saw the high water mark of Operation Winter Storm, the German effort to relieve Stalingrad.  German troops advanced to a point 30 miles south of Stalingrad, which is not close in military offensive terms.  They could not advance further, and the trapped forces had insufficient fuel to commence an effort to break out.

April 1, 1919. Des Moines Waterfront, Rheims in ruins, Concern of Japan. . . in Mexico. And Wars.

Des Moines, Iowa.  April 1, 1919.

On this same day in which Des Moines waterfront was photographed, a Red Cross photographer toured the Red Cross facilities in destroyed Rheims.

Scenes like those depicted there demonstrate pretty ably why the French were taking a hard line view in the peace talks in Paris.

Red Cross staff at Rheims, including local volunteers.

Red Cross facility in Rheims for those returning home to find no homes.

Note the boy sailor, seated at table.

Closer to home a scare that had developed over Japanese land purchases in Mexico were abating.

It seemed pretty clear that the early scare, which had been that the Japanese were buying up strategic lands in Baja California were more than a little off base.

A U.S. Senator predicted a future war on the Pacific, however. . . .

Overall, frankly, the news of this early stage of the peace was, well, not very peaceful.

Main Street looking south, Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa. November 12, 1917.

Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa. October 27, 1917.