Today in World War II History—November 24, 1939 & 1944 (Friday November 24, 1944). Terrace Mutiny,

Usually I post this separately, but there are so many significant items in Sarah Sundin's blog this Sunday, I'm incorporating it into my post.

Today in World War II History—November 24, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1944: US B-29 Superfortress bombers bomb Tokyo for the first time. Japanese capture Nanning, completing a land corridor between occupied China and Indochina. In controversial decision, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower orders the 6th Army Group not to cross the Rhine but to drive north and assist Patton’s Third Army. In Terrace, BC, Canadian conscripts (many are French-Canadian) mutiny when they hear they might be sent overseas, the largest mutiny in Canadian history; put down by 11/29; news of the mutiny is censored. France establishes Commission de Récupération Artistique (CRA) to return looted artwork, with curator Rose Valland as secretary.

Wow. 

The Terrace Mutiny, which is what the mutiny was called, reflected the internal discord in Canada over conscription, something that has largely been glossed over after the war.  English Canadians were disproportionately represented amongst those who volunteered for service and volunteered to go overseas. French Canadians were disproportionally amongst those who did not.  Those who volunteered termed those who did not "Zombies" and often harassed them.  Ultimately, the needs of war could not sustain the system.

The 3d Army crossed the Saar.

Soviets completing their occupation of Saaremo in the Baltic.

The HMCS Sawinigan was sunk by the U-1228 in the Cabot Strait.

Last edition:

Thursday, November 23, 1944. Thanksgiving Day.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Alsace-Lorraine, Army, Canadian Army, Czechoslovakia, France, French Army, Holidays, Hungary, Nazi Germany, Red Army, Royal Navy, Thanksgiving, The Holocaust, World War Two

Thursday, November 9, 1944. Sorge meets his end.

The Japanese hanged Soviet master spy Richard Sorge, one of the most effective, if perhaps ignored, spies of all time.

Sorge's passport in Japan, noting his cover as a journalist.

The 3d Army crossed the Moselle near Metz.

The 8th Army captured Forli.

The Japanese landed 2,000 reinforcements on Leyte.

Last edition:

Wednesday, November 8, 1944. Mystery of explosions resolved. Canadians prevail on the Scheldt.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Army, Battle of Metz, Battle of the Scheldt, boats and ships, Canadian Army, Imperial Japanese Navy, Operation Infatuate, Rocketry, Tracked vehicles, U.S. Navy, Weapons, World War Two

Wednesday, November 1, 1944 Death of Greek Catholic Archbishop of Lviv and Metropolitan of Halych Andrey Sheptytsky

Andrey Sheptytsky, OSBM (Polish: Andrzej Szeptycki; Ukrainian: Митрополит Андрей Шептицький, romanized: Mytropolyt Andrei Sheptytskyi; had been the Greek Catholic Archbishop of Lviv and Metropolitan of Halych from 1901 until his death at age 79 on this day in 1944.  His maintained his office through numerous wars and six political regimes: Austrian, Ukrainian, Soviet, Polish, Nazi German, and again Soviet.  While he briefly supported the Ukrainian forces raised by the Germans in Poland, he recanted once the nature of the Nazi regime became apparent and openly opposed the Holocaust in Poland.  He wrote the pastoral letter, "Thou Shall Not Kill" protesting Nazi atrocities, which states:

Із Послання Митрополита Андрея Шептицького “Не убий” [21 листопада 1942 року]

Андрей Шептицький

Божою Милістю і Святого Апостольського Римського Престолу Благословенням Митрополит, Архієпископ Галицький і Львівський Єпископ, Кам’янецький Духовенству й вірним Мир о Господі і благословенство

НЕ УБИЙ!

[...] Дивним способом обманюють себе і людей ті, що політичне вбивство не уважають гріхом, наче би політика звільняла чоловіка від обов’язку Божого закону та оправдувала злочин, противний людській природі. Так не є. Християнин є обов’язковий заховувати Божий закон не тільки в приватному житті, але й в політичному та суспільному житті. Людина, що проливає неповинну кров свого ворога, політичного противника, є таким самим чоловіковбивником, як людина, що це робить для рабунку, і так само заслуговує на кару Божу і на клятву Церкви.

Християнин, і не тільки християнин, а кожна людина обов’язана з людської природи до любови ближнього. І не тільки християн, але й усіх людей буде Всев[вишній] Бог І[сус] Христос, справедливий Суддя, судити по всім ділам життя, а передусім по ділам милосердя і любови ближнього, як це описане в притчі про страшний суд (Мат. XXV). Чоловіковбивник не тільки, що не мав милосердя до вбитого, терплячого, ув’язненого, але ближньому зробив найтяжчу кривду, яку тільки міг зробити, відбираючи йому життя, і то може в хвилі, коли той ближній, на смерть не приготований, стратив через неї всяку надію на вічне життя! Тим вчинком скривдив він усі діти вбитого, жінку, старих батьків, які без помочі вбитого, засуджені, може, на голод і нужду. Та не тільки вбив ближнього, але й свою душу позбавив надприродного життя, Божої благодаті, та ввів її у пропасть, з якої, може, вже й не буде спасіння! Бо прокляттям неповинної крові викликав, може, в своїй душі демонів пожадливости, які кажуть йому в терпіннях і болях ближнього шукати власної радости.

[...] Світ гине з браку любови, гине з людської ненависти! Не переставаймо ж благати Всевишнього про обильні, теплі дощі його святої благодати з неба.

Вкінці звертаюся ще до вас усіх, Дорогих Братів, вірних та усильно взиваю до заховування якнайбільшого супокою. Воєнні часи приносять нам неодно терпіння і неодну спокусу. Йде лиш про це, щоб з Божою благодаттю тривати при Божому законі і сильно надіятися на Всевишнього, що його пресвята ласка оберне на наше добро всі терпіння, які нам зіслав. Досвіди принимаємо з Божих рук; нічого не діється без волі Небесного Отця, Бог, добрий Батько, змилосердиться над нами, простить наші гріхи і дасть діждатися благословенного часу миру.

The British and Canadians commenced Operation Infatuate with the goal of opening the port of Antwerp.

British troops landed on Walcheren island.

James Ralston resigned as Canadian Defence Minister after Prime Minister Mackenzie King rejected his request to impose conscription for overseas service.

The Royal Navy sank three Kriegsmarine vessels in combat off of Croatia.

A B-29 conducted the first overflight of Japan since the Doolittle Raid.  It was a reconnaissance mission.

The Japanese released paper balloons carrying bombs intended to reach North America for the first time.

The USS Abner Read was sunk in a kamikaze attack in the Leyte Gulf.

The HMS Whitaker was damaged beyond repair when torpedoed by the U-483 off of Ireland.

Pfc. Lawrence Hoyle, left, of Bangham, Ill., Browning Automatic Rifle man, and Pvt. Andrew Fachak, right, of McKeesport, P.A., both members of an infantry unit take shelter behind a blasted wall and keep an eye out for enemy snipers, near Maizeres Les Metz, France. 1 November, 1944. 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division.

Last edition:

Tuesday, October 31, 1944. Rescued.

Labels: Army, Danish resistance, Denmark, Eastern Front, Food, France, German Army, Gestapo, Halloween, Infantry, Lithuania, Red Army, Royal Air Force, World War Two

Today in World War II History—November 1, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 1, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 1, 1944: US C-47 medical air evacuation flight crashes in southern France—the crew, 15 patients, and flight nurse Aleda Lutz are killed.

Today in World War II History—October 19, 1944

Today in World War II History—October 19, 1944: 80 Years Ago: Japanese form Special Attack Group of kamikazes. US Navy partially integrates Blacks into service areas and opens WAVES to Black women.

Wednesday, September 6, 1899. The Open Door Policy.

The McKinley Administration, through Secretary of State John Hay, sent "open door" notes to Germany, Russia, and England. They would later be sent to Japan, Italy, and France.

United States Department of State

Washington, September 6, 1899

At the time when the Government of the United States was informed by that of Germany that it had leased from His Majesty the Emperor of China the port of Kiao-chao and the adjacent territory in the province of Shantung, assurances were given to the ambassador of the United States at Berlin by the Imperial German minister for foreign affairs that the rights and privileges insured by treaties with China to citizens of the United States would not thereby suffer or be in anywise impaired within the area over which Germany had thus obtained control.

More recently, however, the British Government recognized by a formal agreement with Germany the exclusive right of the latter country to enjoy in said leased area and the contiguous "sphere of influence or interest" certain privileges, more especially those relating to railroads and mining enterprises; but as the exact nature and extent of the rights thus recognized have not been clearly defined, it is possible that serious conflicts of interest may at any time arise not only between British and German subjects within said area, but that the interests of our citizens may also be jeopardized thereby.

Earnestly desirous to remove any cause of irritation and to insure at the same time to the commerce of all nations in China the undoubted benefits which should accrue from a formal recognition by the various powers claiming "spheres of interest" that they shall enjoy perfect equality of treatment for their commerce and navigation within such "spheres," the Government of the United States would be pleased to see His German Majesty's Government give formal assurances, and lend its cooperation in securing like assurances from the other interested powers, that each, within its respective sphere of whatever influence--

First. Will in no way interfere with any treaty port or any vested interest within any so-called "sphere of interest" or leased territory it may have in China.

Second. That the Chinese treaty tariff of the time being shall apply to all merchandise landed or shipped to all such ports as are within said "sphere of interest" (unless they be "free ports"), no matter to what nationality it may belong, and that duties so leviable shall be collected by the Chinese Government.

Third. That it will levy no higher harbor dues on vessels of another nationality frequenting any port in such "sphere" than shall be levied on vessels of its own nationality, and no higher railroad charges over lines built, controlled, or operated within its "sphere" on merchandise belonging to citizens or subjects of other nationalities transported through such "sphere" than shall be levied on similar merchandise belonging to its own nationals transported over equal distances.

The liberal policy pursued by His Imperial German Majesty in declaring Kiao-chao a free port and in aiding the Chinese Government in the establishment there of a customhouse are so clearly in line with the proposition which this Government is anxious to see recognized that it entertains the strongest hope that Germany will give its acceptance and hearty support. The recent ukase of His Majesty the Emperor of Russia declaring the port of Ta-lien-wan open during the whole of the lease under which it is held from China to the merchant ships of all nations, coupled with the categorical assurances made to this Government by His Imperial Majesty's representative at this capital at the time and since repeated to me by the present Russian ambassador, seem to insure the support of the Emperor to the proposed measure. Our ambassador at the Court of St. Petersburg has in consequence, been instructed to submit it to the Russian Government and to request their early consideration of it. A copy of my instruction on the subject to Mr. Tower is herewith inclosed for your confidential information.

The commercial interests of Great Britain and Japan will be so clearly observed by the desired declaration of intentions, and the views of the Governments of these countries as to the desirability of the adoption of measures insuring the benefits of equality of treatment of all foreign trade throughout China are so similar to those entertained by the United States, that their acceptance of the propositions herein outlined and their cooperation in advocating their adoption by the other powers can be confidently expected. I inclose herewith copy of the instruction which I have sent to Mr. Choate on the subject.

In view of the present favorable conditions, you are instructed to submit the above considerations to His Imperial German Majesty's Minister for L Foreign Affairs, and to request his early consideration of the subject.

Last edition:

Tuesday, August 29, 1899. Volunteers back in the U.S.

Labels: 1890s, 1899, Blog Mirror, National Guard, Philippine Insurrection, Wyoming Army National Guard, Wyoming National Guard

Tuesday, August 22, 1944. End of the German Navy in the Baltic, Strikes on the Tirpitz, Advances in France.

Two GIs of the 2nd Infantry Division operate a .30 caliber light machine gun from under the cover of low-hanging trees. They are firing at a hedgerow across a clearing. Near Vire, France. 22 August, 1944.

The 7th Army captured Grenoble.

Destroyed German field kitchen, with more in background, near Falaise.

German POWs, Falaise.

The Royal Navy began carrier raids against the Tirpitz in Operation Goodwood.  The HMS Nabob was hit by torpedoes from a German submarine, but was able to continue with limited operations.  The U-344 was sunk in the Barents Sea by Fairey Swordfish aircraft of 825 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm.  The frigate Bickerton was scuttled after being damaged by a torpedo strike.

Strikes against the Tirpitz were ineffective.

The Kriegsmarine ordered the evacuation of Constanta, Romania, a Black Sea port.  Ships were authorized to be scuttled.

The 2nd Ukrainian Front captured Jassy, Romania, while the 3d Ukrainian Front drove northward, making 50 miles in two days.

The Japanese government introduced female labor conscription for women aged 12 to 40.

Last edition:

Monday, August 21, 1944. Dumbarton Oaks.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Battle of Marseille, Canadian Army, Dunbarton Oaks, Falaise Pocket, Operation Tractable, Polish Army, United Nations

Wednesday, August 14, 1974. Second Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

Turkey invaded Cyprus again, taking 37% of the country, establishing a republic recognized only by it, and dividing the capital Nicosia.

Greece withdrew from NATO"s military command structure as a result of the invasion.  The Greek Cypriot paramilitary group EOKAB took Tochni and by the end of the day had murdered numerous people.

The Greek culture on  Cyprus goes back to antiquity, although the island was never ruled by Greece.  The Turkish presence to 1571 when the Ottomans took the island and began to partially settle it.  The troubles of the 1970s, which have lasted to this day, were started by the Greek nationalist military junta, giving another example of the disastrous effects of Greek overreach in regard to Turkey.

The  East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front (EAAJAF) attempted to assassinate the Emperor Hirohito with a railroad bomb, but was the plot was discovered and disrupted.  The terrorist group was Japanese, in spite of its name, but was in reaction to the Japanese history of aggression, as well as having a far left ideology.

Last edition

Friday, August 9, 1974. President Nixon Resigns.

Labels: 1960s, 1970s, 1974, 2020s, 2024, Blog Mirror, Court, Gerald Ford, Growing up in the 1960s, Growing up in the 1970s, law, Nebraska, Personalities, Richard Nixon, Sic transit Gloria Mundi, Watergate, Wyoming

Saturday, July 22, 1944. Changes in governments.

Resing tank crewman, Normandy.  July 22, 1944.

We start today with some items Sarah Sundin has already noted in her blog:

Today in World War II History—July 22, 1944

Gen. Kuniaki Koiso became the Prime Minister of Japan, and SS glider troops landed in the Vecors region to address a Maquis uprising.

Operation Goodwood concludes near Caen with limited results, and the US began initial support operations for Operation Cobra.

The Moscow controlled Polish Committee of National Liberation was established in Chelm.

The Red Army closed the Brody Pocket in Ukraine, capturing 17,000 German troops.  The Red Army also took Panevezys, Lithuania.

The Red Army overran the Majdanek concentration camp, the first concentration camp to be liberated by Allied forces.

The first all fighter aircraft shuttle mission occurred with July 22, 1944 Italian based U.S. P-38 Lightning's and P-51 Mustangs of Fifteenth Air Force attacking German airfields at Bacau and Zilistea, Romania and flying on to  Soviet territory.

The Germans began cancelling the construction of new U-boats as well as the repair of existing ones.

Arrests continued due to the July 20, plot.

The Poles took Castelfiorentino and Tavernelle, Italy.

The USS Bailey shelled positions on Tinian.

The US Army Air Force raided Japanese positions in Shanghai.

Bretton Woods concluded.

Last edition:

Friday, July 21, 1944. Landings on Guam.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, 1944 Election, boats and ships, Free French, French Army, German Army, German Kriegsmarine, Guam, Harry S. Truman, July 20 Plot, Operation Dragoon, Royal Navy, World War Two

Tuesday, July 18, 1944. Tojo out.

British armor, July 18, 1944.

Hideki Tojo was removed premier of Japan and resigned as Chief of Staff of the Army.

Gen. Kuniaki Koiso and Adm. Yonai were chosen to form a new cabinet.  Gen. Umezu became the Army Chief of Staff.

The Red Army launched the Lublin-Brest Offensive.

The British launched Operation Goodwood to expand out from Caen, making costly advances.  The action has, as one of its goals, keeping German forces committed against the British so they do not redeploy against US forces.

The US 19th Corps occupied Saint-Lô.  

The Polish 2nd Corps took Ancona, Italy.

Abandoned German tanks, Italy.

The U-672 was sunk by the HMS Balfour.

Last edition:

Monday, July 17, 1944. The Port Chicago Disaster

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Battle of Nietjärvi, Battle of Saint-Lô, Battle of Vuosalmi, Disaster, Erwin Rommel, Personalities, Port Chicago Explosion, Prisoners of War, Racism, Second Battle of Odon, U.S. Navy, World War Two

Thursday, July 10, 1924. Before electronics.

The around the world flight of pilots and aircraft from the U.S. Army flew 560 miles from Aleppo, Syria, to Constantinople, Turkey.

I unfortunately have not tracked a lot of the flight, which had gone from Japan, to China, to Indochina, and on into India.

A glimpse into the pre electronic age (although radio was coming on strong), a short story magazine that ran 196 pages in length.  

The first few pages:

Tuesday, July 1, 1924. Airmail.

Regular U.S airmail commenced with a fully established Transcontinental Airway System at New York City; Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; Cleveland and Bryan, Ohio; Chicago; Iowa City; Omaha and North Platte, Nebraska; Cheyenne, Rawlins and Rock Springs, Wyoming; Salt Lake City; Elko and Reno; and San Francisco.

President Coolidge held a press conference:

Press Conference, July 1, 1924

Japan held a national day of protest over the new US immigration act.

Last edition:

Monday, June 30, 1924. Teapot Grand Jury comes in.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, Álvaro Obregón, British League of Nations Mandates, Calvin Coolidge, Health, law, Mexico, Palestine, Zionism

Wednesday, May 28, 1924. Border Patrol and Foreign Service.

We earlier posted this: 

Lex Anteinternet: Saturday, May 24, 1924. Foreign services.: 

Saturday, May 24, 1924. Foreign services.

President Coolidge signed the Foreign Service Act of 1924, creating the Foreign Serve and the Immigration Act of 1924, the National Origins Act.

The act reflected immigration by national origins, banned all immigration from Asia and set a total immigration quota of 165,000 for countries outside the Western Hemisphere.  It also authorized the creation of The Border Patrol.

And on this day, those agencies came into being.

Japan issued a formal protest over the Immigration Act of 1924.

President Coolidge issued a proclamation:

Max Wallraf was elected as the President of the Reichstag,

New York National Guardsman, Pvt. George Herman Ruth was photographed saluting Gen. Pershing.

Coolidge was photographed with cadet officers.

Last prior edition:

Monday, May 26, 1924. The beginning of the end for Hejaz.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, German Weimar Republic, Immigration, Jordan, Kingdom of Hejaz, law, Saudi Arabia

Monday, May 19, 1924. Bonuses and Tick Fever.

Congress overrode President Coolidge's veto of the World War Adjusted Compensation Act.

I can't say that act was a big surprise.

An image was transmitted by telephone line for the first time.  Over two hours, 15 photographic images were transmitted by AT&T from Cleveland to New York City.

Korean nationalist tried, but failed, to assassinate Japanese Governor General of Korea Makoto Saito.  The attempt was a clumsy one, involving firing on Saito's boat from the Chinese side of the Yalu.

Dr. Roscoe R. Spencer, after giving himself some time prior his own vaccine for Rocky Mountain Tick Fever, injected himself with "a large does of mashed wood ticks" and did not die, proving that the vaccine worked.

Today it would inspire a bunch of countervailing extreme theories.

Turkey and the United Kingdom failed to reach an accord on the Mosul Question, i.e., who owned the region.

The Royal Australian Air Force completed the first aerial circumnavigation of the continent with a Fairey IIID.

Last prior edition:

Sunday, May 18, 1924. Kīlauea

1920s, 1924, 1924 Olympics, Geology, Hawaii, Olympics, rugby