Saturday, December 30, 1944. Reporting on the bomb.

"Pvt. Roy McDaniels, Hartford City, Ind., keeps a look out for enemy activity from a 30th Division observation post in Stavelot, Belgium. 30 December, 1944. 1st Battalion, 117th Regiment, 30th Division."  Note that a block has been nailed in to support the tripod of the machinegun, and that McDaniels is carrying a combat knife.

The German 5th Panzer Army made an attempt to encircle Bastogne.  The U.S. 3d Army attacked towards Houffalize.

King George II of Greece proclaimed a regency and appointed Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens to the role.

General Leslie Groves reported that two atomic bombs would be ready for testing by the summer of 1945.

Part I of the Sergei Eisenstein's Russian epic film Ivan the Terrible premiered.  Part II would not be released until 1958, as it was banned.  Eisenstein died in 1948 and a planned Part III was accordingly never made.

Last edition:

Friday, December 29, 1944. Siege of Budapest.

Labels: boats and ships, British Army, Budapest Offensive, Canadian Navy, Commandos, German Kriegsmarine, Red Army, Romanian Army, Siege of Budapest, U.S. Navy, World War Two

Monday, December 29, 1924. 4 ROH + 4 CO + O2 → 2 (CO2R)2 + 2 H2O

The tradition of releasing movies during the Christmas Holiday season obviously already a thing, Peter Pan was released.

The film was lost and rediscovered in the 1950s, and has been preserved.

The tariff on Oxalic Acid was increased by President Coolidge.

Presidents have been delegated wide authority by Congress to raise tariffs.  With all the current discussion on how Congress intends to take back delegated authority, which is directed at agencies, it'll be interesting to see if it dawns on them that the same situation exists as to the Presidency.

I doubt that will occur.

If it did, Donald couldn't run around threatening everyone with increased tariffs, so the same body of politicians that is outraged by one, will not be outraged by the other.

Last edition:

Boxing Day, 1924. Boundaries.

abels: 1920s, 1924, Chile, Peru, USSR

Monday, December 28, 1914. Ottoman advance slows.

The Ottoman advance at Sarikamish slowed due to exhaustion.

The first Sherlock Holmes film, A Study in Scarlet, was released with American actors Francis Ford and John Ford, the famous director, appearing as Holmes and Watson. Francis Ford directed.  

It is a missing film.

Last edition:

December 26, 1914. Boxing Day.

Labels: 1910s, 1914, 1914 Christmas Truce, Boxing Day, Christmas, Christmas Truce, press, World War One

Monday, December 16, 1974. Safe Drinking Water.

The Republic of Mali invaded the Republic of Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) in a border conflict over water rights.

The United States Senate unanimously (93 to 0) ratified the Geneva Protocol, the "Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare", almost 50 years after it had first been signed signed in Switzerland on June 17, 1925, and became effective on February 28, 1928.

Hmmm. . . . 

The Safe Drinking Water Act was signed into law.

Probably wouldn't happen today.

ANZUK, a military unit created in 1971 by agreement of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, was disbanded after slightly more than two years of having been in existence.

No surprise, given the Vietnam War and the "winds of change".

The Towering Inferno premiered.  I recall seeing it in the theaters with a friend on a Saturday afternoon, even though I was 11 years old.  It was awful.

Frankly, they shouldn't have let us in the movie at all.  I'm sure we walked down and watched it, but it features a totally stupid 1970s example of full frontal that serves no purpose other than to be a toss out to the Playboy ethos of the era, which no 11 year old, or 21 year old, or 61 year old, should have to put up with.

It also, fwiw, runs down the National Guard, in the 1970s post Vietnam War style.

And the plot is moronic.  One of the 1970s scare movies.

Last edition:

Sunday, November 17, 1974. Greek democracy restored.

Labels: 1960s, 1964, 1967, 1970s, 1974, Democracy, Greece

Thursday, December 4, 1924. Greed.

 

One of the greatest films ever made, released on this day in 1924.

Last edition:

Wednesday, December 3, 1924. President Coolidge delivered his second State of the Union Address.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, Africa, Calvin Coolidge, the spoken word, The written word, Transportation

Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 17, 1944: Submarine USS Spadefish sinks Japanese escort carrier Shinyo in the Yellow Sea, only 130 of 1,160 survive.

Thursday, November 16, 1944. Attack on the Siegfried Line.

"Soldiers of a tank destroyer battalion warm themselves with coffee before going into action against the Germans near Stolberg, Germany. 16 November, 1944. Company D, 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion."

The U.S. Frist and Ninth Armies commenced Operation Queen, aimed at the Siegfried Line.  The attack is supported by heavy Allied air strikes.

"German prisoners being taken to the rear were captured less than two hours after new American offensive started inside Germany. Beggendorf, Germany. 16 November, 1944. 2nd Armored Division."

Political disagreements between the Belgian government nad the Belgian resistance resulted in the resignation of three ministers.

The Jussi Awards for Finnish films were conveyed for the first time, with the ceremony in Helsinki.

Ansa Ikonen, best actress for 1944.

Last edition:

Wednesday, November 15, 1944. Early war movie released late in the war.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, 1944 at the Movies, Battle of Morotai, boats and ships, Clothing, Imperial Japanese Navy, Italy, Movies, Project Hermes, Red Army, U.S. Navy, World War Two

Wednesday, November 15, 1944. Early war movie released late in the war.

"Pvt. Zeb Turner, Bridgeport, Conn., adjusting the pack of Pvt. Robert [illegible]. Dunlap, Iowa, as infantrymen replacements prepare to leave for the front. Nancy, France, 15 November, 1944."  Note that these troops are still wearing leggings.  Also, the supposed private has a horizontal stripe on the front of his helmet.  This is the first time I've ever seen that.  The same on the back of his helmet would indicate he was an NCO.

The Fifth Army captured Modigliana, Italy.

Soviet forces took Jasbereny, Hungary.

The Japanese landing craft depot ship Akitsu Maru was sun by the USS Queenfish in the Korea Strait.  2,000 went down with her.

The 2nd Battalion, 167th Infantry Regiment landed at Pegun Island in the Mapia islands.

Project Hermes, a U.S. Army Ordinance Corps rocket research program, commenced.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo was released.

Last edition:

Tuesday, November 14, 1944. The death of Leigh-Mallory.

Labels: 1910s, 1940s, 1944, German Resistance Movements, Imperial Japanese Navy, July 20 Plot, Personalities, Royal Air Force, Russia, Russian Liberation Army, U.S. Navy, USSR, World War One, World War Two

La Marseillaise Casablanca

Ruffians.

I want rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits… muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers… bull dykes, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers, and Methodists.

Headley Lamar, Blazing Saddles.

In Memoriam. David Harris.

Actor David Harris, best known for his role as "Cochise" in The Warriors, has passed away at age 75 from cancer.  Fans of war movies will recall he had the role as Pvt. Smalls, a major character, in A Soldier's Story.

Today in World War II History—October 25, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 25, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 25, 1939: First main kamikaze attacks occur in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On the ground at Leyte, Japanese take attack US ground troops.

Wednesday, October 11, 1944. To Have and Have Not.

A Hungarian delegation signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow agreeing to abandon territory gained since 1937 and to declare war on Germany.  Hungary was enduring turmoil in its government over this general topic.

The obscure Tuvan People's Republic was absorbed by the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Army Air Force bombed Okinawa.

To Have and Have Not premiered.  It was Lauren Bacall's premier film.

Last edition:

Tuesday, October 10, 1944. The murder of the Romani children.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Auschwitz, Austria (Vienna), Gypsies, Imperial Japanese Navy, Italian partisans, Italian Social Republic, Nazi Germany, Okinawa, The Holocaust, U.S. Navy

Today in World War II History—October 11, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 11, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 11, 1944: US First Army begins battle for Aachen, Germany. Movie premiere of To Have and Have Not, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Sunday, September 14, 1924. Most Valuable Player.

 

Premiered on this day in 1924.  It had been filmed on location.  Anna Mae Wong, the famous Chinese American actress, was cast as an Inuit.

It was a bad day for police officers:

Deputy Constable J. Edward Brown:

Police Officer Francis X. "Buck" Roy

Patrol Inspector James F. Mankin

Walter "Big Train" Johnson was chosen Major League Baseball's Most Valuable Player

Last edition:

Saturday, September 13, 1924. Pershing retires.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, Art, First Around The World Flight, French Occupation of the Ruhr, John J. Pershing

In Memoriam, James Earl Jones.

One of the most monumental actors of the second half of the 20th Century, and one of the most memorable voices of all times, James Earl Jones died at age 93 yesterday.

A lot has been written about Jones over the past day, and so we won't go back into most of it.  Born to actor Robert Earl Jones, whom he closely resembled in appearance and voice, and Ruth, he mostly grew up outside of the presence of his father who left the family shortly after he was born.  He mostly grew up on the farm of his maternal grandparents in Michigan.  After high school he started off towards a career in medicine but realized it wasn't for him and switched to drama, graduating from the University of Michigan in 1955.  He participated in ROTC while a university student and had expected to deploy to the Korean War, but it ended shortly after he graduated.  He attended Ranger school, something very difficult to graduate from and frankly making him an unusually large graduate of a program which tends to favor smaller men.  While in the Army, he converted to Catholicism.

His first film appearance was in Dr. Strangelove in 1964.  His last was in 2021 in Coming 2 America.  He had various monumental roles in between, including famously being the voice of Darth Vader and Terrence Mann in Field of Dreams.

Sunday, September 7, 1924. Infernos.

Released on this day in 1924.

A different type of inferno had broken out on Casper Mountain.

Spanish dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera issued a manifesto to the army appealing for an extension of his emergency powers in which he stated:  "One year is too short a time to attempt to carry out the work which lay before the directorio when we assumed power."  He'd remain in power until 1930, by which time he'd lost support of the king, and the military, the latter of which had never fully backed him.

Last edition:

Saturday, September 6, 1924. Putting down in Boston.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, Art, Boston Massachusetts, Calvin Coolidge, Education, First Around The World Flight

Sunday, August 31, 1924. Back in North America.

The around the world flyers landed at Indian Harbour, Labrador (which was not yet part of Canada), thereby having arrived again in North America.

United with Newfoundland, Labrador would not become part of Canada until 1949.

Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia proclaimed himself heir to the Russian throne.

Wine was released, which featured Clara Bow in her first leading role.

Last edition:

Saturday, August 30, 1924. Late summer scenes.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, Art, Calvin Coolidge, Currency, French League of Nation Mandates, German Weimar Republic, Illinois, inflation, It was because of World War One, Ku Klux Klan, Lebanon, Monarchy, Norman Rockwell

Monday, August 25, 1924. Ratifying the Dawes Plan and questionable movies.

Released on this day in 1924.  It was banned in some cities, as was the novel which it was based upon.

Chancellor Wilhelm Marx informed the Reichstag that he would ratify the London agreement whether the Reichstag approved it or not and even if it meant a downfall of the government and new elections.

The Cheyenne paper pointed out that summer was drawing to a close.

Last edition:

Saturday, August 23, 1924. Princess Petrolia. Refinery expansion in Glenrock.

Labels: 1920s, 1924, First Around The World Flight, Glenrock Wyoming, Petroleum, The roles of men and women, Women, Wyoming (Glenrock)

Sunday, August 13, 1899. Alfred Hitchcock presented.

Alfred Hitchcock was born in Essex.

Worth noting, the remarkable British film maker was a lifelong Catholic.

Last edition:

Tuesday, August 8, 1899. Landfall in Puerto Rico.

Labels: 1890s, 1899, Disaster, Puerto Rico, Weather