Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Sunday, January 23, 1944. Halting at Anzio.

British infantrymen meeting U.S. Army Rangers outside of Anzio.  In the early hours of the operation there was little resistance and things were very fluid.  Both Rangers in the foreground are carrying M1 Garands and wearing the "Jacket, Combat, Winter", which is  erroneously associated with tanker s today.  At least the Ranger on the right is wearing a pair of winter trousers as well.  The soldier on the right has a large "H' on his helmet cover, which is an identifying mark I'm not familiar with.  The soldier on the left appears to have the same mark.  Both British solders are wearing leather jerkins.

36,000 Allied troops had already disembarked by the prior midnight, 13 had been killed, and 200 German prisoners of war taken, including a drunk German officer and orderly who had driven his staff car into an Allied landing craft.  There'd be 50,000 troops on the ground by the end of the day.

Allied troops, under Lucas' command, took up forming defensive positions in anticipation of a counterattack, a decision that was soon controversial, and frankly, a mistake.  This is interesting for a variety of reasons, one of which is that Lucas was originally a cavalry officer, with cavalry being the only branch in the U.S. Army that was dedicated to battlefield mobility and had a doctrine of always moving forward.That view as not shared by the other branches.  Having said that, Lucas had transferred out of the cavalry after World War One.

The German forces did debate what to do.  Kesselring, in command in Italy, believed the Gustav Line could be held along with the beachhead at Anzio. Von Vietinghoff favored withdrawing from the Gustav Line.  The German High Command, meanwhile, allocated reserved from France, northern Italy and the Balkans to the effort.

By the week's end, the Allies would be facing 8 German divisions at Anzio.

The HMS Janus as sunk off shores by a Fritz X.

The Australian Army took Maukiryo in New Guinea.

The Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Rangers 15 to 0, which apparently remains a hockey record.

Pistol Packin' Mama was number one on the country charts.

23-year-old New Zealand er Linda Malden working on a windmill while managing her parent's farm.  No men were left to do what was traditionally a male role, due to wartime manpower demands. Public domain, State Library of New South Wales.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Wednesday, November 14, 1923. In from the cold.

German Gen. Hans von Seeckt ordered that Berlin cafés, halls and cabarets must admit the city's poor and cold in order to warm themselves, least the Government seize them to be used for that purpose.

Von Seeckt's tomb.

Von Seeckt had been an important figure in the Imperial German Army before going on to be a major figure in the Reichswehr.  He was in the German parliament from 1930 to 32 as a member of a center right party, but turned towards the hard right thereafter.  He was assigned to the German military mission in China in 1933, where he restored the failing relationship with the Nationalist Chinese.  His advice lead to the 1934 Nationalist campaign that resulted in the Communist Long March.

Germany suspended payments on its reparations.

New Zealand's laws were extended to Antarctica as Governor General John Jellicoe applied its jurisdiction to the Ross Dependency.

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Thursday, August 16, 1923. Antarctic Governor

With at least an element of hubris, Viscount Jellicoe, the Governor General of New Zealand, was designated the Governor of the Ross Dependency in Antarctica.


There is something so British about this, it isn't funny. . . or rather it is.

Jellicoe commanded the Royal Navy at the Battle of Jutland, the singular great naval battle of the Great War, which by any rational definition was a Royal Navy victory and which demonstrated, beyond that, that the the surface fleet of the Imperial German Kreigsmarine was an expensive waste of resources. So he was due his honors.

Still, Jellicoe nearly defines the high empire age, which started to dwindle following World War One.

More locally, headline use of "last rights" was incorrect, but the grief was genuine.

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Monday, July 30, 1923. Harding in grave condition.

President Harding was reported to e in "grave" condition, which indeed he was.


Summer life, of course, went on for many, which included camps for some.



And protests for others.


And Reserve training, as in these men from D.C.'s Naval Reserve were doing.


The British Empire claimed the Ross Dependency in Antarctica and expressed a desire that, save for some territory belonging to Chile, Argentina and France, the Empire should come to own the entire continent.

The Dependency today is claimed by New Zealand, a claim recognized only by other countries claiming Antarctic lands.

Monday, April 3, 2023

Saturday, April 3, 1943. The Battle of Manners Street

The Battle of Manners Street occurred in Wellington, New Zealand, when American servicemen and New Zealand servicemen came to blows over American racist attitudes, which caused some American servicemen to attempt to exclude Māori soldiers from the Services Club.  The two-hour riot/brawl resulted in many injuries before order was restored.  News of the riot was suppressed.

Such events would repeat throughout the war.

Poon Lim BEM (Chinese: 潘濂; pinyin: Pān Lián) a Chinese merchant sailor who was cast adrift in a U-boat attack was rescued after 133 days at sea on a raft.

Hans Walter Conrad Veidt, who went by the stage name of Conrad Veidt, died of a heart attack.  He's most famously remembered today for playing the German villain in Casablanca, which was in its first running year at the time.  A Lutheran, he had left Nazi Germany in 1933 as his wife was Jewish and personally was opposed to the Nazi regime and its policies.


His heart condition was known to him, although he continued to worsen it by smoking.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Sunday, January 28, 1923. Gand est Français?

100,000 Francophone Belgians protested the imposition of Flemish at Ghent University, changing "Gand est Français".

The Belgian Chamber of Deputies had imposed Flemish, and prohibited French, by law.

Flemish is, of course, a Dutch dialect spoken in Belgium, one of Belgium's three languages, the third being German, which is spoken in a small area of the country.  Territorially, about half of Belgium speaks Flemish as their primary language.  Ghent, in northern Belgium, is in fact in the Flemish region of the country.

Flag of Flanders.

The Belgians who speak Flemish are also called the Flemis, and make up about 60% of the Belgian population, all concentrated in the north. Flanders is the Flemish region.   The French speaking area is part of Wallonia, a region which includes parts of France.

Flag of Wallonia.

New Zealand cricketer and later Wellington lawyer, Alfred Holdship, died at age 55

Saturday, January 21, 2023

New Zealand's new Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, is. . .

 44 years old.

For the second time in a row, New Zealand has chosen a PM who was not old enough to have served in, or avoided serving in, the Vietnam War.

There's a lesson in here, US voters.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Monday, December 8, 1941. Declarations of War.

Newspaper stand, San Francisco, December 8, 1921. The headline in the visible paper was focused on New York, not the Pacific, proclaiming "Enemy Planes Near N.Y. From Atlantic!", which was complete baloney.

Time Magazine had an illustration of German Field Marshall Von Bock on its cover, with the lead in story being on the German offensive on Moscow.

Ironically, on the same day, Hitler ordered the Germans into a winter time stand down of the offensive, concluding Operation Barbarossa, which had actually ground to a halt some days prior.

American newspapers, in contrast to Time, which had gone to press earlier in the week, covered yesterday's Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.



A great deal was happening all over the globe due to yesterday's attack on Pearl Harbor, as partially detailed in our entry on Today In Wyoming's History: December 8: 1941




1941  The FBI warned Japanese residents of Rawlins to be discreet.

1941 Japan released its Declaration of War against the United States and the UK, which stated:
By the grace of Heaven, Emperor of Japan, seated on the throne occupied by the same dynasty from time immemorial, enjoin upon ye, Our loyal and brave subjects:

We hereby declare War on the United States of America and the British Empire. The men and officers of Our Army and Navy shall do their utmost in prosecuting the war. Our public servants of various departments shall perform faithfully and diligently their respective duties; the entire nation with a united will shall mobilize their total strength so that nothing will miscarry in the attainment of Our war aims.

To ensure the stability of East Asia and to contribute to world peace is the far-sighted policy which was formulated by Our Great Illustrious Imperial Grandsire and Our Great Imperial Sire succeeding Him, and which We lay constantly to heart. To cultivate friendship among nations and to enjoy prosperity in common with all nations, has always been the guiding principle of Our Empire's foreign policy. It has been truly unavoidable and far from Our wishes that Our Empire has been brought to cross swords with America and Britain. More than four years have passed since China, failing to comprehend the true intentions of Our Empire, and recklessly courting trouble, disturbed the peace of East Asia and compelled Our Empire to take up arms. Although there has been reestablished the National Government of China, with which Japan had effected neighborly intercourse and cooperation, the regime which has survived in Chungking, relying upon American and British protection, still continues its fratricidal opposition. Eager for the realization of their inordinate ambition to dominate the Orient, both America and Britain, giving support to the Chungking regime, have aggravated the disturbances in East Asia. Moreover these two Powers, inducing other countries to follow suit, increased military preparations on all sides of Our Empire to challenge Us. They have obstructed by every means Our peaceful commerce and finally resorted to a direct severance of economic relations, menacing gravely the existence of Our Empire. Patiently have We waited and long have We endured, in the hope that Our government might retrieve the situation in peace. But Our adversaries, showing not the least spirit of conciliation, have unduly delayed a settlement; and in the meantime they have intensified the economic and political pressure to compel thereby Our Empire to submission. This trend of affairs, would, if left unchecked, not only nullify Our Empire's efforts of many years for the sake of the stabilization of East Asia, but also endanger the very existence of Our nation. The situation being such as it is, Our Empire, for its existence and self-defense has no other recourse but to appeal to arms and to crush every obstacle in its path.

The hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors guarding Us from above, We rely upon the loyalty and courage of Our subjects in Our confident expectation that the task bequeathed by Our forefathers will be carried forward and that the sources of evil will be speedily eradicated and an enduring peace immutably established in East Asia, preserving thereby the glory of Our Empire.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hand and caused the Grand Seal of the Empire to be affixed at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo, this seventh day of the 12th month of the 15th year of Shōwa, corresponding to the 2,602nd year from the accession to the throne of Emperor Jimmu. 
 The UK declared war on Japan.
Sir,
On the evening of December 7th His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom learned that Japanese forces without previous warning either in the form of a declaration of war or of an ultimatum with a conditional declaration of war had attempted a landing on the coast of Malaya and bombed Singapore and Hong Kong.
In view of these wanton acts of unprovoked aggression committed in flagrant violation of International Law and particularly of Article I of the Third Hague Convention relative to the opening of hostilities, to which both Japan and the United Kingdom are parties, His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo has been instructed to inform the Imperial Japanese Government in the name of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that a state of war exists between our two countries.
I have the honour to be, with high consideration,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
Winston S. Churchill 
 The US declared war on Japan, with President Roosevelt declaring the following:
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the un-bounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
Congress declared war within one hour of the speech being delivered.  Only Jeanette Rankin voted against the declaration of war.

Guards were posted at the entrance to Pearl Harbor.

Army Guards at Pearl Harbor, December 8, 1941.


Blackouts were ordered on the Pacific Coast.


Some surprising scheduled events carried on.

USO dance, heavily attended by sailors, December 8, 1941.



Charles Lindbergh issued a statement in support of the US entering the war, in light of Pearl Harbor.

New Zealand declared war on Japan at 11:00 a.m. New Zealand time.

Likewise, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, the Dutch government in exile, and Nicaragua declared war on Japan.

Japan bombed Singapore and invaded Thailand, the latter of which had once been more or less allied to Japan.  The invasion resulted in a surrender that day, and a formal alliance with Japan, with Thailand declaring war on the Allied powers.

The Germans carried on their atrocities near Riga, Latvia.






Closer to Home:

Both of my parents would have been back in school on this day in 1941.  No doubt the talk in the schools was all about the arrival of war on American shores.  

Thousands of American men who were not yet in the service through conscription went to recruiting stations, flooding the lines.  A large number of men joined the service on this day.


Men enlisting in the Marine Corps.

Men enlisting in the Navy.




Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Thursday November 17, 1921. Deliveries.


Life magazine, which was a humor magazine in the 1920s, put out its issue on this day.  The magazine always came out on odd days.  A humorous Norman Rockwell painting graced the cover, although being in the situation illustrated would not, in fact, be humorous to experience.

The youthful Pilgrim depicted had bagged a turkey in the illustration, of course, and on this day one was delivered to the Harding White House household.

The National Tuberculosis Association was engaged in a fund drive.


New Zealand's first radio broadcast was made on this day.  It was a musical selection broadcast by a university professor.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

May 20, 1941. The Germans Invade Crete From The Air

Maj. Gen. Freyberg during the invasion of Crete.  Freyberg was an eclectic New Zealander who was a dentist by training and reputedly had been serving as a Captain in Pancho Villa's forces in 1914 when the Great War broke out, after which he resigned as that position and traveled to England to join the British forces, earning traveling money on the way by winning a swimming match in Los Angeles and a boxing match in New York.  He won the Victoria Cross during World War One and even lead a late war cavalry charge.  A celebrated figure in New Zealand, he became its first New Zealand born Governor General after the war, but frankly his World War Two generalship was spotty and he is one of the collection of British Empire generals that have lead historians of other nations to conclude that the British, in World War Two, had to get by with lessers in senior command as that's all they had left.

And they did it by air.

Today in World War II History—May 20, 1941

Parachute assault on Crete

It was a bold move, and a costly one, but perhaps an example of necessity being the mother of invention, as Germany lacked a significant marine troop landing capacity and Hitler had forbade the use of troops that might delay the invasion of the Soviet Union.  So, the use of the Luftwaffe's paratroopers was made.

The operation was, statistically, an oversized German success with the Allies taking far more causalities in every sense than the Germans and the Germans taking Crete.  The battle was, moreover, a British failure as much as it was a German success as the British had left airfields undefended.  They had additionally withdrawn the RAF in advance in anticipation of the German assault.  The Germans made use of the airfield for troop insertion and landed not only airborne troops, but mountain troops as well.  The Italians ultimately landed some troops from the sea.  It's been widely pondered, and concluded, that the British could have won the battle if they'd fought it more wisely, a conclusion that the British military recognized itself at the time.  All  in all, in terms of a realistic assessment, it was a stunning German airborne success and a stunning British military failure.

Be that as it may, British resistance was so marked that the Germans concluded that future largescale airborne operations were impossible. They were not prepared for the paratrooper casualties they did take and, moreover, they were not prepared for the rate of loss of air crews.  Their post battle conclusions are baffling in retrospect, and they must have simply been expecting the operation to be a cakewalk, perhaps over impressed with all of their prior military success.

Ironically, the Allies concluded, correctly, the very opposite from the same battle.  The invasion marked the end of the really largescale use of German airborne.  It also marked the real emphasis in the Allies on airborne troops for the same purpose.  In a very real sense, the massive Allied airborne operations of 1944 owe their origin to this battle.

Also of note, Cretan civilian participation in the battle was marked, with many civilians participating in combat on their own initiative with whatever they had at hand.  This shocked the Germans and resulted in reprisals.

Civil Defense Logo.

With German paratroopers descending on Crete, perhaps it was a good day for the Executive Order being issued that created the Office of Civilian Defense.  That office was created on this day in 1941.

On this day, the interior of Ebbets Field was photographed.






Sunday, January 31, 2021

January 31, 1921. The Carroll A. Deering and six toed cats.

St. Vrain Glacier, Colorado, copyright deposit, January 31, 1921.

Isabella Glacier, Colorado, copyright deposit, January 31, 1921..

Fair Glacier from the rim of Hell Canyon, copyright deposit, January 31, 1921.
 

It was on this day in 1921 that the Carroll A. Deering was found, wrecked. We noted this story on the day it was last in communication with anyone.

As an interesting aside, apparently the ship's cat was rescued and then released.  It was a six toed cat, and soon thereafter, six toed cats started to make their appearance in the area.

Regular air mail service commenced in New Zealand.

Friday, May 8, 2020

May 8, 1945. Victory In Europe. Seventy Five Years Ago Today.

The mission of this Allied force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945.
Dwight Eisenhower.

The official surrender, however, came today.



Today In Wyoming's History: May 8:

May 8


1945    The German surrender becomes official.  President Harry S. Truman announced in a radio address that World War II had ended in Europe.  End of the Prague uprising.  Hundreds of Algerian civilians are killed by French Army soldiers in the Sétif massacre, ushering in what would ultimately become the French Algerian War.  In day two of rioting, 10,000 servicemen in Halifax Nova Scotia loot and vandalize downtown Halifax during VE-Day celebrations.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

New Zealand Tunneling effort at Arras, France


This is the site of a substantial tunnel dug by the New Zealand Tunneling Company in the Arras area.  The work is truly impressive.