People are fond of claiming that this event or that event, particularly associated with wars, changed the course of history, but in the case of the US, this event really did. The act provided a massive set of benefits, including educational benefits, for returning servicemen. In force, in its original form, until 1956, the GI Bill caused the boom in post-war university education which brought entire demographics into universities for the very first time, and made college education common. It helped cause the massive boom into the entry into the white collar world by many demographics, and also created the semi Federally funded upper education system we now have.
The direct, and indirect, causes of the GI Bill would be a massive subject. Everything from the post-war economic boom that continued into the 1960s, to today's educational system, to the end of European American ethnic ghettos, can be traced to it. It was not only transformative, but the unintended consequences roll on to the present day. It was one of the most successful liberal government programs of all time.
June 22, 1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt Signs the G.I. Bill
Today in World War II History—June 22, 1944
Noted in yesterday's entry, when the event commenced, the Luftwaffe staged a massive two-hour raid on the field at Poltava. The Soviet anti-aircraft defense response was huge, but totally ineffective. The Soviets refused to allow U.S. fighters to take off during the raid. Numerous aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and the stored munitions and aviation fuel were destroyed.
The Finns prevailed against the Red Army in the Battle of Tienhaara on the Karelian Isthmus.
On the same day, however, the massive ground offensive in Operation Bagration began. It started off three years to the day from Operation Barbarossa.
A massive assault, Bagration would bring the Red Army into Germany itself, although only barely in the form of entering East Prussia's border. The Red Army would advance to the gates of Warsaw, however. The offensive effectively wiped out all of Germany's Operation Barbarossa gains and returned Germany to the territorial position it was in, in the east, on June 21, 1941. The Baltic States found themselves, at the end of it, about 60% occupied by the Soviets.
It would prove to be one of the most remarkable offensives of the war. Still, almost as remarkable, was the German resistance which kept the offensive from simply overrunning the Wehrmacht and ending the war.
The British prevailed at Kohima.
The Battle of Hengyang (衡陽保衛戰) a siege defense of the city by the Nationalist Chinese Army, began. It would turn into an epic battle.
Fighting continued on Biak.
Fighting continued in Saipan as well.
The I-185 was sunk near Saipan by American destroyers.
Weather improved over the English Channel and repairs on artificial ports commenced. Howver, the the port of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer was so badly damaged, it was abandoned.
Fighting at Cherbourg continued, as did the fighting near Caen.
Twenty seven year old German fighter ace Maj. Josef Wurmheller, with 102 kills to his name, was killed himself when his FW-190 collided with his wingman, Feldwebel Kurt Franzke, during aerial combat with USAAF Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and RCAF Spitfires near Alençon.
Unlike some high ranking German fighter aces, Wurmheller's victories were mostly in the west, with a large number of Spitfires included.
The Appalachian Tornado Outbreak began and would carry into the following day. Over 100 people were killed.
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