Tuesday, July 24, 1945. An unsurprised Stalin.

Truman told Stalin that the US had a new and very powerful weapon that was going to be deployed against Japan, but did not provide the specifics.

Stalin, thanks to deep penetration of the US government by Soviet intelligence, already knew about the Manhattan Project and what it was about, so this was not that much of a surprise.  Stalin had actually known about the Manhattan Project three years prior to Truman knowing about it.

The Navy began to bombard Kure, Japan.

Japanese freighter hit from carrier-based aircraft near Tsugaru-Kaikyo, east of Hokkaido, Japan.

North American P-51C-11-NT of the 311th FG, 14th AF, escorting C-47s over China on July 24, 1945.

Last edition:

Monday, July 23, 1945. Pétain on trial.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, France, Vichy France

Saturday, July 24, 1915. The Eastland Disaster.

The Eastland capsized in Chicago River drowning 844 people.

The U-36 was sunk in the North Atlantic by the HMS Prince Charles, a Q-ship.

Last edition:

Thursday, July 22, 1915. The Great Retreat.

Labels: 1910s, 1915, Central Powers, Eastern Front, Imperial Russian Army, Poland, The Great Retreat

Sunday, July 18, 1915. Alpine combat.

250,000 Italian troops engaged 78,000 Austro-Hungarian troops in the Alps in the Second Battle of the Isonzo 

The Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi was sunk in the Adriatic Sea 5 by the Austro-Hungarian submarine SM U-4.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 17, 1915. Fake News. 80%.

Labels: 1910s, 1915, Art, Constitutionalist Army, Conventionists, Eastern Front, Golf, Imperial Russian Army, Mexican Revolution, Mexico, Pablo Gonzáles Garza, Swimming, Women, World War One

Monday, July 9, 1945. Dutch land at Balikpapan.

Dutch troops landed north of Balikpapan, completing the encirclement of the bay.

Chinese troops captured the Tanchuk airbase.

The Brazilian cruiser Bahia accidentally sank itself by hitting itself during antiaircraft firing exercises.  294 men were killed.

Charles de Gaulle proposed a national referendum to decide the system of government in France.

A crowd of 30,000 gathered in Perth for the funeral procession of John Curtin to Karrakatta Cemetery.

A total solar eclipse was visible across parts of the northern hemisphere, including parts of North America.

Life magazine featured a model in a bikini, something that various magazines had been doing a lot of in 1945.

Last edition:

Sunday, July 8, 1945. The Camp Salina Massacre.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, 1970, 1970s, Army, Australian Army, boats and ships, Borneo, Crime, Dutch Navy, Prisoners of War, South China Sea, U.S. Navy, Utah

Sunday, July 8, 1945. The Camp Salina Massacre.

Private Clarence V. Bertucci murdered nine German POWs at the POW camp at Salina, Utah.  He fired a Browning M1917 into their lodgings, only stopping when he ran out of ammunition.

Nineteen were wounded.

Bertucci, who had a previous court martial from his time in the UK, did not deny the killing and was court martialed and found insane.  The New Orleans native died in New Orleans in 1969 at age 48.

Australian troops landed at Penajam, Borneo.

From Sarah Sundin's blog:

Today in World War II History—July 8, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—July 8, 1945: Only international sub-to-sub rescue in history: USS Cod rescues crew of stranded Dutch submarine O-19 in the South China Sea.

The USS Saipan was launched.

She's serve until 1970.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 7, 1945. Japanese killings.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, Aircraft, Burma, Catholic, Christianity, Jazz, Kalagong Massacre, Music, New Guinea, Red Cross, religion, War Crimes, Women, World War Two

Wednesday, July 7, 1915. Last meeting of the Mexican Convention.

With the country already in a state of civil war, Mexico's governmental Convention convened its last meeting.

The RM Amalfi was sunk by the German submarine UB-15.

The Italians failed to break through Austro Hungarian lines in the Alps.

A bomb planted by Eric Muenter, who had already killed himself, exploded on the munitions ship SS Minnehaha.  Damage was minor.

Swedish diplomat Cossva Anckarsvärd, stationed in Constantinople, reported to his government that "persecutions of the Armenians have reached hair-raising proportions".  He predicted Armenian extermination.

Tornadic weather hit Kentucky hard.  A major windstorm caused significant damage in Cincinnati.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 6, 1915. Hiding ship.

Labels: 1910s, 1915, Battle of Rufiji Delta, German Kriegsmarine, Illinois, Royal Navy, Tanzania, World War One

Wednesday, June 30, 1915. Armenian massacre.

Facing a lack of ammunition, Aremenial militiamen engaged Ottoman troops hand to hand.

They lost, and the Ottomans entered the fort and killed the women and children inside.

The HMS Lightning struck a mine in the Thames Estuary of England and sank.  The German submarine SM UC-2 struck a mine in the North Sea and sank.

French commander Henri Gouraud was wounded at Gallipoli and replaced by his divisional commander, Maurice Bailloud.

A telegram was sent to the Secretary of State from El Paso.

Collector Cobb to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

El Paso, June 30, 1915.

Trial Huerta and others postponed until July 12. When Huerta left Federal building there was repetition of scene of June 27; he was given an ovation by his partisans who are assembled in El Paso.

Cobb.

Last edition:

Tuesday, June 29, 1915. Airpower comes to the forests.

Labels: 1910s, 1915, Aircraft, British Empire, Cameroon, German Empire, World War One

Wednesday, June 27, 1945. Giving Japan a warning.

Under Secretary of the Navy Ralph Bard suggested giving Japan a warning about the atomic bomb.

US forces completed the occupation of Luzon's Cagayan Valley.  The island is accordingly nearly fully under US control.

The I-165 was sunk east of Saipan by a US PV-2 Harpoon.

The USS Bunker Hill was struck by a kamikaze resulting in the death of 373 men.

Dr. Emil Hacha, age 73, the former president of the German sponsored "Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate," died in the Prague prison hospital while awaiting trial.

Edward Stettinius resigned as Secretary of State to take up the post of ambassador to the United Nations.

Last edition:

Tuesday, June 26, 1945. The United Nations Charter signed, Manhattan Project scientists worry, Marilyn appears in Yank,

Labels: 1940s, 1945, China, Chinese Army, Joseph Stalin, Manhattan Project, Marilyn Monroe, U.S. Air Force, United Nations, Weapons, World War Two

Thursday, June 21, 1945. Fall of Hill 89.

Today in World War II History—June 21, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—June 21, 1945: US Rangers link with Filipino guerrillas in Aparri, Luzon. US Tenth Army takes Hill 89, the last Japanese stronghold on Okinawa.

Sarah Sundin's blog. 

The USS Barry was sunk off of Okinawa by kamikazes.

The Battle of Tarakan ended in an Allied victory on Borneo.

Twelve Polish Home Army officers were convicted of "underground activities" by the USSR.

Last edition:

Wednesday, June 20, 1945. Japanese surrenders.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, Army, Australian Army, Borneo, Okinawa, Polish Government in Exile, Prisoners of War, United Nations, United States Marine Corps, World War Two

Monday, June 18, 1945. The death of Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.

Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. was killed by Japanese artillery on Okinawa.  He was 58 years old, making him one of the older U.S. Generals of the Second World War.

The artillery projectile was of the flat shooting rifle type, and the projectile had actually ricocheted off of a coral reef, and then hit Buckner.

Prior to World War Two, Buckner had principally been involved in the education and training of troops.  He had seen overseas duty, however, in the Philippines in 1908.

His father, the senior Simon Bolivar Buckner, had been an American Army officer during the Mexican War, and a Confederate general during the Civil war.

Prime Minister Kantarō Suzuki informed the Japanese Supreme Council of Emperor Hirohito's intention to seek peace with the Allies as soon as possible.

The USS Bonefish was sunk in Toyama Bay.

The Chinese Army took Wenchow.

The Soviets put sixteen officers of the Polish Home Army on trial for fighting the Soviets.

William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw, was put on trial for treason.

The British Army began demobilizing.

Last edition:

Sunday, June 17, 1945. Taking Kuishi Ridge.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, Army, Clothing, Japanese Americans, Luzon, Okinawa, Prisoners of War, United States Marine Corps, World War Two

Sunday, June 10, 1945. Action in the Far East.

Today in World War II History—June 10, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—June 10, 1945: Australian troops land at Brunei on Japanese-occupied Borneo, an important port, and capture Labuan airfield.

Sarah Sundin's blog.  It was, we'd note, a largescale operation.

The also landed at Labuan and Muara.

The Battle of Porten Plantation ended in a Japanese victory.

US and Philippine forces prevailed at Davao.

The USS William D. Porter was sunk off of Okinawa by kamikazes.

"A guncrew of the 383rd Inf. Regt. loads a shell into the new 57mm recoiless rifle to fire against Jap pillboxes and caves on Okinawa. 10 June, 1945. 383rd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division."  This is the first photograph of a recoiless rifle being used in World War Two that I've seen.  It's sometimes debated if they saw action in the war at all, but clearly they did.

The Chinese Army took Wenchow..

Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki is granted dictatorial powers by the Imperial Diet.

Last edition: 

Saturday, June 9, 1945. Parade.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, Army, George S. Patton, Italy, Japan, Luzon, Okinawa, Philippines, United States Marine Corps, Weapons, World War Two, Yugoslavia

Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist 85th Edition: Hegseth directs Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk days into Pride Month.

Fleet oiler, the USS Harvey Milk (for now).

Wow, this is really a shot across the bow in the culture wars.

Hegseth directs Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk days into Pride Month

The Navy may rename the USNS Harvey Milk, named for the 1970s gay civil rights activist, on orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Renaming a ship for any reason is a fairly phenomenal thing to do, something no doubt on the minds of those who named the ship after Milk in the first place.  It had an element of permanence, and was part of an effort to create acceptance for homosexuals.

Hegseth's actions, and these aren't the only recent ones (we were actually going to make the next in this series on another one of them) are really sending a signal of where the DoD is headed.  But the question ultimately will be is any of this permanent?  And also, how far does he intend to go?  I don't think, at this point, that anyone has thought that the DoD would reverse its position on allowing homosexuals to serve in the military, and it shouldn't reverse it, all of which makes this so surprising.

National Conservatives and Christian Nationalists hope the changes will be permanent, but Trump is losing steam pretty clearly, and the host of other issues, particularly the "size of government" and budgetary ones, are now in pretty stormy seas.  In order to make cultural changes really stick, they need more than four years, probably more than eight.  Hegseth, in the DoD is picking up steam, maybe aware of that, but where this all goes will be interesting to watch.

Last edition:

Cliffnotes of the Zeitgeist 84th Edition. The uncomfortably agreeing with the far right edition (on some things). Hegseth orders transgenderism out and a bill to outlaw pornography.

Labels: Court, Education, law, Pete Hegseth, pornography, The relationship between men and women, The Second Trump Administration, transgenderism, University of Wyoming, Women, Zeitgeist

Sunday, Juue 3, 1900. Cold reception in a hot climate.

William Howard Taft arrived in Manila on the USS Hancock as Governor-General of the Philippines, replacing General Arthur MacArthur. the last military governor. 

Taft would later say; "I cannot describe the coldness of the Army officers and the Army men who received us any better than by saying that it somewhat exceeded the coldness of the populace."  Given the attitude of career Army officers at the time, that can't be doubted.

The International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) was founded in New York City.

Germany's comprehensive meat inspection laws in the world, to that time.

Boxers cut the rail line between Beijing and Tianjin. 

Monday, May 28, 1945. Memorial Day.

The USS Drexler was sunk in a kamikaze attack.  100 Japanese aircraft were shot down on the same day, bringing to an end the Japanese air offensive.

William Joyce, "Lord Haw Haw", was arrested by the British in Flensburg.

Queen Wilhelmina returned to the Netherlands.

The Royal Navy stopped the convoy system in the Atlantic, Arctic and Indian Oceans.

Admiral Halsey, commanding US 3rd Fleet, took command of American naval forces operating against targets in Japan.

French forces and Syrians engaged in combat against each other.

John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival was born.

It was Memorial Day.

Last edition:

Sunday, May 27, 1945. Reversals of fortune in China.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, boats and ships, Burma, China, China Burma India Theater, Chinese National Army, Holidays, Kamikaze, Memorial Day, Okinawa, Operation Ten-Go, World War Two

Sunday, May 27, 1945. Reversals of fortune in China.

The 6th Army captured Santa Fe and attacked around Wawa Dam on Luzon.

Chinese troops completed the occupation of Nanning, the capital of Kwangsi Province, cutting off the main Japanese supply route from French Indochina, Thailand, Malaya and Burma.

The Chinese 6th Army was air transported from Burma to China, the first time an entire army was moved by air.

Heavy fighting occurred on Okinawa.  Off of Okinawa the USS Drexler was sunk by Japanese aircraft.

Rudolf Querner, age 51, German SS officer and police leader committed suicide as the odd process of Germany somewhat denazifying itself continued to occur in this fashion.

Last edition:

Saturday, May 26, 1945. The Homecoming.

Labels: 1940s, 1945, Burma, Daily Living, Music, Norman Rockwell, Okinawa, Tokyo Japan, U.S. Air Force, World War Two

Monday, May 12, 1975. The Mayaguez taken.

The SS Mayaguez was stopped in international waters by the P-128, a Cambodian gunboat manned by Khmer Rouge forces. The boat was taken, and its crewmembers made captives.

The Khmer Rouge crew of the P-128 had acted without informing their superiors.

Last edition:

Sunday, May 11, 1975. Celebrating a peace that wasn't.

Labels: 1970s, 1975, Cambodia, Cambodian genocide, Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Hmong Genocide, Irony, Laos, Music, Vietnam War