Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois to Clarence Edmonds Hemingway, a physician, and Grace Hall Hemingway, a musician.
Last edition:
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Thursday, July 21, 1774. The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed in Bulgaria bringing about the end of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74 on a favorable basis to Russia.
Last edition:
Wednesday, July 20, 1774. A vote.
The 2024 Legislative Sessions of other states.
Utah's house has passed a bill to ban public transgender bathrooms.
January 25, 2024
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Ohio
Ohio's legislature over road a veto and banned gender mutilation of minors and restricted those who have undergone gender mutilation from participating in athletic teams of the opposite gender.
January 31, 2024
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New York expanded the definition of rape, which apparently was narrowly defined by the previous law. The new law states:
Section 1. Sections 130.40, 130.45 and 130.50 of the penal law are
REPEALED.
§ 2. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 130.00 of the penal law, subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 264 of the laws of 2003, are amended read as follows:
1. "[Sexual intercourse] VAGINAL SEXUAL CONTACT" [has its ordinary meaning and occurs upon any penetration, however slight] MEANS CONDUCT BETWEEN PERSONS CONSISTING OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE PENIS AND THE VAGINA OR VULVA.
2. (a) "Oral sexual [conduct] CONTACT" means conduct between persons consisting of contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth and the anus, or the mouth and the vulva or vagina.
(b) "Anal sexual [conduct] CONTACT" means conduct between persons consisting of contact between the penis and anus.
§ 3. Section 130.25 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
§ 130.25 Rape in the third degree.
A person is guilty of rape in the third degree when:
1. He or she engages in [sexual intercourse] VAGINAL SEXUAL CONTACT with another person who is incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old;
March 5, 2024
March 6, 2024
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have made it a crime for noncitizens to enter the state through Mexico at any location other than a port of entry
New Hampshire
The state has banned men mutilated to appear as women from appearing in women's sports.
Arizona
Arizona had declared Pluto as the official state planet.
March 31, 2024.
Oregon
Oregon recriminalized the possession of small amounts of drugs after botching a decriminalization effort.
April 2, 2024.
Colorado
A bill in Colorado that aims to protect the data found in a person's brainwaves was signed into law.
Colorado's Democratic House passed a bill that bans a wide variety of "assault" firearms.
Inaccurately reported on as banning semi-automatic firearms, which it does not, it does take on a lot of popular longarms with military type features.
It's doubtful that it will pass Colorado's Senate, and if it does, it's likely unconstitutional.
April 18, 2024.
Montana
Two genitals mutilated men have filed suit in Montana over a new Montana law that keeps them from having their actual gender changed on government issued identification.
April 19, 2024.
Arizona
Arizona has repealed an 1864 territorial law that banned most abortions. Press reporting on this has been unclear, so it's not clear if it repealed and replaced the statute or what, but a review of the text of the very short law shows it simply repealed the law. Some digging shows a a 2002 statute banning abortion after 15 weeks will become the law.
Florida
Florida has banned artificial meat.
May 3, 2024
Florida
Gov. DeSantis signed into law a bill that de-emphasizes climate considerations in Florida's energy considerations.
May 17, 2024
Louisiana
Louisiana has passed and signed in to a law a requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms.
June 20, 2024
New Hampshire
New Hampshire has banned gender mutilated boys in grades 5 through 12 from participating in girls' sports.
July 21, 2024.
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Best Posts of the Week of July 14, 2024.
The best posts of the week of July 14, 2024, one that was politically dramatic, and which featured a present assassination plot, and one form the past.
The Post Insurrection. Part IX. The waiting upon justice edition.
Last edition:
The Best Posts of the Week of July 7, 2024.
Thursday, July 20, 1944. The July 20 Plot.
Henning von Tresckow, who was the real mastermind behind the plot. He'd been opposed to the Nazis as early as 1934. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1976-130-53 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5482859.
Conservative German politician Carl Friedrich Goerdeler who was to have been the new German Chancellor. He did not hold up under questioning. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1993-069-06 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5483573
The best known, and last known, attempt on Hitler's life took place. In this instance, as had been the case for the attempt a few days earlier, the effort was part of a full blown coup attempt centered around Claus von Stauffenberg placing a bomb in a location calculated to kill Hitler, while the German Home Army was deployed to arrest Nazi officials and decapitate the SS, while similar efforts took place in various locations occupied by Germany.
Hitler shaking hands with Bodenschatz, accompanied by Stauffenberg (left) and Keitel (right) on July 15, 1944, when von Stauffenberg had attempted a prior effort as part of the same plot. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1984-079-02 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5483227
The effort centered on von Stauffenberg setting a bomb off in a bunker at the Wolf's Lair, but upon arriving, he found that it had been moved to a meeting room due to the high heat of the day.
At 12:30 p.m. von Stauffenberg, excused himself to ostensibly use a washroom at the Wolf's Lair, where a meeting with Hitler was taking place, basing his request on his sweat soaked shirt. He there crushed the time pencils on one of two bombs he had with him, returned to the meeting room, and placed a satchel with the bombs in it under a heavy desk.
A co conspirator called for him, and he left the room. The bomb detonated at 12:42. A stenographer was killed and 20 officers injured, with three later dying. Hitler was unharmed.
General der Nachrichtentruppe Erich Fellgiebel, who was in on the plot and in charge of communications from the Wolf's Lair. He informed the plotters that Hitler had not been killed. Hitler had never trusted Fellgiebel, but he was an expert at communications technology and had urged the adoption of the Enigma machine. He was arrested and tortured due to his role in the plot, but did not reveal the names of his co conspirators. He was executed in September 1944. He was 57 years old.
Fritz Thiele, whom Fellgiebel nformed of Hitler's survival in a somewhat coded call. He wanted to call the coup attempt off after the call. He also was executed due to his role in it.
Von Stauffenberg, believing Hitler dead, departed the scene and boarded a HE 111 for Berlin at 13:00. It reached Berlin at 16:00. Gen. Erich Fellgiebel had already phoned the plotters that Hitler had survived, which von Stauffenberg contradicted upon his landing. Orders went out for Operation Valkyrie to commence, which should have gone out hours earlier, that being the deployment of the Reserve Army and other units, to arrest the SS and take control of the government. Gen. Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, military governor of occupied France, disarmed the SD and SS and captured most of their leadership. He then travelled to Field Marshal Günther von Kluge's headquarters and asked him to contact the Allies but was informed instead that Hitler was alive.
Carl-Heinrich Rudolf Wilhelm von Stülpnagel. He tried to convince von Kluge to go ahead with the coup even after learning of Hitler's survival, but upon being unsuccessful tried to kill himself unsuccessfully. In his delirium, he was heard to mutter "Rommel", which lead to Rommel being suspected. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R63893 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5368444
Himmler then countermanded the orders enacting Valkyrie, while at the same time the coup was in charge of much of Berlin, as was as Vienna and Prague.
Chief of Staff of the German Army and central figure in the coup, Friedrich Olbricht. (By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1981-072-61 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5483096.
By 18:10 the coup began to fall apart. At 19:00 Hitler placed phone calls that he had survived. He then took to the radio, which was practically necessary, so that there was audio proof of his survival. In his short address, he stated:
My fellow Germans! Yet another of the countless attempts on my life has been planned and carried out. I am speaking to you for two reasons:
1. So that you can hear my voice and know that I myself am not injured and well.
2. So that you can hear the details of a crime without parallel in German history.
A very small clique of ambitious, unscrupulous, criminal and stupid officers formed a conspiracy to do away with me and at the same time to wipe out virtually the entire staff of the German High Command.
The bomb which was planted by Colonel von Stauffenberg exploded two meters to my right. It seriously injured a number of my colleagues who are very dear to me; one has died. I myself am completely unhurt apart from a few minor skin abrasions, bruises and burns. I interpret this as confirmation that Providence wishes me to continue my life's mission as I have in the past. For I can solemnly state in the presence of the entire nation that since the day I moved into the Wilhelmstraße my sole thought has been to carry out my duty to the best of my ability. And from the time when I realized that the war was unavoidable and could no longer be delayed, I have known nothing but worry and hard work; and for countless days and sleepless nights have lived only for my People!
At the very moment when the German armies are engaged in a most difficult struggle, a small group formed in Germany, as happened in Italy, which thought that as in 1918 it could now deliver the stab in the back. However, this time they totally miscalculated. The claim by these usurpers that I am no longer alive, is at this very moment proven false, for here I am talking to you, my dear fellow countrymen. The circle which these usurpers represent is very small. It has nothing to do with the German armed forces, and above all nothing to do with the German army. It is a very small clique composed of criminal elements which will now be mercilessly exterminated. I therefore give the following orders with immediate effect:
1. That no civilian agency is to obey an order from a government agency which these usurpers claim that they command.
2. That no military installation, no commander of a unit, no soldier is to obey any order by these usurpers. On the contrary, any person conveying or issuing such an order is to be immediately arrested or, if they resist, shot on the spot.
In order to restore complete order, I have appointed Minister of the Reich Himmler to be Commander of the Home Forces. I have drafted into the General Staff General Guderian to replace the Chief of the General Staff who is at the moment absent due to illness, and have appointed a second proven leader from the Eastern Front to be his aide.
In all the other agencies of government within the Reich everything remains unchanged. I am convinced that with the departure of this small clique of traitors and conspirators, we will finally create the atmosphere here at home, too, which the soldiers at the front need. For it is intolerable that at the front hundreds of thousands and millions of brave men are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, while here at home a small clique of ambitious, despicable creatures constantly tries to undermine this attitude. This time we will settle accounts as we National Socialists are accustomed to. I am convinced that at this time every decent officer, every honest soldier will understand that.
Few people can begin to imagine the fate which would have overtaken Germany had the assassination attempt succeeded. I myself thank Providence and my Creator not for preserving me - my life consists only of worry and work for my People - I thank him only for allowing me to continue to bear this burden of worry, and to carry on my work to the best of my ability.
It is the duty of every German without exception to ruthlessly oppose these elements, and either to arrest them immediately or, if they resist arrest, to shoot them on the spot. These orders have been issued to all military units. They will be carried out to the letter with the discipline typical of the Germany army.
Once again I take this opportunity, my old comrades in arms, to greet you, joyful that I have once again been spared a fate which, while it held no terror for me personally, would have had terrible consequences for the German People. I interpret this as a sign from Providence that I must continue my work, and therefore I shall continue it.
The inclusion of what was an order that offices continue to follow the Nazi regimes orders were telling. There was obviously remaining concern that the coup would go forward.
Nazi elements regained control of Berlin. Fromm, who had been aware of the plot but vacillated, had von Stauffenberg shot. By midnight the coup was over.
Friedrich Wilhelm Waldemar Fromm, commander of the Replacement Army. He was aware of the plot and agreed to have a role in it, but betrayed his comrades when things began to go badly. By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1969-168-07 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5482524.
The plot had almost worked.
Had it succeeded, German resistance to the Allies would have necessarily rapidly collapsed.
Mussolini Hitler shortly after the bomb blast, taking his survival as a sign that victory was assured. It was the last time the two would meet.
A Red Cross club opened up in Cherbourg.
First sailors to sign the guestbook in the American Red Cross "Victoire" club. L to R: T2/C Dave Romber, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Y2/C Ralphe Peloquin, Berlin, N.H.; and Y1/C Joe Zeigovits, Coplay, Pennsylvania. July 20, 1944.
Fighting continued unabated in Normandy.
Infantry in Saint-Lô, , July 20, 1944.
U.S. replacements being issued K Rations prior to assignment to combat units. The replacement system during World War Two meant that these men would go out in many instances as individual replacements.
The Battle of Auvere began as part of the Battle of Narva.
Franklin Roosevelt addressed the Democratic National Convention remotely. He was in San Diego. He announced he would not campaign.
Marines on Saipan, July 20, 1944.
Marine Corps gun crew cleaning 105 howitzer, July 20, 1944.
The HMS Isis sank off of Normandy after hitting a mine.
Actress Mildred Harris, a native of Cheyenne Wyoming and 16 year old first bride of Charlie Chaplin, died of pneumonia at age 42. Her life had been, overall, sad and tragic.
An annular solar eclipse was visible in Asia.
Last edition:
Wednesday, July 19, 1944. The start of the Democratic Convention.
Monday, July 20, 1874. Custer enters Wyoming.
Obviously posed photograph of George adn Libby Custer in their Ft. Abraham Lincoln quarters in 1874. Custer, wearing his dress uniform, still sports his famously long hair in this photograph.
The 7th Cavalry under Lt. Col George Armstrong Custer crossed into Wyoming Territory from Montana Territory.
Last edition:
Sunday, July 12, 1874. The Lost Valley Fight.
Wednesday, July 20, 1774. A vote.
Patrick Henry. While he famously said "Give me liberty, or give me death", his death in 1799 was due to a severe bowel condition that afflicted him at age 57.
On this day in 1774 those eligible to vote in Hanover County, Virginia, which was far from everyone, met at the courthouse to elect representatives for the upcoming First Virginia Convention at Williamsburg.
Patrick Henry and his half brother John Syme were chosen, and presented with resolutions to carry to the assembly. Syme was as close friend of Henry's and older than he was. He'd outlive him and die in 1805 at age 76.
Last edition:
Wednesday, June 22, 1774. The Quebec Act gains royal assent.
Friday, July 19, 2024
Wednesday, July 19, 1944. The start of the Democratic Convention.
Opening of the Democratic Convention.
A couple of big items are reported by Sarah Sundin:
Today in World War II History—July 19, 1944
These include the beginning of the 1944 Democratic Convention and the 5th Army taking Livorno, Italy.
President Roosevelt had no real opposition to his nomination. The big question was who would be his vice president.
The Battle of Verrières Ridge in Normandy south of Caen, with two Canadian divisions pitted against three SS divisions.
Troops of the 29th Infantry Division in Saint-Lô.
Saint-Lô was taken by U.S. troops.
The Red Army entered Latvia.
The Ōi was sunk by the USS Flasher.
Last edition:
Tuesday, July 18, 1944. Tojo out.
Saturday, July 19, 1924. Birth of Stan Hathaway.
Argentinian police and ranchers killed 400 indigenous people of the Toba and Mocoví native groups following heighted tensions between the native groups and ranchers which had lead to livestock killing.
Democratic Senator Burton K. Wheeler was chosen as the VP candidate for the Progressive Party.
Stan Hathaway, Governor of Wyoming from 1967 to 1975,and briefly Secretary of the Interior, was born in Osceola, Nebraska.
Hathaway, whom I saw argue in front of the Wyoming Supreme Court many years ago, was the fifth of six children born to Lily (Koehler) and Robert C. Knapp. He was raised and adopted by a cousin and her husband, Velma and Frank Hathaway, following his mother's death, on their farm near Huntley Wyoming. He served on a B-17 in World War Two as a radioman, and was shot down over occupied France where he avoided capture with the crew through the assistance of the French Resistance. He term of Governor was marked by the passage of environmental laws and the enactment of the first mineral severance tax in Wyoming and the creation of the Trust Fund from the same.
He was a great Governor who would no doubt be constantly attacked as being a RINO by populist who think they're Republicans today.
Hathaway was an Episcopalian for most of his life, but late in life, converted to Catholicism.
Last edition:
Friday, July 18, 1924. The Murder of Robert Imbrie.
Thursday, July 18, 2024
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
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