Wednesday, March 19, 2025
M47 Tank. National Museum of Military Vehicles.
The tank in the photograph above is a M47 "Patton" tank, the successor to the M26 Pershing. The tank had a limited production run, entering service in 1951 during the Korean War, and being declared a limited standard in 1955. Production ceased in 1953, and the tank was deployed to Korea in small numbers for testing.
The tank was the third tank to be based on the M26, including the M26. The second was the M46 "Patton", which was an upgraded M26 which was used during the Korean War.
A M5 Stuart light tank is in the background.
Related threads:
The M26 and its children
Last edition:
Wednesday, March 19, 1975. Abandoning Huế.
South Vietnamese President Thieu ordered the area around Huế to be evacuated, putting thousands of additional refugees on the roads headed towards Saigon.
The People's Republic of China granted amnesty for 290 Nationalist Chinese convicted of "war crimes" including 219 military officers, 21 government officials and 50 secret agents.
Last edition:
Tuesday, March 18, 1975. An Lộc abandoned.
Monday, March 19, 1945. The Nero Decree.
Hitler issued the Nero Decree, which stated:
I. Hitler’s Order of March 19, 1945
RE: Destruction Measures within Reich Territory
Our nation’s struggle for existence forces us to utilize all means, even within Reich territory, to weaken the fighting power of our enemy and to prevent further advances. Any opportunity to inflict lasting damage on the striking power of the enemy must be taken advantage of. It is a mistake to believe that undestroyed or only temporarily paralyzed traffic, communications, industrial, and supply installations will be useful to us again after the recapture of lost territories. During his retreat, the enemy will leave behind only scorched earth and will abandon all concern for the population.
I therefore command
1. All military traffic, communications, industrial and supply installations as well as objects within Reich territory that might be used by the enemy in the continuation of his fight, either now or later, are to be destroyed.
2. It is the responsibility of the military command posts to execute this order to destroy all military objects, including traffic and communications installations.
The Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense are responsible for destroying the industrial and supply installations, as well as of other objects of valuable; the troops must give the Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense the assistance they need to carry out this task.
3. This command is to be transmitted to all troop commanders as promptly as possible; orders to the contrary are null and void.
Adolf Hitler
Albert Speer and various officers of the Wehrmacht conspired against its implementation.
Ostensibly a war measure, at this point in the war Hitler was lashing out against the German people themselves, whom he was punishing for, in his mind, having failed him by losing the war, something he now clearly knew had occurred.
Also at this point, internal German attitudes were rapidly changing. While still fighting in the field, German troops were now surrendering in large numbers to the Western Allies, rather than die in the final weeks of the war. German commanders, including some in the SS, were seeking to make back deals with the Western Allies, unsuccessfully, and without Hitler's knowledge. Some were preparing for their own post war futures. Members of the German government and military were starting to conspire to save what they could.
Again, there's a lesson here. Hitler was a populist politician who had risen to power backed by lies. His policies inevitably lead Germany to shame and ruin. Rather than resign when things turned bad, he hung on, supported by fanatic supporters, and in the end sought to destroy the very country he claimed to represent.
All U-boats in the Baltic were transferred to the west.
The British Indian Army took Mandalay.
The USS Franklin was hit by kamikazes and badly damaged.
724 men were killed and 265 wounded. Captain Gehres regarded those who had jumped into the sea during the event as having acted improperly, leading to post incident tension and ultimately his relief. She'd return to service and was ultimately stricken in 1964.
The Soviet Union notified Turkey that their non aggression pact would not be renewed after it expired in November. It demanded territorial concessions from Turkey, which Turkey rejected.
Last edition:
Sunday, March 18, 1945 Landings in the Philippines, the largest air attack on Berlin.
Amongst the USAID work stopped by the Trump administration is . . .
the cleanup of agent orange at the former US air base, Bien Hoa, outside of Saigon. They also stopped payments for work already completed.
The South Vietnamese didn't ask for us to abandon them to their fate, and they didn't ask for us to leave a chemical disaster.
This is wrong.
Thursday, March 19, 1925. Sweet Georgia Brown.
New Mexico adopted its state flag.
Calvin Coolidge invited the nations of the world to participate in the Sesquicentennial Exposition to be held in Philadelphia in 1926.
Sweet Georgia Brown was first recorded.
The British government announced it was developing a major naval base at Singapore.
Last edition:
Wednesday, March 18, 1925. The Tri State Tornado.
Friday, March 19, 1915. The Defense of India Act.
The Defence of India Act was enacted to provide the colonial government in British India with sweeping powers to enforce the law during the Great War, including independence activities.
Pluto was photographed for the first time.
Last edition:
Thursday, March 18, 1915. Disaster off the Dardanelles.
Labels: 1910s, 1915, 1919, boats and ships, Dardanelles, French Navy, Imperial Russian Army, Royal Navy, World War One
Friday, March 19, 1875. The execution of Tiburcio Vásquez.
Legendary Californio bandido Tiburcio Vásquez was executed at age 39.
The March 1875 Southeast tornado outbreak struck the Southern United States producing no less than 19 tornadoes.
Last edition:
Saturday, March 13, 1875. Sheep.
Saturday, March 19, 1825. Fort Vancouver opens.
The Hudson's Bay Company opened Fort Vancouver.
The Bicentennial of Fort Vancouver
Last edition:
Saturday, February 12, 1825. The Treaty of Indian Springs.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Going Feral: Disaster.
Going Feral: Disaster.: Federal Land Can Be Home Sweet Home Wall Street Journal America needs more affordable housing, and the federal government can make it ha...
Disaster.
Federal Land Can Be Home Sweet Home
America needs more affordable housing, and the federal government can make it happen by making federal land available to build affordable housing stock.
The Interior Department oversees more than 500 million acres of federal land, much of it suitable for residential use. The Department of Housing and Urban Development brings expertise in housing policy and community development. Together we are creating the Joint Task Force on Federal Land for Housing to increase housing supply and decrease costs for millions of Americans.
Under this agreement, HUD will pinpoint where housing needs are most pressing and guide the process by working with state and local leaders who know their communities best. Interior will identify locations that can support homes while carefully considering environmental impact and land-use restrictions. Working together, our agencies can take inventory of underused federal properties, transfer or lease them to states or localities to address housing needs, and support the infrastructure required to make development viable -- all while ensuring affordability remains at the core of the mission.
Streamlining the regulatory process is a cornerstone of this partnership. Historically, building on federal land is a nightmare of red tape -- lengthy environmental reviews, complex transfer protocols and disjointed agency priorities. This partnership will cut through the bureaucracy. Interior will reduce the red tape behind land transfers or leases to public housing authorities, nonprofits and local governments. HUD will ensure these projects align with affordability goals and development needs. This isn't a free-for-all to build on federal lands, although we recognize that bad-faith critics will likely call it that. It's a strategic effort to use our resources responsibly while preserving our most beautiful lands.
This is about more than building houses. We want to build hope. Overlooked rural and tribal communities will be a focus of this joint agreement. We are going to invest in America's many forgotten communities. As we enter the Golden Age promised by President Trump, this partnership will change how we use public resources. A brighter future, with more affordable housing, is on its way.
###
What total bullshit.
And a disaster.
We need 7 million affordable homes in America and 20% of America’s landmass is owned by the Department of Interior. Today, and I are announcing a partnership between & to identify and open under utilized federal lands for affordable housing.
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