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FEATURE SERIES: D-DAY AND THE WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE

D-DAY AND THE WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE ·  Published 28 October 2024 at 5:45pm EDT · COMMENT AND CONVERSATION

"Coming Ashore at Omaha Beach - Life or Death Belt?" by Randall S. Wells, Jr.

ABOVE: Soldiers approaching the beach, 6 June 1944, NARA (Note the position of life belts). Click to enlarge.

The opening scenes of the 1998 war epic Saving Private Ryan depict several U.S. Army soldiers wearing what appears to be a strange-looking canvas belt around their waists both before and after disembarking from their landing craft to storm Omaha Beach on D-Day. Director Steven Spielberg went to great pains to ensure as accurate a portrayal of those events as possible…even down to the equipment worn by the actors.  ☞ Read the full article

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE & ARTICLES SERIES: THE SINO-JAPANESE WAR

GLOBAL 19TH CENTURY CONFLICT · Published 25 October 2024 at 6:09pm EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVERSATION

Korean Origins of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902-1922): Tonghak Peasant Revolt and Sino-Japanese War (1894–5) from an American Perspective (Part 1) by Prof. Benjamin J. Swenson

ABOVE: Battle of Ping Yang: The routing of the Chinese Army. Original wash drawing signed and dated by Schönberg; officers and soldiers at command or organization point near buildings, battle taking place in near background, wounded and other soldiers returning from battle at left. Source: Wikimedia. Click to enlarge.

In 1884 the Japanese-sanctioned Gapsin Coup (갑신정병) in Seoul failed resulting in the reassertion of a pro-Chinese regime in the Kingdom of Korea. For ten years between 1884 and 1894 Japan slowly and methodically restored its presence on the peninsula. This was accomplished by encouraging Japanese merchants and farmers to settle Korean lands, accelerating Japanese naval supremacy in East Asia, and effecting commercial treaties designed to slowly accumulate economic and political leverage at the expense of her East Asian neighbor.   ☞ Read the full article

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE & ARTICLES SERIES: CLASSICAL MILITARY HISTORY 

CLASSICAL MILITARY HISTORY: c.1000 BCE-500 CE · Published 19 October 2024 at 11:54am EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVERSATION

Focus on Tactics: “Achaemenid Persian Military Archery at the Battle of Thymbra, 547 BCE” by Prof. Brian Todd Carey

ABOVE: (Left) Although renown as archers during the Persian Wars against Greece, Persian bowmen were also issued defensive sidearms to defend themselves in close quarter combat. (Right) Archaic and early Hellenic Greek geometric vase paintings provide examples of different kinds of bows wielded in these eras, including simple segment self-bows, single curved composite bows, and double convex Scythian bows. 

The classical Near East was shaped by successive empire building. Beginning with the Neo-Assyrians in the tenth century BCE, new Iron Age empires expanded across Mesopotamia and the Levant, swallowing smaller kingdoms to form larger states. The most successful of these early Iron Age empires was the Achaemenid Persian empire (559-330 BCE) initiated by Great King Cyrus II (r. 559-529 BCE), known to history as Cyrus “the Great.”  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE NORTH AFRICA CAMPAIGN

NORTH AFRICA CAMPAIGN · Published 11 Nov 2022 at 2:45pm EDT · COMMENT

"8-16 November 1942: Operation Torch: The Allied Invasion of North Africa"

ABOVE: Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers and Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters on the flight deck of USS Santee (ACV-29) during Operation Torch. Note the yellow Operation Torch markings visible around the fuselage stars of some of these airplanes. Also note the distance and target information temporarily marked on the carrier's flight deck (80-K-15250). In the Public Domain; click to enlarge.

Initiated in November 1942, Operation Torch was conceived as a grand strategy to diminish Axis forces’ engagement on the Eastern Front, thereby alleviating the escalating pressure on the Soviet Union. This ambitious offensive represented a strategic compromise between the United States and Great Britain, with British authorities espousing apprehensions that a direct American-supported landing in Northern Europe would precipitate a premature and potentially catastrophic engagement.  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR I

WORLD WAR I · Published 21 September 2023 at 9:51pm EDT · COMMENT

"11 November 1918: The Great War Ends and Another War Readies"

ABOVE: Photo Credit: USAMHI Marshal Foch's Train. This train car was used to hold negotiations with the Germans and where the armistice was signed at 5 a.m., on Nov. 11, 1918. (WWI Signal Corps Collection). This file is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. Source: Wikimedia. Click to enlarge.

The Armistice of 11 November 1918 marked a historic moment in world history, as it brought an end to the First World War, or World War I, that had ravaged large parts of Europe and beyond. The signing of the armistice was a significant moment for the Entente, which had been engaged in a bitter struggle against the Central Powers, led by Germany. The truce was signed at Le Francport near Compiegne, following negotiations initiated by the German government with the American President Woodrow Wilson.   ☞  Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE VIETNAM WAR ERA: 1955-1975

THE VIETNAM WAR ERA: 1955-1975 · Published 31 October 2023 at 8:50pm EDT · COMMENT

"14-18 November 1965: The U.S. Army's First Major Fight in Vietnam - The Battle of Ia Drang Valley"

ABOVE: 2nd Lt. R. C. "Rick" Rescorla moves carefully with fixed bayonet through the underbrush in an attack of North Vietnamese sniper pockets outside the American perimeter in the Ia Drang Valley on Nov. 16, 1965 during the Vietnam War. The soldier is a member of one of the hardest hit companies of the 1st Cavalry Division units. (AP Photo/Peter Arnett) In the Public Domain.

The Battle of Ia Drang was a significant engagement that is notable for being the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam. The battle was part of the Pleiku Campaign conducted early in the Vietnam War at the eastern foot of the Chu Pong Massif in the central highlands of Vietnam in 1965. The battle is significant because it set the blueprint for the Vietnam War, with the U.S. forces relying on air mobility, artillery fire, and close air support, while the PAVN neutralized that firepower by quickly engaging American forces at very close range.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WAR IN THE PACIFIC

WAR IN THE PACIFIC · Published 4 August 2023 at 9:52pm EDT · COMMENT

"20-23 November 1943: Three Days of Hell - The Battle of Tarawa"

ABOVE: Marines Run Around Barbed Wire, Tarawa, November 1943. "Barbed Wire Doesn't Stop Them-A Marine with fixed bayonet leads others around a barbed wire entanglement on the beach at Tarawa as the Marines took the island. Grim determination is etched on the leader's face as he carries his rifle in the crook of his arm instead of in his wounded hand." From the Julian C. Smith Collection (COLL/202), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH

The Battle of Tarawa, fought on 20-23 November 1943, was another turning point in the Allied campaign against Japan during World War II. Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands, was the most fortified island that the Americans attempted to invade during the Pacific Campaign. The Japanese garrison at Betio, the main island of Tarawa, was heavily fortified with concrete bunkers, seawalls, trenches, and an airstrip, supported by a variety of artillery including heavy and light machine guns and light tanks. Betio Island was tiny however at less than one square mile.  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE KOREAN WAR 1950-1953

THE KOREAN WAR 1950-1953 · Published 11 Aug 2023 at 8:21pm EDT · COMMENT

"27 November 1950: 'Frozen Chosin' - The Battle of the Chosin Reservoir Begins"

ABOVE: Marines Clear a Ridge. 6 December 1950. Infantry of RCT-7 moving up a ridge to clear it of enemy." From the Oliver P. Smith Collection (COLL/213), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH.

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir took place in the harsh and freezing winter of 1950, when the People’s Volunteer Army (PVA) of China entered the war to counter the presence of United Nations Command (UNC) troops in North Korea. The Chinese force, numbering around 120,000, launched a surprise attack on the US X Corps, an element of the larger UNC contingent, that was stationed near the Chosin Reservoir. The battle had become one of the toughest and most infamous battles for the U.S. Marine Corps since World War II.  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE EASTERN FRONT - WORLD WAR II

THE EASTERN FRONT · Published 26 August 2023 at 9:23pm EDT · COMMENT

"30 November 1939 to 13 March 1940: Failed Cold-Weather Gamble: The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union"

ABOVE: A Finnish Maxim M/32-33 machine gun nest 100 metres from Soviet forces during the Winter War, located approximately 5 kilometres north of Lemetti (area of the modern Pitkyarantsky District, Russia). This photograph is in the public domain in Finland, because either a period of 50 years has elapsed from the year of creation or the photograph was first published before 1966.

The Winter War of 1939 between Finland and the Soviet Union raised many questions for both combatants. It started when the Soviet Union invaded Finland on 30 November 1939, just three months after the outbreak of World War II. The Soviet Union was seeking to expand its borders and establish a buffer zone for the city of Leningrad, which was under threat from the Finnish border. Despite the immense strength of the Soviet army and air force, they suffered severe losses and made little headway for the initial period of the war.  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WAR IN THE PACIFIC

WAR IN THE PACIFIC · Published 4 December 2022 at 11:49am EDT · COMMENT

7 December 1941: Pearl Harbor attacked - America enters World War II The USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. Sailors rescuing a survivor from the water. The USS Tennessee is on the far side of the sunken battleship. Photo source: National WWII Museum. Click to enlarge.

29 November 1941, at sea in the Pacific aboard the USS Arizona
The nationally-ranked Navy Midshipmen football team was down 6-0 at halftime to the United States Military Academy at West Point. The 1941 inter-service rivalry was being played in front of 98,924 fans at Municipal Stadium on a sunny Saturday in Philadelphia. Lieutenant Commander Samuel Fuqua, Damage Control Officer for the USS Arizona, a ’23 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, listened intently to the football game in the Wardroom Officer’s Stateroom along with his friend Major Alan Shapley, USMC, aboard the Arizona. Shapley held a particular interest in the 1941 Army-Navy game. The major, current commander of the battleship’s Marine detachment was also an Annapolis graduate (Class of ’27) and former player on the Navy football team.  ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE U.S. CIVIL WAR - 1861-1865

U.S. CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION · Published 30 September 2023 at 3:25pm EDT · COMMENT

"11 December 1862: Failed Union Leadership in Virginia: The Battle of Fredericksburg Begins"

Battle of Fredericksburg: The Army of the Potomac crossing the Rappahannock: in the morning of December 13, 1862, under the command of Generals Burnside, Sumner, Hooker & Franklin. Kurz & Allison, Art Publishers, Chicago, U.S., copyrighted 1888. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. Public Domain (copyright expired). Click to enlarge.

The Battle of Fredericksburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, fought from 11 December to 15 December 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Union army, led by General Ambrose Burnside, suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's forces. The battle was fought in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War, and the two armies represented the largest number of armed men that had ever confronted each other.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR II - THE EUROPEAN THEATER

D-DAY AND THE EUROPEAN THEATER · Published 20 September 2023 at 9:27pm EDT · COMMENT AND CONVERSATION

"16 December 1944: Bitter Cold in the Ardennes Forest: Battle of the Bulge Begins"

Belgium, 31 December 1944. Soldiers of the U.S. 101st Airborne move out of Bastogne, after having been besieged there for 10 days, having been tasked with driving Wehrmacht troops out of the surrounding district. Photo from the U.S. Army Center of Military History. Click to enlarge.

The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was a crucial moment in World War II’s Western Front. Occurring from December 1944 to January 1945, it was Hitler’s last-ditch attempt to turn the tide of the war around. The Allied forces had already achieved significant victories on the Western Front, and the Germans were on the retreat. The Allied forces' resilience during the battle, despite the losses incurred, signified important psychological victories.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR I

WORLD WAR I · Published 16 December 2023 at 1:48pm EDT · COMMENT 

24 December 1914: Allied and Central Powers Break for a Christmas Truce

Right: France, somewhere on the Western Front. December, 1914. Sharing a smoke. A German soldier and British soldier meet face-to-face in a Christmastime break from the war. Source: Library of Congress and in the Public Domain. Click to enlarge.

The Christmas Truce of 1914, an event that took place during World War I, is one of the most poignant and memorable moments of the war. In the midst of the fighting, soldiers on both sides of the Western Front, exhausted and cold from months of conflict, paused for a moment of peace and goodwill. Despite the efforts of the military authorities to prevent such a truce, the men on the front lines, driven by a shared humanity, broke ranks and came together in a unique display of fraternity.   ☞ Read the ful article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WAR IN THE PACIFIC

WAR IN THE PACIFIC · Published 3 September 2023 at 12:34pm EDT · COMMENT

"26 December 1943-16 January 1944: Green Hell - The Battle of Cape Gloucester" 

ABOVE: U.S. Marine Corps infantry march through Cape Gloucester. Cape Gloucester USMC Photo No. 2. From the Frederick R. Findtner Collection (COLL/3890), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH.

On the second day after D-day, the action report of 27 December read "'Rains continued for the next five days. Water backed up in the swamps in rear of the shoreline, making them impassable for wheeled and tracked vehicles. The many streams which emptied into the sea in the beachhead area became raging torrents. Some even changed course. Troops were soaked to the skin and their clothes never dried out during the entire operation.' These are comments from the action report." Such was the setting for the Battle of Cape Gloucester between the Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, from 26 December 1943 to 16 January 1944.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR II

WAR IN THE PACIFIC · Published 24 November 2023 at 8:09pm EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVERSTION

"9 January 1945: Beginning of the End in the Philippines: The Battle of Luzon Begins" 

Luzon, Philippines, 1945. U.S. Army infantry squad advancing with Sherman tank armored support. Source: U.S. National Archives, Public Domain. Click to enlarge.

In the early months of 1942, the Japanese Army successfully invaded and conquered all areas of the Philippines. However, the tide of the war shifted when Allied forces launched a daring amphibious operation on the island of Leyte on 20 October 1944. This was a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle for the Philippines, as it marked the beginning of a concerted effort to liberate the country from Japanese occupation. The mission involved significant strategic planning and the coordination of troops, ships, and aircraft from multiple countries, and the result was a decisive victory for the Allies that helped to turn the tide of the war in the Pacific.    ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: LENINGRAD AND THE EASTERN FRONT

THE EASTERN FRONT · Published 14 October 2023 at 7:33pm EDT · COMMENT

"27 January 1944: 872 Days of Starvation and Death - The Siege of Leningrad Ends"

Right: Leningrad, Soviet Union. September 1941. German soldiers in front of burning houses and a church. Source: Wikimedia. Click to enlarge.

The Siege and Battle for Leningrad (8 September 1941 – 27 January 1944) were events of enormous significance, yet they are often overlooked in the history of World War II. This was a microcosm of the War on the Eastern Front, an epic clash that had far-reaching implications for both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. In September 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, with the primary objective of capturing Leningrad, which was situated in the north. Hitler's strategy was to clear his Baltic flank and link up with Finnish troops, downplaying the importance of Moscow despite the objections of his army commanders.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE HOLOCAUST, SHOAH

THE HOLOCAUST "SHOAH" · Published 25 October 2023 at 8:20pm EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVO

"27 January 1945: Auschwitz is Liberated by the Soviet Red Army"

ABOVE: Wearing adult-size prisoner jackets, child survivors of Auschwitz are led by relief workers and Soviet soldiers through a narrow passage between two barbed-wire fences. Standing next to the nurse are Miriam and Eva Mozes. Behind them (wearing white hats) are Judy and Lea Csenghery. Both sets of sisters are twins. From the Soviet film of the liberation of Auschwitz, taken by the film unit of the First Ukrainian Front. Photo Source: Wytwornia Filmow Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych. Copyright: Public Domain. Click to enlarge.

On 27 January 1945, the Soviet army entered Auschwitz concentration camp and liberated around 7,000 prisoners still alive in the Main Camp, Birkenau, and Monowitz. For years, this complex had served as a killing center for Nazi Germany, where over 1.1 million people had been murdered, mostly Jews. The prisoners who were mostly ill and dying greeted them as true liberators. This historic moment marked the end of the deadliest phase of the Holocaust, which saw millions of Jews and others brutally killed by Nazi Germany between 1940 and 1945.    ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE VIETNAM WAR: 1955-75

THE VIETNAM WAR: 1955-75 · Published 12 November 2023 at 2:21pm EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVERSATION

"21 January 1968: Fighting in the Hills - The Battle of Khe Sanh begins"

Khe Sanh, January 1968. CH-46A Sea Knight helicopters drop U.S. Marines at Khe Sanh Combat Base. Public Domain, click to enlarge.

The Battle of Khe Sanh, which took place in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War, is often considered one of the most significant battles of the conflict. The battle was fought from 21 January to 9 July 1968, between two divisional-size elements of the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and two regiments of the United States Marine Corps (6000 strong), with support from the United States Army, the U.S. Air Force, and a small number of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops.   ☞  Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR II

WAR IN THE PACIFIC · Published 27 October 2023 at 9:26pm EDT · COMMENT

"31 January 1944: Island Hopping - The Battle of Kwajalein"

ABOVE: Marine infantry fighting their way inland. Kwajalein USMC Photo No. K-20. From the Frederick R. Findtner Collection (COLL/3890), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH. Click to enlarge.

The Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign marked a significant chapter in the Pacific theatre of World War II, with a series of battles spanning from August 1942 to February 1944. Led by the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps, the primary objective was to establish airfields and naval bases, vital for air and naval support operations across the Central Pacific. Under the code names Operation Galvanic, Kourbash, Flintlock and Catchpole, the campaign involved seizing control of strategic locations such as Tarawa, Makin, Kwajalein, Eniwetok and Majuro.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE VIETNAM WAR

THE VIETNAM WAR: 1955-75 · Published 10 November 2023 at 7:41pm EDT · COMMENTS AND CONVERSATION

31 January 1968: The War in Vietnam Turns - The Battle of Hue Begins"

Hue, South Vietnam, 4 February 1968: U.S. Marine infantry firing from cover behind a wall, keeping low from NVA sniper fire. Possibly at the Citadel. Public Domain, click to enlarge.

The Battle of Hue, also known as the Siege of Hue, was one of the most significant and bloody events of the Vietnam War. The intense fighting between the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, and U.S. Marines and Army soldiers and ARVN (South Vietnamese troops) lasted from 31 January to 2 March 1968, resulting in the death of thousands of soldiers and civilians. This battle challenged the confidence of the American public, who increasingly questioned the U.S. military involvement in the conflict.   ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: WORLD WAR II

WAR IN NORTH AFRICA · Published 23 November 2023 at 8:46pm EDT · COMMENT

"19-24 February 1943: First Blood - The Battle of Kasserine Pass"

North Africa, Tunis.- Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (saluting with marshal's baton) and Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Bayerlein, standing in the car, passing motorized troops, including soldiers in captured American half-track M3. Source: Wikipemia, Public Domain. Click to enlarge. The Battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia was a significant moment during World War II as it marked the first major engagement between American and German forces. The Kasserine Pass was a critical point of convergence for the Allied supply lines, which were essential for the success of the North African campaign. The battle took place in Tunisia on 14 February 1943 and was a resounding defeat for the United States Army.    ☞ Read the full article

CENTURIES OF WAR CALENDAR: THE VIETNAM WAR

THE VIETNAM WAR · Published 9 December 2023 at 2:16pm EDT · COMMENT

"22 February 1967: Operation Junction City - The First U.S. Army Combat Airborne Operation in Vietnam Begins"

Tay Ninh City, Vietnam 1967. Operation Junction City was the largest U.S. operation of the Vietnam War to "find and break the spine of the Viet Cong, destroy the headquarters," focusing on one target, the northern base of Tay Ninh. The operation was divided into two waves. Source: Public Domain. Click to enlarge.

Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation that took place during the Vietnam War in 1967. The operation was a joint effort between United States and Republic of Vietnam (RVN) forces aimed at locating the elusive Communist uprising in South Vietnam, the Central Office of South Vietnam. The operation involved the equivalent of nearly three divisions of U.S. troops and was the first U.S. combat airborne operation since the Korean War. The grand tactical plan for Junction City involved a "hammer and anvil" tactic, with airborne forces "flushing out" the VC headquarters and driving it against a prepared "anvil" of other forces. The U.S. forces included most of the 1st Infantry Division and the 25th Infantry Division, including the airborne troops of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and large armored elements of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.   ☞ Read the full article