Archive for the ‘Military History’ Category
August 24, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Military News, Military History
I’ve been fighting to get the truth out to the public about as long as I’ve been back from Iraq. I’ve tired greatly from the “Bush Lied, People Died” crap that seems to have taken a chokehold on the anti-war mantra! The problem is that Bush didn’t lie about anything and definitely didn’t kill Soldiers. Those Soldiers were killed by terrorists, insurgents, and the Iraqi Army under Saddam Hussein.
Randall Hoven has a great article on the American Thinker called Who Lied About Iraq? He dispels a lot of the myths that I’ve been combatting for a few years myself. It’s good to know that I’m in good company. So, in the spirit of Obama’s “Fight The Smears” website, I offer you Hoven’s words:
The False Story
“The United States invaded Iraq based on false premises. The administration orchestrated a public relations drive to prove that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and connections to the 9/11 terrorists - both proved false.” USA Today
While these two sentences came from USA Today, they describe the words behind the music of the “Bush lied, people died” meme echoing throughout the media chambers since at least 2004. The lies in just these two sentences are almost Shakespearian in their layered texture. The statement even lays out a false premise in accusing the Bush administration of using false premises. If lying is an art, our media have mastered it.
The Premise
Our invasion of Iraq was not based on a public relations drive; it was based on Public Law 107-243, otherwise known as the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, passed by the 107th Congress in October of 2002 . (Herein referred to as the “Authorization”.) It passed the House with a vote of 296 to 133 (by 69%) and the Senate with a vote of 77 to 23 (by 77%), including 58% of Senate Democrats. In short, it was overwhelming; it was bipartisan; and it was law.
Did the Authorization try to “prove that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction”? Was that proved false?
No and no.
Did the Authorization try to “prove that Iraq had connections to the 911 terrorists”? Was that proved false?
Again, no and no.
What are some of those “other things” that made Iraq in “materiel and unacceptable breach of its international obligations”?
* Iraq agreed to a cease-fire when it surrendered in Desert Storm in 1991. It was in “direct and flagrant violation of the cease-fire.”
* Iraq agreed to eliminate its WMD programs in 1991. It was later caught continuing those programs, concealing them and thwarting weapons inspectors to the point of kicking them out of the country.
* Iraq agreed to “end its support for international terrorism” in 1991. It continued to “aid and harbor” international terrorist organizations, including those “that threaten the lives and safety of United States citizens.”
* Iraq “engaged in brutal repression of its civilian population.”
* Iraq refused “to release, repatriate, or account for non-Iraqi citizens wrongfully detained by Iraq, including an American serviceman.”
* Iraq failed “to return property wrongfully seized by Iraq from Kuwait.”
* Iraq attempted “to assassinate former President Bush.”
* Iraq fired “on many thousands of occasions on United States and Coalition Armed Forces engaged in enforcing the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.”
* Iraq persisted in violating multiple United Nations resolutions. Congress authorized the President “to use United States Armed Forces pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 (1990) in order to achieve implementation of Security Council Resolution 660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 674, and 677.”
If Saddam’s Iraq was not an “outlaw regime,” then there is no such thing.
I’ve only provided some excerpts here, so you’ll have to read his article to get the whole story. I guarantee you’ll be educated.
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August 13, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“Spotlight on Military History” is an ongoing feature on You Served, VA MortgageCenter.com’s Military Blog.
Outnumbered more than 2 to 1, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeated Union General Joseph Hooker in a deadly battle from May 1, 1863 – May 5, 1863. General Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, was newly appointed command of the Union Northern Virginia Army early in 1863. He devised a battle plan that he believed was the perfect plan for defeating General Lee’s much smaller Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Had Hooker not trapped himself in an area of woods known as “The Wilderness” his plans may have worked.
Hooker’s army was nearly 130,000 strong, while Lee’s men numbered only 60,000. Hooker intended to first send 10,000 men of his Calvary to cut off Lee’s communication with Richmond. His remaining 120,000 troops he would split; 60,000 to cross the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers to attack the Confederate troops from behind and 60,000 to cross the river at Fredericksburg and attack Lee from the front. Without the ability to communicate with his capitol Lee would be fighting two battles each against an army that equaled his own.
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August 8, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“Spotlight on Military History” is an ongoing feature on You Served, VA MortgageCenter.com’s Military Blog.
By definition the term artillery refers to heavy weapons and the implements and materials required for their use. Artillery weapons can be broken down into Guns, Howitzers, Mortars and Columbiads. Often the pieces are further sub-categorized by their use; i.e. Seacoast, Siege and Garrison, Field Artillery, and Mountain. Artillery weapons may also be described by the type of bore, smooth or rifled.
In the Civil War, Mountain Artillery could be quickly broken down and transported by horses, Field Artillery was generally lighter and easier to maneuver, Siege and Garrison Artillery was heavy but could be either transported or mounted to a fortification, and Seacoast Artillery was heavy and most often mounted in fortifications along waterways.
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August 5, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“A Look at Military History” is an ongoing feature on You Served, a military blog featured here on VA MortgageCenter.com
Gulf Sea Frontier was the name given the group responsible for the defense of the Florida coast, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Channel, and most of Cuba. Organized in February of 1942, it consisted of a converted yacht, 2-165 foot coast guard cutters, 1- 125 foot cutter, 19 unarmed coast guard planes, 14 army observation planes armed with .30 caliber machine guns, and 2 bombers.
U-boat attacks first occurred in the Gulf Sea on February 19, 1942. The tanker Pan Massachusetts was sunk 40 miles SE of Cape Canaveral. Two more vessels were sunk on the 21st and another on the 22nd. And thus began the German blitz on the Gulf Sea.
The Allies laid a large field of mines between April 24 and May 2, 1942 surrounding the anchorage on the Gulf side of Key West. This provide good protection, however west bound shipping had to travel 18 hours south of Key West to enter the protection of the field. The mine field was so difficult to navigate that 4 Allied ships were sunk in its infancy.
Early in May 1942 the Axis became aware of Allied coastal convoy routes in the Gulf Sea.
Germans sowed mines hoping to catch ships entering or exiting harbors in the Gulf Sea. Most of these were discovered by the Allies and swept before they could do any damage. However, May proved a devastating month for the Allies with losses climbing to 41 ships that month. These losses occurred despite the fact that Allied forces in the Gulf Sea Frontier had been increased to include ten additional ships and a few additional army aircraft.
Due to the May/June German u-boat blitz on the Gulf Sea, the Allies were forced to declare the Gulf Sea and the Florida Straits a danger zone, requiring all merchant ships to be escorted in that area.
On May 13, 1942 a neutral Mexican tanker, well lit with her flag flying, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat near Miami. There were only nine survivors. Mexico declared war on Germany shortly after this attack.
On June 3, 1942 Rear Admiral James Kauffman was appointed to the Gulf Sea Frontier and organized a killing machine of ships and planes. Between June 10 and June 13 Kauffman’s group successfully downed the two U-boats in the area, which had previously evaded the Allies, with an all out hunt and attack. . It was later decided that a better use of the killing machine would be for it to serve as escorts for convoys, rather than tying up such vast numbers of defense forces, leaving merchant ships unprotected.
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August 1, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
In November 1940 President Roosevelt, newly elected to a third term in office, began to consider a lend- lease program to further aid the British effort in the European War. Under the United States neutrality laws of the time, it was illegal for any American, whether military or private person, to trade with anyone involved in a war. This is what the American public wanted; to be known as a peaceful nation. President Roosevelt recognized that it in order to best protect the United States he must help other nations defeat Germany.
The neutrality laws of 1936 and 1937 prohibited sales of any arms or military goods to belligerent or warring nations. In 1939 President Roosevelt recognized the increased threat to democracy by the Germans, and believed that while the United States wanted to remain neutral it was in her best interest to aid those fighting for democracy. President Roosevelt believed that the current laws gave “aid to an aggressor” while victimizing democratic nations. He therefore asked congress to change the existing neutrality law.
The resulting 1939 neutrality law allowed warring countries to purchase military goods from the United States, however these countries had to pay for the goods in cash, and carry them away themselves. The United States could not in any way transport these goods. Hence the phrase “cash and carry”.
It quickly became obvious that Britain’s financial strain was restricting their ability to purchase sufficient armament to successfully defeat Germany. It remained apparent to President Roosevelt that it was in Untied States best interest to aid Great Britain in the fight against Germany while still remaining neutral. President Roosevelt also realized it would be in the United States best interest to increase her naval bases to secure the Panama Canal and the Atlantic coast.
Therefore in July of 1940 President Roosevelt, Secretary Knox and Winston Churchill met to discuss a deal; a trade of naval bases for destroyers. On September 2, 1940 the destroyer-naval base deal was officially agreed upon. The United States gave Britain 50 destroys built during or after WW I, in exchange for sovereign rights for 99 years to naval, air and military bases in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Trinidad and British Guiana. In addition to the 50 destroyers the US gave Great Britain 10 coast guard cutters to escort convoys.
The destroyer- naval base deal did not provide sufficient power for Great Britain to defeat Germany. Feeling urgent need to protect his country, President Roosevelt developed the lend-lease plan and presented his plan to congress on December 17, 1940. According to Roosevelt’s plan the United States government would increase production and procurement of military articles, including armaments, shipyards, bases, food, etc. The President, Secretary of War, Secretary of the Navy or any other department head could sell, transfer, lend or lease any of these military articles to any country defending itself against the Axis powers when this defense was in the best interest of the United States.
Other provisions in the lend-lease act included maintenance of military articles for those countries warring the Axis, and protection of patent rights and royalties of American citizens affect by the lend-lease act. Not specifically covered in the lend lease act was repayment arrangements. Anglo-American relations after the Great War had been greatly diminished due to indebtedness. President Roosevelt saw no reason to add to this strain.
The lend-lease act was approved by congress on Mar 11, 1941. President Roosevelt believed that the decision marked “the end of compromise with tyranny and the forces of oppression.”
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July 29, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“A Look at Military History” is an ongoing feature of the military blog here on You Served, brought to you by VA MortgageCenter.com.
“Peace on Earth, Good will toward men.” It is a difficult concept to have hoped for, in war time. Yet in December of 1914, Good will was so desired that it was achieved among soldiers of Britain, Germany, France and Belgium, despite opposition from some commanding officers.
The winter of 1914 was a particularly harsh one. Along a 27 mile western front through Belgium and France enemies faced each other from as little as 30 to 70 yards away. Soldiers were cold and miserable in muddy frozen trenches. Each side could not help but wonder about the person they were facing. Surely they were miserable too. Could the enemy possibly be as bad as they had been told?
December 1914 was the fifth month of what would turn out to be a 52 month war. Pope Benedict XV had suggested a temporary cease fire to allow for the celebration of Christmas. Many officials were reluctant.
However, soldiers and their families were not. On Christmas Eve, German soldiers began to decorate their trenches with small evergreen trees that had been sent from home. The trees were lit with candles. Initially, British soldiers suspected a trap; however, as they began to hear Christmas Carols being sung, they dared to think otherwise.
With trenches in such close proximity, the soldiers exchanged carols. At one point both sides sang the same carol. Often the two sides would exchange pleasantries such as “Merry Christmas to you.” The unofficial cease fire continued throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Opposing soldiers met in “No Man’s Land” the area between the opposing trenches. There they exchanged gifts of cigarettes and food. If words could not be understood, gestures were used. In one remarkable event German and British soldiers engaged in a game of soccer. The game continued until the ball was popped on barbed wire.
On a more somber note, the truce also allowed for the dead to be buried. In rare instances, joint services were held for the fallen. For the majority, the truce lasted for only the Christmas celebration; however, in some areas along the 27 mile western front the Christmas truce lasted through the New Year. Peace on Earth; Good will toward men had prevailed even in wartime. Inevitably war returned and continued for another 47 months.
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July 24, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
You Served presents “A Look at Military History”, an ongoing feature on events in American military history.
Born in southern Mexico, Eduardo Peniche was eager to fight the Axis in WWII. He joined the United States Army, 502 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. He served as a member of the Anti-Tank squad bazooka team during the battle at Bastogne, Christmas 1944. For Ed this Christmas was special; he had never seen snow or felt bitter cold temperatures before. The winter of 1944 was a particularly harsh one. However Private First Class Eduardo Peniche did not have time to enjoy the snow or complain about the cold. Like all members of his unit, he had a job to do.
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July 21, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“A Look at Military History” is a new bi-weekly feature hosted on You Served, a leading military blog. It takes an unbiased look at the events of the American armed forces dating back through history.
Harry S. Truman assumed the presidency on April 12,1945, upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt from a cerebral hemorrhage. These were difficult times. The Second World War had been waging for years, with the United States involvement lasting already over 3 years. Roosevelt had declared that the United States would only accept the unconditional surrender of its enemies as an end to the war.
Truman was left with the task of securing that surrender. Two weeks into his presidency, Truman learned of the Atomic Bomb. He was now faced with the difficult decision of whether to use such a weapon in the hopes of causing a speedy end to the war.
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