Tag Archives: Military

Civil War

The Last Wagon From A Long March

A Civil War Supply Wagon

The Last Wagon

That wagon you see in the picture is special and the last of its kind. If the picture was a little better and a different angle you would see names carved into it. Names of cities and battlefields. Many names that even to this day when people see they will recognize and either smile or grimace. Actually seeing this wagon during the war meant different things to whoever viewed it. For the Union soldier it carried supplies or wounded and represented forward movement and that the war was one step closer to being over. For someone in the Confederacy, seeing that wagon meant one thing. That devil Sherman and his minions had arrived.

Yes, this wagon is the last of those that General Sherman used during his infamous March to the Sea.

The March

After his successful campaign to capture Atlanta from May to September 1864, Sherman started planning his next move. He would send his army from Atlanta to Savannah carving a path of destruction and devastation along the way. The army would leave its supply base and live off the land, in effect it would be on its own behind enemy lines and taking what it needed to survive.

The idea would be to either capture or destroy any and all war materials along the way and to, honestly, terrorizes the civilians and undermine their will to fight. Was it harsh? Yes. Was it immoral and improper? Depends on what side you were on.

What no one can argue is that the march was one of the most famous military campaigns ever. And that wagon in the picture, it was there. Oh the stories I am sure it could tell…

 

 

WWII

A Day of Infamy at Pearl Harbor

Scrap from a Japanese bomb used at Pearl Harbor

A Day of Infamy at Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941. We all know the date. We all know what happened at Pearl Harbor. This picture is of a piece of a bomb that was dropped by a Japanese airplane that morning.

The build up to the war between the US and Japan was a slow burn. That burn was brought to a boil when Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931. Japan needed space and China had it. The story of what happened to the Chinese people during the occupation is for another time. While the US had many interests in China, it was not prepared to go to war, yet.

Fast forward almost a decade and we see Germany making taking over much of Europe, but being very, very careful to not bring the US into the war even though they were ostensibly supporting the Allies through the Lend Lease act. Germany, however had allies of their own, namely Japan.

Conspiracy?

This is where things get a little difficult. There are those that believe that the US, and President Roosevelt, took steps to goad Japan into war, which because of their alliances, would force Germany into direct conflict with the US.

Acting through a series of laws and executive orders, exports of many items classified as war materials were banned for export The president was granted the authority to make exceptions to this law and he did, choosing to provide material to the Allies.  He refused to allow Japan access to those resources. Not long after the administration seized Japanese assets in the US and cut off their supply of oil.

Cut off from these much-needed imports meant they needed to find the material somewhere. The rest of the Pacific Rim would do. All this happened in an environment where the Japanese tried seeking diplomatic solutions, but war with the US looked more and more like a possibility.

The hope was that a strong enough blow would stun the US into inaction. This would give Japan time to expand its holdings and replace much of what the embargoes were disallowing. Once done they would then try to negotiate a peace with the US.

Infamy

On December 7, 1941 they attacked the US Fleet at Pearl Harbor and struck a crippling blow. The biggest mistake was that while they decimated the fleet, they missed the aircraft carriers that were not in port that day. While stunned, America maintained the capacity to strike back.

Japan, declared war, the US declared war on Japan, and right on cue Germany declared war on the US. Roosevelt got just what he wanted.

That little piece of metal is a souvenir that we get to keep from that day, a day which will live in infamy.

To learn more about the historic sites located at Pearl Harbor, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Revolution

After the Fall

Arnold

Colonial Williamsburg is an interesting place. During the day you are treated to a series of events that take you back to the town during the era of the revolution. These events begin at the start of the day and continue to the end. As the day progresses the timeline progresses so that during the course of one visit you can actually see how events changed the people in the town and actually “live” the events as they happened.

To break the fourth wall for a minute I need to say this. I have studied Benedict Arnold and he was a complicated man. He is at the same time our greatest warrior and our basest traitor. I do not condone his actions and prefer to remember him for what he did prior than dwell on what he did after.

After switching sides Arnold was given a general’s commission in the British army. In Late 1780 and into 1781 he was tasked with leading raids through Virginia which led to the capture of Richmond and Williamsburg among other towns.

The picture above, from Colonial Williamsburg is of the event that portrays General Arnold taking control of Williamsburg.  The gentleman playing Arnold knew his craft. He portrayed Arnold as an angry, haughty man, one that truly believed he had done the right thing. To the point that he, as Arnold, railed against the American Congress and suggested we should be glad if the British were to win, as they looked to save us from that corrupt body. In his mind he had reasons for what he did, and the actor was brilliant in his role.

It could not or at least should not have been easy. Arnold was a complicated man. Standing in the crowed, watching the event take place brought about the mixture of emotions that can only come from the study of such a complex man. Had he died of his wounds after the battles in Saratoga in October 1777, he would have been our greatest hero, second only to Washington. But his path lay down a darker road.

Interwar Years

Remember When We Occupied Russia?

HPIM0738_124

(Sorry for the dark picture.)

After the end of WWI the United States struggled to find its place in the world. Still largely an isolationist nation, we had come out of our shell in a major way by sending troops to the fields of France. The Entente powers ended up winning the war against Germany, but something more interesting was happening in Russia which would test America’s new role in the world.

In October 1917 the communist forces came to power in Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution and immediately signed a treaty with Germany. This freed up many resources for the Germans and placed the outcome of the war in doubt. Russia was gripped in a terrible civil war as the Bolsheviks and Tsarists battled for the soul of their country.

The Allies had other issues besides the massive reinforcements the Germans were looking to throw their way. First off they had spent a lot of money and sent a lot of supplies to the Russians during the war, and no one wanted any of that to fall into the hands of the Communists. Second, all 50,000 Czechoslovakian troops were stuck in Russia, and were being attacked. They had one way out and that was through Vladivostok in Siberia. So the allies had to do something and the decision was made to intervene in the Russian Civil War on the side of the Tsar. England and France were tapped out for resources, so it was decided the US would lead the way.

In July 1918 President Wilson ordered 5,000 men to North Russia (The Polar Bear Expedition) and 10,000 to Siberia (The Siberian Expedition) with the mission to secure whatever war materials they could from the communists, and to help facilitate the evacuation of the Czech troops. As part of the expedition Imperial Japan occupied part of Siberia and China sent several thousand troops. The occupation ended in June 1920 when the Allies felt they had accomplished their goals, the Japanese however stayed untill​ 1922.

The uniform in the picture belonged to First Lieutenant Verner C. Aurell of the 27th Infantry Regiment, “The Wolfhounds” served in the expedition until April 1920. A very interesting artifact from the time the US invaded, and occupied Russia.

 

 

 

 

 

WWII

Spectator

 

One thing was for certain during WWII, the Nazis were committing all sorts of war crimes in occupied areas throughout Europe. As early as 1942 the Allies began trying to figure a way to hold them accountable, so sure were they that the Nazis would be defeated.

By August 1945 the Allies all agreed to the London Charter that set out the legal argument for the military tribunals that were going to take place where the highest tanking and most foul offenders would be brought to justice. The limits the placed on themselves were that the tribunals would only deal with the European Axis powers and that they would not take into account any acts that occurred before September 1, 1939.

Where the trials would take place was the next consideration. The German city of Leipzig was considered as well as the country of Luxembourg, for a time Berlin itself was even considered. Instead the historic German city of Nuremberg was chosen for a number fo reasons. First was that the Palace of Justice was still standing, something not said for many German cities. This building was large enough to hold the proceedings and also had a prison attached to it, which was handy. Also Nuremberg was considered the birthplace of the Nazi Party. What more  fitting place for the trials to take place?

The trials at Nuremberg opened on November 19, 1945 with its last official acts occurring on October 1st, 1946. During this time much was uncovered as to the origins of the war and the depths of the crimes committed by the regime.  While the focus of the main tribunal was the 24 major criminals and seven organizations (including the Gestapo and the SS) it also set the stage for numerous smaller proceedings where hundreds of lesser criminals were brought to justice.

The picture above is of a visitor pass that allowed the hold to sit in and view the trial. Imagine how it would have felt to sit there during the trials and hear men justify their evil and the death of over 40 million people.  On second thought, I think I will pass on the visitor pass.

 

Museum

The Maine Thing

On February 18, 1898 the American battleship, USS Maine exploded in the harbor of Havana Cuba and catapulted the United States onto the world stage. Above is a photo of a porthole that was recovered from the wreckage and is on display at the National Infantry Museum.

Tensions between the US and Spain had been on the rise as the people of Cuba were fighting Spain for the freedom. America supported the rebels but was in such a position where they could not do so openly. In fact President McKinley sent the Maine to Havana, with permission from the Spanish government, to protect Americans in the country. When the ship inexplicably exploded that night over 200 American sailors lost their life and all any one could ask was why?

The initial investigation placed the cause for the explosion on a mine that had detonated underneath a powered magazine. When the results of the inquiry were made public, the American press immediately laid the blame on the Spanish and demanded that the US intervene in the rebellion on the side of Cuba. Before long the fervor for war grew and led to Congress declaring war on Spain on April 23, 1898. The war itself did not last long, Spain had long been on the decline and none of the other powers felt compelled to help. Before long the US Navy had all but obliterated the Spanish Navy while the ground forces took Cuba and the Philippines, among others.

Several years later, a follow-up inquiry into the fate of the Maine, contradicted the mine findings and instead suggested that the cause of the explosion was spontaneous combustion inside the power magazine. Even today the actual cause of the explosion is debated and serves as fodder for conspiracy theorists. It does seem mighty convenient that such an event occurred just when the desire to create and American Empire at the expense of a dying European power seemed the most, opportune.

To read more about the Maine click here.

 

Civil War

Darn the Mines! Move in a forward direction!

IMAG0179_48

 

What you are seeing in this picture is a water mine, or as they referred to at the time, a “torpedo”. You can see the anchor and the chain, the barrel that was loaded with explosive and the trigger. A ship would bump against the trigger and detonate the mine. This one was taken from Mobile Bay during the Civil War.

In August of 1864 Mobile, Alabama remained one of the last ports in the Confederacy and outside of the trickle of blockade runners, its last line to the outside world. Mobile Bay was defended by three forts that could pound and attacking fleet into mincemeat. If that wasn’t enough the bay was seeded with mines (torpedoes).  This would not dissuade the Federal forces.
Led by Rear Admiral David Farragut the US Navy, in a joint assault with the US Army, moved to close the bay. They were met by a CSA fleet and a general battle was commenced under the eyes of the three powerful forts. Having to contend with both the enemy fleet, forts and torpedoes Farragut issued his orders. Only one ship, the Tecumseh, fell victim to the mines, but they were still responsible for one of the lasting anecdotes of the war.
It was during this battle that Farragut reportedly told his officer, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” Now, there is some doubt that he actually said it. He probably said something like it, but a lot of these famous sayings, especially ones that happen in the middle of a battle, tend to become more legend than reality. As a way to rally troops or motivate your co-workers, this saying is great in saying just go and do what you need to do, and deal with the consequences later.
The naval battle lasted about three hours. After after a number of weeks the forts all fell one by one. By the end of August 1864 Mobile Bay was securely in the hands of the Federals. The city of Mobile itself would be spared until the end o the war, but as a supply port it was out of the war.
Hardware

Grease Gun Is The Word

Grease Gun

Grease Gun Is The Word

 

M3 .45 Caliber machine gun entered the service of the US Army in December 1942 with the idea that it would eventually replace the Thompson sub-machine gun on the front lines of WWII. Picking up the nickname “Grease Gun” from the similarities to the actual Grease Gun used by mechanics. The design was based on the very effective German MP40 and British Sten.

With a fairly long service record, 1942 up till 1992 in the United States, the M3 and the revised version the M3A1. The design was such that it was meant to be disposable, if it jammed or broke, it was tossed. In fact when it was first put into service there were no provisions made for spare parts at the depots, no specific tools for work on the unit and eventually this became in issue as production could not keep up with the demand. Finally in 1944 a number of replacement parts were produced to keep the grease gun greasing.

Even with approximately 700,000 were produced during WWII it was never able to actually replace the Thompson which topped over 1.5 million.  While the US was still using it until the Gulf War the M3 and its variants have seen service with a number of countries and a fair number of conflicts, among the highlights were the Chinese Civil War, Korean War, The Bay of Pigs Invasion, Vietnam, The Falklands and then the Gulf War.  In fact as late as 2004 the Philippine military brought the M3 out of reserve due to the inexpensive nature of the unit.

American Revolution

December 31st 1775 The Attack on Quebec

Henry Bryan Hall, Sr. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Yes that is Benedict Arnold the most notorious traitor in the history of this country. It is easy to forget that up until his fatal turn, he was among the best, if not the best general in the Continental Army.

He was bold and brash, outspoken and head strong with a sense of personal honor that caused him to go against what many would call common sense. He clashed with fellow officers and dueled with the Continental Congress. But the men that served under him did so gladly and followed him into battle. The enemy that he would one day join feared him on the field.

Two hundred forty years ago today Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery led the assault against Quebec which had it succeeded may well have made Canada a part of the United States.

Though early in the war the strategic location of Canada proved a target that the colonies simply had to try to exploit, While the bulk of the nascent colonial forces were engaged with the British around Boston, two expeditions were sent to Canada. General Montgomery would go up the Hudson River to take Montreal and General Arnold would lead an expedition through the wilds of Maine (Then part of Massachusetts) to take Quebec and secure Canada.

The story of these campaigns is worth reading and studying on their own, but on New Years Eve, 1775 with Montreal subdued and Quebec under siege the combined forces of Montgomery and Arnold looked to take the city and perhaps end the war.

Of course the assault failed or history would have been different. Within moments of the battle opening Montgomery lay dead and Arnold wounded, the men that stayed and fought did so without much guidance and failed in their objectives. The city would not fall and many Americans would be killed or captured. Arnold, though recovering from his wounds would maintain the siege until the spring when British reinforcements arrived and eventually forced the Colonial troops from Canada. The last american to leave was Arnold who could only be left asking what if that fated assault on that New Years Eve had succeed. Maybe he would have still been considered a hero today?

Book Reviews

Book Review: For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States of America

 

For The Common Defense by Millet and Maslowski tells the story of American History focusing on the military struggles of the country from the early days of the original colonies to modern times. It is a long book, clocking in at over 700 pages but it tells the story well and from a number of perspectives.

It is described by some as a non-political telling of the constant struggle that the military has had in not only defending but expanding the country over the centuries.  Its strength is in the narrative which with a subject like this could easily fall into a passionate recital of facts and figures, this book does not do that. In fact one of the biggest strengths is that it shows how regardless of the time or political climate the challenges of the military have pretty much been the same even and that even as technology and borders changed the military continually rises to the challenge as best it can.

This book would be classified as a good baseline and most useful as a general overview. Considering the scope of the subject it does not dwell deep into any one particular war or era. That is not a knock just something to keep in mind. All in all a very good book that covers its subject well and is a great addition to any library.