A new page listing the wars, conflicts, and many coups in Venezuelan history is now online at http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_venezuela.htm, including information about the ongoing conflict between Venezuela and Colombia.
Archive for December, 2009
Joseph Stalin: History’s Villain
22
Dec
Joseph Stalin-Soviet Dictator and Mass Murderer
Joseph Stalin’s 130th birthday is today. That he was ever born and lived out his evil, bloody life is a cause for despair and sadness. Joseph Stalin was, without a doubt, one of the vilest, most villainous dictators in history. Only Hitler surpasses Stalin in the annals of war and genocide.
Russia’s remaining Communists, though, choose to ignore his crimes (or, perhaps they actually applaud them. Being Communists, you never know what they truly believe), and instead want to celebrate the birth of their long-lost hero. For those who may not be fully aware of what Stalin did in his criminal career to deserve this status just below Hitler in
Aghanistan and the War Against Bureaucracy
09
Dec
For anyone interested in the complexities and frustrations American fighting forces are experiencing in Afghanistan, The History Guy highly recommends reading an op-ed piece in the New York Times written by Afghanistan veteran Jonathan Vaccaro. His article shows the inane bureaucracy imposed on the front-line commanders and soldiers who are doing their best to protect the Afghan population from the Taliban and al-Qaida. Read the article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/opinion/08vaccaro.html
68th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack
07
Dec
December 7, 2009, marks the 68th anniversary of the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S. military bases in and around Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This attack launched America into World War Two and literally changed the course of history. Without being attacked first, it is highly unlikely that the U.S. would have entered World War Two. By attacking the United States, Japan thought it would cripple or destroy the U.S. Pacific fleet, thereby preventing American forces from stopping Japan’s Asian blitzkrieg. In the days and weeks following the Pearl Harbor attack, Japanese forces attacked American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealander, and Dutch forces as Japan seized the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaya, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and New Guinea. American islands at Wake and Guam were also attacked and occupied.
Believing that America had suffered a crippling blow, Hitler and Mussolini also declared war on the United States, thereby bringing American power into the war against the Nazis and the Fascists. As history now shows, America’s entry into World War Two ensured Allied victory, as the Nazis and Fascists were destroyed in Europe, and Japan fell under the power of two atomic bombs some four years after their ill-fated and ill-advised assault on Pearl Harbor.
For more information, go to: http://www.historyguy.com/battle_of_pearl_harbor.html
