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.
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
World War Two Updates- Vocabulary and Biography Pages
22
Nov
Two new pages dealing with World War Two Vocabulary and World War Two Biographies are at:
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_vocabulary.htm
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_biographies.htm
World War Two Updates-Battle of Atlantic
22
Nov
New pages related to World War Two deal with the Battle of the Atlantic and the sinking of the German raider, the Admiral Graf Spee in 1939.
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/naval_war_battle_of_the_atlantic.htm
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/naval_war_battle_of_the_river_plate.htm
New Biography Page on General McChrystal, Afghanistan Commander
27
Oct
George Stanley McChrystal (b. August, 14, 1954)
General Stanley A. McChrystal is an American army general who was named the commander of allied forces in Afghanistan, and assumed command of those forces in May of 2009.
General McChrystal is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. McChyrstal is a Green Beret and an Army Ranger, as well as a veteran commander in Special Operations, also known as “Black Ops.”
McChrystal served in Afghanistan as chief of staff of the military operations in 2001 and 2002. He also commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment and served tours in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Forces under General McChrystal’s command found and captured Saddam Hussein and with tracking and killing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Mesopotamia (al-Qaida in Iraq).
General McChrystal replaced General David McKiernan…
http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/mcchrystal_stanley_general.htm
World War Two: British Declare War on Sept. 3, 1939
03
Sep
On Sept. 3, 1939, Great Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand all declared war on Nazi Germany. Germany began its invasion of Poland two days earlier, on September 1. Also on September 3, only hours after the British declaration of war on Germany, a German U-boat (submarine) torpedoed and sank the British ocean liner SS Athenia approximately 250 miles off the Irish coast, killing more than 100 people, including 28 Americans, out of the 1,400 or so on board. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to the American people in a radio address and cautioned that the U.S. was going to make a proclamation declaring neutrality in this latest European war. Many Americans did not want a repeat of America’s involvement in the First World War, and were content to let the Europeans kill each other without American interference.
01
Sep
Warsaw Burning During the German Invasion of 1939
The German Invasion of Poland (September 1, 1939-October 6, 1939)–Germany invaded Poland on September 1, and Britain, France, and Canada, declared war on Germany on September 3. The Soviet Union joined the war on Germany’s side on September 17, with the Soviet Invasion of Poland from the east. The German Invasion of Poland (called Operation Case White/Unternehmen Fall Weiss by the Germans), marks the beginning of World War Two in Europe.
For more information, links, images, and videos, see:
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/german_invasion_of_poland_1939.htm
http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_video_german_invasion_of_poland.htm and http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_images_invasion_of_poland.htm
German Invasion of Poland Images and Video
31
Aug
Two new pages with pictures and video related to the German Invasion of Poland in 1939 are now online. See them at: http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_video_german_invasion_of_poland.htm and http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/world_war_two_images_invasion_of_poland.htm