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Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime”.)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile.

Here's an interesting bit from the War Cabinet in Britain. The British were in need of supplies and with that comes the chartering of tonnage to deliver it. Looking outside the British merchant fleet they were looking to charter foreign merchants. A memo from the Admiralty today discusses it in detail and specifically refers to what they call "blackmail" by some foreign merchants. Here's some interesting snips from the memo.

Memorandum by the First Lord of the Admiralty

...The War has been in progress for forty days, and so far we have not obtained any neutral tonnage worth mentioning. This is not due to any lack of willingness in the Board of Trade, but in part to the directions given to the President by the Cabinet to deal somewhat stifly with the Norwegian representatives in respect of tanker tonnage, and to avoid being what is called "blackmailed"...

...recently Switzerland has chartered 15 Greek ships at 15s. a ton, a fair rate in war time being about 12s. a ton. If we take the present rate at 15s. a ton, with certain complications in respect of risks and time-chartger, it is evident that the extent of the "blackmail" might run to about 5s. a ton...

...The Danish position is more complicated. By their agreement or Non-Aggression Pact with Germany made last summer they are entitled to carry on "normal" trade, both with Britain and Germany in time of war. Up till ten days ago the Germans have respected this agreement, but now they have begun detaining Danish ships. Germany may continue to respect the agreement, in which case it would be in our interests to allow it to continue, even though Germany gets some butter and bacon, and a certain leak in the blockage is opened. We want our butter and bacon. We do not want to have undue rationing this winter...

...To sum up, by the end of this week we should allow existing tentative bargainings to lapse unless agreements are reached; and thereafter use both the bait of any price under twenty shillings, combined with the maximum threat of all our retaliatory measures, to force prompt agreement.

W.S.C.

HOW'S OUR HEALTH!

"A new volume, cheerfully bound in light blue and entitled "Health for New York City's Millions," turns out, not to be a stray from the Book Department, but the report of Health Commissioner John L. Rice for the calendar year 1938. Its cheerful aspect is warranted. By the year 1988 our present urban death rates may seem terrific, but as compared with years gone by they are good news. The general mortality rate was 9.8 -- the lowest on record...

"If deaths from diabetes, cancer and ailments of the circulatory system have risen, it is partly because more of us live into the decades when they are deadliest. Even so, there has been some decline in the specific death rates up to about age 60..."

If you wish to consider how insane liberalism has become, then consider this cheerfully optimistic health report from the New York Times of 1939, versus today's "health care" debate.

And what is today's overall mortality rate? According to US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:: 8.0.