[Homer_J_Simpson]

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 and the occasional radio broadcast delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
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. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
The Philippine Islands: Leyte Island and the Visayas, 1944 – Sixth Army Operations on Leyte and Samar, 17 October-30 December 1944
The Philippine Islands: Leyte Island and the Visayas, 1944 – Sixth Army Operations Mindoro and Marinduque Islands, 13 December 1944-24 January 1945
The Ardennes Area, 1944: The Initial German Attack and Operations, 16-25 December 1944
Eastern France and the Low Countries, 1944: Territorial Changes along the Front, 16 December 1944-7 February 1945 and Allied Plan for Rhineland Campaign
Eastern Europe, 1941: Russian Balkan and Baltic Campaigns – Operations, 19 August-31 December 1944
Northern Italy 1944: Allied Advance to Gothic Line, 5 June-25 August and Gains 29 August-31 December
China, 1941: Operation Ichigo, April-December 1944 and Situation 31 December
China-Burma, 1941: Third Burma Campaign – Slim’s Offensive, June 1944-March 1945

[Old Sarge]

In case anyone hasn’t said it, Homer J, thank you for this series of posts. The look back in time is fascinating!

[BroJoeK]

Photos from early Battle of the Bulge:

German troops fighting in the Ardennes.
The soldier in the foreground is equipped with the Heer's new StG-44, the world's first assault rifle:

A German machine gunner marching through the Ardennes in December 1944:

German troops advancing past abandoned American equipment:

Belgian civilians killed by SS units during the offensive:

Scene of Malmedy massacre:

British Sherman "Firefly" tank in Namur on the Meuse River, December 1944:

[AlaskaErik]

RE the B-29 story...Captain Jack Ledford did receive the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions the night his B-29 was shot up.

[PeterPrinciple]

BEST OF CHRISTMAS GIVING

When the last item has been ticked off on the Christmas list of the shopper who has followed all the instructions to shop, wrap, and mail early, he is likely to feel a warm glow. But as the last days before the twenty-fifth come along, he may feel a bit let down. He’d rather like to share in the good-natured last -minute rush. So he searches his memory for someone he’s overlooked. Perhaps there’s a shut-in next door, or an old lady living alone, or a youngster left by himself a great deal, he adds gifts for them - for the best of his enjoyment in giving now is that none of them expected a gift from him.. And if some one of the Hundred Neediest has not figured on your your list, here is a good spot to include a postscript Christmas offering.

The Neediest are counting on your help, even though there is not direct obligation on your part to share with them. Just to read of their distress and discouragement at a time of year that we like to think of as happy, pleads for them. To help in bringing hope and a chance of happiness to the least of these is a Christmas-time opportunity — a chance to share in the best of Christmas giving and to say, “Be of good courage.”

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For some reason the above caught my attention. Times have changed, the “needy” are demanding and the govt gives instead of individuals.

[PeterPrinciple]

Topics of The Times.

Regarding the Match “Shortage”

Paper matches and strike-on-the-box matches have, indeed, vanished from the market. The government has taken 35% of the first kind and all of the second kind for the armed forces.......

....There are still kitchen matches, the sturdy, reliable, strike-anywhere kind.......will be ample.

The kitchen match, though strange to most smokers has admirable qualities....

A valid criticism of the kitchen match is that it may leave a mark when struck upon the wallpaper, say, or the dinner table or the piano, But, observes our expert, don’t the American people, both men and women still wear shoes? And when as the user of the shoe sole for match -scratching been deemed indelicate?

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A very humorous editorial on the match shortage. Brings back memories. I do remember the kitchen matches and have memories of the old men lighting their cigs from kitchen matches struck on the soles of their shoes.