Free Republic

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and...

On Sept. 9, Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning British monarch, surpassing the record held previously by her great-great grandmother, Victoria, who reigned for 63 years, 216 days. Victoria became Queen June 20, 1837 and died Jan. 22, 1901. Allowing for leap years and the time of day at which each monarch was told of the death of their predecessor, it has been calculated that Queen Elizabeth will pass that landmark time at around 5:30 p.m. in the U.K. — or 12:30 p.m. EST. Elizabeth II became queen on the death of her father, George VI, Feb. 6,...

Colin Firth is a fine, versatile actor. He is undoubtedly the best Mr. Darcy in all the movies made of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and is now set to play Avraham Stern, the intellectual and poet who became leader of the Jewish underground Fighters for the Freedom of Israel (LEHI), called the Stern Gang by the British. Michael Winterbottom, who produced the film (to be called “The Promise”) did much of the research at the Begin Center and has stated that it is based on the true story of two British police detectives, Thomas Wilkin and Geoffrey Morton, who...

Wallis Simpson was branded a 'miserable second-rate American woman' by BBC founder Sir John Reith after he learned Edward VIII was to abdicate to marry her, it has emerged in his diaries. The eyewitness account of the abdication crisis by the corporation's then director general shows a distinct lack of appreciation for the divorcee.... He wrote a diary account of the events surrounding the address and extracts are featured in a collection of radio broadcasts, and television footage telling the Abdication story. The material has been put online to commemorate the anniversary of the broadcast... "He said that the King...

Antarctic ice shelf retreats happened before No: 4/2005 23 Feb 2005 The retreat of Antarctic ice shelves is not new according to research published this week (24 Feb) in the journal Geology by scientists from Universities of Durham, Edinburgh and British Antarctic Survey (BAS). A study of George VI Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula is the first to show that this currently ‘healthy’ ice shelf experienced an extensive retreat about 9500 years ago, more than anything seen in recent years. The retreat coincided with a shift in ocean currents that occurred after a long period of warmth. Whilst rising...