Wall Street was crowded at lunchtime on Sept. 16, 1920. Cars were driving and many workers were heading for lunch spots. At 12:01, a massive explosion rocked the financial district. 30 were killed immediately and 8 were mortally wounded. Another 300 were injured. Most of the victims were stenographers, Read more
When Francis Scott Key learned that a friend was being held by the British, he decided to try to arrange his release. Dr. William Beanes had been abducted from his home in Baltimore and was being held on a British warship. Key Read more
In a recent post on another site, I pointed out that Betsy Ross did not sew the first American flag. Some members were offended that I challenged a popular story. That story is that George Washington, Robert Morris, and Col. George Ross (a relative of hers) came to see Read more
Walter Purdy was a working class Brit who was pro-fascism and a fan of Oswald Mosley. Mosley had founded the British Union of Fascists. Purdy had attended several of his speeches. He ended up being drafted and put in the Royal Navy. His transport ship was sunk and he was Read more
Millard Gillars was born in Maine, but in 1934 she was living in Germany. In 1940, she got a job as an announcer for German State Radio. When the U.S. declared war on Germany, she declined to return because she was engaged to marry a German soldier. When he Read more
In 1887, Capt. George Balch wanted to encourage immigrants to be loyal to their new country. He came up with a pledge: “We give our heads and hearts to God and our country: one country, one language, one flag!” Balch, a Civil War veteran, pushed schools to display flags. Read more
Herodotus told this story and as with many of his tales, take it with a grain of salt. Once upon a time, the Greeks defeated the Amazons in a battle. They captured a number of Amazon warriors and shipped them home in three ships. On the voyage, the Amazons Read more
I go way back with Marguerite. My favorite Korean War reading assignment was one of her stories about a North Korean attack on an American unit that she was embedded with. I also used to tell an anecdote about her (see below) which got me called into the principal’s office. Read more
The Mediterranean world was not big enough for both Octavian and Marc Antony. Political allies in the Second Triumvirate, the two most powerful Romans had broken up with Octavian taking the western half of the Roman Empire and Antony taking the east. Antony made his capital Alexandria, Egypt where Read more
The death of Cleopatra is shrouded in legend. We do know that it occurred after the defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet at Actium in 31. Supposedly, Marc Antony fled the battle when he saw Cleopatra’s ship leaving the battle. He chased after his girlfriend, abandoning his fleet Read more