The real story: When General John Thompson completed his iconic submachine gun design in 1919, the world’s governments were weary of war and strapped for cash. With millions of rifles and pistols in their inventories and surplus, there was little room for an unproven, expensive, and distinctly short-range weapon like the ‘Tommy’. British impressions in June 1921 were favourable, but aside from economic considerations, existing doctrine prevented the issue of automatic personal weapons (ironic considering the existence of an 1894 British patent for an automatic rifle). Instead, one of their enemies stepped in to fill the gap, and the order [...]
The Siege of Vicksburg
Doug asked us to make sure we mentioned that the siege of Vicksburg began this day, 150 years ago. And we thank him for it, else it might have gone unnoticed as we tend to think of the Civil War in east coast terms. The War in the west is a sad gap in our knowledge, so perhaps Doug’s request will spur us on to revisit this crucial campaign. An overview of the siege is HERE. Much more interesting information is HERE. I invite you to look at the Confederate order of battle; aside from units from the deep South [...]
Stonewall’s Cause of Death?
A reprise to our post on Mighty Stonewall at Chancellorsville; ETP0802 sent the link to this fascinating article: Scholars have long questioned whether it was an infection or pneumonia that killed Jackson, who gained the nickname “Stonewall” early in the war and went on to be lionized in the South and feared in the North because of his military exploits. On Friday, the 150th anniversary of Jackson’s death, a trauma surgeon with experience on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed his diagnosis of Jackson’s death after reinvestigating the medical record. After reviewing the 1860s files and subsequent reports, University [...]
Cadet Trip to Vietnam
An alumnus from ’96 passed this along today, with a comment: “Maybe I’m too sensitive, but I just find the article odd. I wouldn’t say a rewriting of history, but an equivocation of the US and the Vietnamese communists. I see more and more things like this coming out of that institute. Why is it they choose places like Vietnam or Cuba, and not say the Philippines. Go tour Corregidor and Bataan instead of getting propaganda.” I find myself nodding my head. What say you?
Jackson’s Flank March: “Heard From Today”
THIS DAY ONE-HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS AGO– Mighty Stonewall’s flank march at the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the epic quote, “The Institute will be heard from today.” (See also THIS. Scroll down and look for a link from the Huffington Post, and read it carefully. What say you now?)
Gun-Day Sunday: Lahti
By way of SurvivalBlog, remembrance of the John Moses Browning of Finland, Aimo Lahti.
British soldiers killed in First World War finally buried with full military honours
A very moving piece from the UK: They gave their lives fighting for their country and had remained buried in an anonymous French field for almost a century. But four British soldiers killed in action during the First World War were finally buried with full military honours today during an emotional service in northern France attended by their families. Lieutenant John Pritchard, 31, and 28 year-old Private Christopher Elphick were re-interred along with two unidentified comrades from the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) after being killed during the Battle of Arras. (More pics here.) RIP to them. And thanks to Maj [...]
New Books on Deck
Washington’s Crossing and Paul Revere’s Ride; both just arrived today. I have to finish up the last bits of The Secret Knowledge, which is outstanding, and then I can dive in. Which one first?
The Great Escape
This night, 24-25 March, in 1944, the mass break-out from Stalag Luft III. F THE MOVIE, READ THE BOOK.
