Military History

From BBC News 15 February 1989: Soviet troops pull out of Afghanistan Soviet troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan, nine years after they swept into the country. A convoy of Soviet armoured vehicles travelled the 260-mile (418km) journey to the USSR border while other soldiers left aboard an Ilyushin 76 transport aircraft. Earlier, the Soviet government had announced the departure of the last troops although snow had delayed a five-day airlift from the Afghan capital Kabul. The journey is especially dangerous on the Salang Pass through the Hindu Kush Mountains, where more than 10,000 mujahideen operate. The mujahideen - Afghan Islamic fighters - …

From The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 17 January 2007 We stand at the brink of a second nuclear age. Not since the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki has the world faced such perilous choices. North Korea’s recent test of a nuclear weapon, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a renewed U.S. emphasis on the military utility of nuclear weapons, the failure to adequately secure nuclear materials, and the continued presence of some 26,000 nuclear weapons in the United States and Russia are symptomatic of a larger failure to solve the problems posed by the most destructive technology on Earth. As in past deliberations, we have examined other …

Nice article.

From BBC News "... one of the most potent symbols of Cold War division of Germany and of Europe."

There is a book coming out No Higher Honor by Bradley ***ton about the mining of USS Samuel B. Roberts and the subsequent engagements between USN/USMC and Iranian naval, air, and ground forces. The following site here. has an interesting 5 minute video clip from US Navy Public Affairs which aired on 30 April 1988. Also, there is an extensive photo collection. However one sided when looking back on it now, it may be interesting to game out using H4.1 to see the inherent coordination/ROE effects.

From Air Force Magazine December 2006 The rescue of F-117 pilot Dale Zelko was a close-run thing. [Read the whole story at the link above].

From BBC News 25 September 1950: Seoul in UN hands United Nations forces have taken control of the South Korean capital Seoul, three months after it fell to North Korea, the US Army has announced. The US 7th Infantry Division and South Korean 17th Regiment have crossed the Han river and captured the North Korean stronghold on South Mountain, the spokesman said. US Marines have also reached Duk Soo palace in the centre of the city and are within 600m (1,969ft) of the main railway station. North Koreans strongly resisted the UN advance near the station and American and South Korean units suffered many casualties, but opposition in other areas is reported…

Discussions on HarpGamer are always relevant (well, almost always). We were discussing on IRC the role of aircraft carriers in WWII and whether a German carrier would have made any difference. Then I see this report today from Defence Talk: Divers find Hitler's aircraft carrier Times Online Thu, 27 Jul 2006, 00:51 The location of the wreck of the Graf Zeppelin had been a mystery for more than half a century POLISH divers have discovered the rusting wreckage of Nazi Germany’s only aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, solving one of the most enduring maritime riddles of the Second World War. For more than half a century the location of the huge vess…

This Saturday (July 1) will be, in addition to Canada Day, the 90th anniversary of the battle of Beaumont Hamel, one of the opening battles of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It's a big deal, especially for Newfoundlanders and for The Newfoundland Regiment. The "battle" itself was a disaster, and of the 801 young Newfoundland men that left their trenches that morning, only 69 returned to answer the roll call. Some believe it marked the beginning of the end for Newfoundland as an independent colony. I thought this quote was rather poignant: "It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault only failed of success because dead men can adva…

Per CNN. Here.

We would be remiss in our duty if we did not take note that today is the 62nd anniversary of D-Day (and incidentally, Pete's birthday .. happy birthday, Pete !). Here are a couple of related links: Normandy DDAY Anniversary The National D-Day Memorial

Check out this BBC article here.

This is from the same RAF site regarding the 1991 Gulf War. The Battles tab has some interesting graphics and descriptions of movements and engagements. here

Persuant to the low altitude bombing discussion Brad and I have had down in the H4 folder regarding RN/RAF low level bombing techniques and tactics, I stumbled across this RAF History Site: here The Day By Day (by day, by day ) and Background tabs have some interesting information.

I recently borrowed Air War South Atlantic a 1983 book written by Jeffrey Ethell and Alfred Price from the local library. As I mentioned in the H4 folder, I need a recommendation on the Allied Submarine campaign versus Imperial Japan. Any suggestions please.

From BBC News 1998: India explodes nuclear controversy The Indian government has announced it has carried out a series of underground nuclear tests. It is the first time India has carried out such tests since 1974. The experiments took place without any warning to the international community, and there has been widespread outrage and concern over the move. The test site, in Pokhran in the northern desert state of Rajasthan, is only about 150km (93 miles) from the border with Pakistan. The two countries have fought three wars since independence with Britain in 1947, mainly over the disputed territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and there are fears the tests could e…

Can anyone identify the particular ship or at least class of the carrier at the following two pictures? Thanks! Sorry about the off topic post, kind of... Tony Image 1 Image 2

From Air Force Magazine, January 2006 Fifteen years ago this month, the Gulf War upset prevailing assumptions about airpower and its relationship to the “AirLand Battle.” ...

From BBC News "The atomic bomb detonated in the New Mexico desert at 05:29:45 local time on 16 July, 1945, "lit up the entire world". That is how Private Daniel Yearout, one of the few remaining eyewitnesses some 60 years on, recalls the morning the powers of the atom were first unleashed." ... Read the complete article at the link above.

From Youth for International Socialism A Leninist Hero of our Times In Memory of Valery Sablin: The true story of Red October By Alan Woods September 12, 2000 "Trust the fact that history will judge events honestly and you will never have to be embarrassed for what your father did. On no account ever be one of those people who criticise but do not follow through their actions. Such people are hypocrites - weak, worthless people who do not have the power to reconcile their beliefs with their actions. I wish you courage, my dear. Be strong in the belief that life is wonderful. Be positive and believe that the Revolution will always win. (Valery Sablin's last lett…