Started By
Message
GMT
Posted on 8/25/24 at 7:28 am
Posted on 8/25/24 at 7:28 am
Today in History: August 25
0357
Julian Caesar defeats the Alamanni at Strasbourg in Gaul.
1830
The "Tom Thumb" steam locomotive runs its famous race with a horse-drawn car. The horse wins because the engine, which had been ahead, breaks down.
1862
Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Waterloo Bridge, Virginia, during the Second Bull Run Campaign.
1916
The National Park Service is established as part of the Department of the Interior.
1921
The United States, which never ratified the Versailles Treaty ending World War I, finally signs a peace treaty with Germany.
1944
Paris is liberated from German occupation by Free French Forces under General Jacques LeClerc.
1950
President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation's railroads to avert a strike.
1991
Belarus gains independence from the USSR.
2019
NASA investigates possibly the 1st crime in space over astronaut Anne McClain illegally accessing bank a/c from space
Today in History: Born on August 25
1930
Sean Connery, Scottish actor famous for playing the character James Bond in the Ian Flemming movie series.
1949
John Savage, actor (The Deer Hunter).
1949
Gene Simmons, singer, songwriter; member of the band Kiss, one of the top-selling bands of all time.
1954
Elvis Costello, Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter ("Watching the Detectives").
1964
Blair Underwood, actor, director (L.A. Law TV series, The Second Coming); won Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album, An Inconvenient Truth.
1968
Rachel Ray, chef, author, TV host.
JOTD
"I'm groping the balls of the storm."
The manager hesitated for a moment on the phone. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" he asked the newly hired immigrant worker.
"I...rub the storm...balls?" the man said, coughing.
Before he could ask again, the manager heard a little commotion on the line, followed by a younger voice.
"I'm so sorry, my father has been learning English. He won't be making it into work today because he's feeling sick."
"Oh! That's perfectly fine, but...what was the part about rubbing...storm balls...?"
The kid laughed. "We were working on popular English idioms this week. He was trying to say he's feeling under the weather."
6
Posted on 8/25/24 at 8:14 am to Armymann50
Morning
Posted on 8/25/24 at 8:59 am to Armymann50
quote:
1944
Paris is liberated from German occupation by Free French Forces under General Jacques LeClerc.
There is a lot behind this story.
One thing is that the Allies, particularly Eisenhower and Monty, didn't want to liberate Paris. As shocking as that sounds, they wanted to bypass the city because the sheer logistical support it would require to feed and supply a city the size of Paris would cripple the Allied offensive. Obviously political considerations proved more important but, as it turns out, Ike was right. Everyone argues over whether Patton or Monty or whomever should have been given priority for supplies to finish the war in a more timely manner... but the truth is the logistical network (which was incredibly impressive) simply couldn't get Paris back on its feet and keep the spearheads going at full speed.
Another is that the German commander of Paris displayed rare courage... by not following his orders. Hitler demanded the city be fought for, brick by brick, and that all major landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Versailles, and so on) be utterly demolished. Instead the commander lied his arse off, quietly arranged for most of his troops to surrender (some SS units kept fighting but were quickly dispatched), and kept the millions of Parisians from going through the living hell that would soon descend on Berlin.
And the French had to intervene at the highest diplomatic levels to liberate the city first in the end. US units were already in the suburbs and LeClerc's armored division was part of a broad flanking maneuver... the proper use for an armored division instead of fighting in a major city. That all got put on hold, the division got transferred at top speed (not doing the allied offensive any favors), and reached Paris first. Which surprised the Parisians, who all knew the US was in the suburbs. So the first Free French forces to enter the city were greeted with... every American flag in Paris.
Posted on 8/25/24 at 9:20 am to Armymann50
Morning Dudes 
Posted on 8/25/24 at 10:01 am to Armymann50
where's my scrambled eggs?? 
Posted on 8/25/24 at 10:40 am to Armymann50
Morning all
Posted on 8/25/24 at 10:44 am to Armymann50
Good morning
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News