December 7, 2011
FW: The Day that Shall Live in Infamy
A tribute to all those who fought and died 70 years ago at Pearl Harbor!
Posts tagged ‘War’
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August 22, 2011
FW: The Difference of a Good Leader
In September of 1862, the civil war tilted decisively in favor of the south. The morale of the northern army dipped to its lowest point of the war. Large numbers of Union troops were in full retreat in Virginia. Northern leaders began to fear the worst. They saw no way to reverse the situation and turn the beaten, exhausted troops into a useful army again.
There was only one general with the ability to work such a miracle. That was General George McClellan. He had trained the men for combat and they admired him. But neither the war department nor the rest of the cabinet members saw this connection. Only president Abraham Lincoln recognized Gen. McLellan’s leadership skills.
Fortunately, Lincoln ignored the protests of his advisors and reinstated McClellan back in command. He told the general to go down to Virginia and give those soldiers something no other man on earth could give them: enthusiasm, strength and hope. McClellan accepted the command. He mounted his great black horse and cantered down the dusty Virginia roads.
What happened next is hard to describe. Northern leaders couldn’t explain it. Union soldiers couldn’t explain it either. Even McClellan couldn’t quite explain what happened. Gen. McClellan met the retreating Union columns, waved his cap in the air and shouted words of encouragement. When the worn out men saw their beloved teacher and leader, they began to take heart once again. They were moved with an unshakable feeling that now things could be different, that finally things would be all right again.
Bruce Catton, the great civil war historian, describes this excitement that grew when word spread that McClellan was back in command. “Down mile after mile of Virginia roads the stumbling column came alive. Men threw their caps and knapsacks into the air, and yelled until they could yell no more. . . because they saw this dapper little rider outlined against the purple starlight.
“And this, in a way, was the turning point of the war. No one could ever quite explain how it happened. But whatever it was, it gave President Lincoln and the north what was needed. And history was forever changed because of it.”
The story of Gen. McClellan illustrates dramatically the impact a leader can have on the human spirit.
Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R.
Sower’s Seeds
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August 14, 2011
FW: Unknown World War II Hero
Peter Nguyen is definitely a fiction author in the making =).
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June 11, 2011
FW: Apartments to Avoid Renting From
Not the stairs you want to have leading to your top floor apartment!
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April 5, 2011
FW: The Beauty of the Jeep
Eight soldiers pull up on a main street in Halifax, Nova Scotia on some holiday.They’re in a standard issue WWII type Willys Jeep. In the span of about 5 to 6 minutes they completely disassemble the vehicle and reassemble it and drive off in it fully operable! The idea being to show the genius that went into the making of the jeep and its basic simplicity. Fantastic.
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March 28, 2011
FW: 1000 Years of War in 5 Minutes
This animation shows all important battles that took place over the last ten centuries (up until 2008). The sizes of the explosions and labels are proportional to the number of casualties. The music is “Ride Of The Valkyries” by Richard Wagner. The data comes from the Wikipedia article, List of Battles.
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May 28, 2010
FW: 2010 Memorial Day is Coming (part 6)
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February 27, 2009
FW: Blue Fridays – Homecoming: Award-Winning Pics
WILL YOU WEAR BLUE???
Two touching photos were honored this year
International Picture of the Year: First Place
First Place: Todd Heisler, The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful.
“See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,” he said. “They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They’re going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.”
International Picture of the Year: Second Place
Second Place Todd Heisler, The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of ‘Cat,’ and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.”
PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING!
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Blue Fridays.
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the ‘silent majority’. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday — and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue. By word of mouth, press, TV — let’s make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once ‘silent’ majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked ‘what can we do to make things better for you?’ is: “We need your support and your prayers.” Let’s get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.
IF YOU AGREE — THEN SEND THIS ON.