Primer on the Boers (the Afrikaners): from an Outsider Who Lived Among Them A Primer on the Boers (the Afrikaners): from an Outsider Who Lived Among Them Less than 10% of South Africa’s nearly 60 million are considered “white.” Of that number, just over ½ are considered “Boer,” or more specifically “Afrikaner.” The…
Category: History Roundup
Know Your WW2 Weapons: Japanese Model 89 Knee Mortar
Japanese Model 89 Knee Mortar For more than a century, American troops have given a wide variety of nicknames to their own weapons, and also those of their enemies. During World War II, American troops in the Pacific Theatre created a nickname for a highly effective Japanese weapon that was a bit misleading. The…
Damnatio Memoriae for the 21st Century?
{Damnatio Memoriae} is the latin phrase literally meaning “condemnation of memory” in the sense of a judgment that a person must not be remembered. It was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate upon traitors or others who brought discredit to the Roman State. The intent was to erase someone from…
Know Your Guerilla Warfare History: Boers, Beans, Bullets and Bear Soup
Boers, Beans, Bullets, and Bear Soup – Parts 1 & 2 Nifty two part series on the history, tactics and weapons of the Boers. Remember: The most Dangerous thing in the world is a Disciplined, Motivated and Well Trained Rifleman, so get out there and TRAIN!
Know Your Texas History: J. E. McCord — Texas Ranger
H/T: Searching History (Note from the Hermit: I want to remind all my fellow History buffs to Subscribe to fellow Marine Mustang’s two blogs: Searching History and Fix Bayonets) J. E. McCord — Texas Ranger In modern times, parents give their children unusual first names to set them apart from other kids. Naming…
Sovereign States and Independent Republics
Via: Searching History Sovereign States and Independent Republics At one time, the Republic of Texas was a sovereign state in North America. It existed from 2 March 1826 to 19 February 1846. It shared a border with the Republic of Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande (another Mexican breakaway republic), and the United…
Know Your USMC History: The Beirut Barracks Bombing (October 23, 1983)
40 Years Ago — The Beirut Barracks Bombings (October 23, 1983) The Beirut barracks bombings were terrorist attacks that occurred on October 23, 1983, in Beirut, Lebanon, during the Lebanese Civil War when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces — members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon…
Today in History
Via: National Vanguard 1949: Eleven members of the Communist Party are convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government of the United States. Five of the guilty are Jews; two are Negroes.
Interview with MACV-SOG Major John L. Plaster
MACV-SOG Major John L. Plaster I have two books from Plaster in my Library that are dog eared, highlighted and just about worn out. The first is The Ultimate Sniper which I got many moons ago as a gift from a now departed friend (who was a better shot than me by a country…
The Texas Bad Ass Files: Cicero Rufus Perry aka “Old Rufe”
H/T Wynn Also known as “Old Rufe,” Cicero Rufus Perry was born in Alabama in 1822. At the age of 11, he moved with his family to Texas, where he would later go on to become a famed Texas Ranger. As history goes, Perry played a role in the siege of Bexar. Following…