Night Jump into Dien Bien Phu: An Eyewitness Account From A French Paratrooper Captured by the Viet Minh Pierre Fauroux was born in 1921. He graduated from the French Military Academy at St. Cyr in 1942, when France’s Vichy government was dominated by Germany. In 1943 he escaped from France via Spain and joined the…
Category: History Roundup
History of the MACV/SOG Knife
Conrad “Ben” Baker was a problem solver. When special operations troops during the Vietnam War needed a “non-attributable,” or sterile, knife for cross-border reconnaissance and irregular warfare, Baker was uniquely positioned to design and procure their plausibly deniable piece of kit. From this request were born the rare and legendary MACV-SOG knives. Background In…
189 Years Ago Today The Republic of Texas was Born!
Texas Declaration of Independence, 1836 On March 2, 1836, Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico. The Texas Declaration of Independence was signed at Washington-on-the-Brazos, now commonly referred to as the “birthplace of Texas.” Similar to the United States Declaration of Independence, this document focused on the rights of citizens to “life” and “liberty”…
On This Day in History: February 23, 1836
Battle of the Alamo In 1835, Texas, which was then under the control of the Mexican Republic, rebelled against its overlords. Though there was a fierce debate among Texians as to whether they wanted to declare independence or simply force a return to the freer Mexican constitution of 1824, eventually the rebels did declare…
The Nature of Guerilla Warfare in the Heart of ‘Mosby’s Confederacy’
The Nature of Guerilla Warfare in the Heart of ‘Mosby’s Confederacy’ I happened upon this 106 page theses paper submitted in 2015 to Clemson University by Brett D. Zeggil while doing research for an upcoming short story. For all you serious students of both Southern History and Guerilla Warfare, I urge you to read…
On This Day in History: February 1, 1968
1968 Saigon police chief Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executes Viet Cong officer Nguyễn Văn Lém with a pistol shot to the head.
Know Your White History: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Birthday (1756-1791)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria. His father, Leopold Mozart, a noted composer, instructor, and the author of famous writings on violin playing, was then in the service of the archbishop of Salzburg. Leopold and Anna Maria, his wife, stressed the importance of music to their children. Together with…
Know Your Real History: The Jews, Communism and the Russian Revolution
When Men Were Men: Lieutenant Colonel ‘Paddy’ Mayne, SAS – An Irish Lion
‘Paddy’ Mayne: An Irish Lion Lieutenant-Colonel ‘Paddy’ Mayne is a legendary figure in the history of the Special Forces. A celebrated sportsman with a turbulent character, he played a vital role in the early successes of the Special Air Service (SAS), becoming one of its most important commanders. One of seven siblings, Robert Blair…
On This Day in History: January 4, 1847
Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government and in doing so, Truly made All Men Equal.