I am currently writing a series of short stories about the OSS during WW2. Here are some of my inspirations. -SF WASHINGTON — Hugh Montgomery never wrote a memoir. That just wasn’t done among his generation of spies. But his exploits as a World War II combat veteran, CIA cold warrior and Washington power player…
Category: Military History
Giving Thanks to the OSS
As today’s security depends increasingly on intelligence and special operators, Congress should act to honor those who paved their way. What do attorney James Donovan (portrayed by Tom Hanks in “Bridge of Spies”), the “French Chef” Julia Child, Virginia Hall (the only American civilian woman to receive the Distinguished Service Cross during World War II),…
1943: A Bloody Thanksgiving in the Pacific
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, take a moment to remember the many Americans who gave their last full measure 72 years ago in the attack on the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Almost two years after Pearl Harbor, the assault by the 2nd Marine Division on a Japanese-held stronghold started on Nov. 20, 1943, five…
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore After 3 Days of Fighting in the Ia Drang Valley
I found this video clip on You Tube of Lt. Colonel Hal Moore, US Army, made famous by the movie We Were Soldiers. I find clips like this simply amazing…this man had been through 3 days of living hell on earth, close-combat with a determined enemy, and yet, his remarks are as calm and postured…
World War II History: Foiling the Nazi’s Nuclear Plans
Growing up, I remember watching all those famous World War Two movies with my dad like Kelly’s Heroes, Where Eagles Dare, Force 10 from Navarone, etc. But one that always stuck out was The Heroes of Telemark with Kirk Douglas. When I got a little older and started reading more about WW2, I found out…
ISIS and The “Law of Lawless Places”
Read this article slowly and consider the ancient and modern historical background information. If you understand the fundamentals of Counter-Insurgency Warfare, this is basically a re-cap on the basics… it is too bad the U.S. Govt. has yet to grasp this simple fact. -SF The Latin phrase hic sunt dracones translates roughly to “here be dragons,”…
Churchill’s Take on Islam as Relevant in 2015 as when it was written in 1899
I have been with great urgency for the last few weeks and especially since the attacks in Paris doing as much historical research as I possibly can for a series of articles I am planning to do on the “problem of islam in the world today”… Notice I did not say Terrorism, yeah we will…
21st Century Crusaders: Americans who Volunteer to Fight ISIS with the Peshmerga
“One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.” -Winston Churchill, 1940 When I first started reading about these brave men…
Military History: The Hürtgen Forest: America’s Longest, Most Costly Battle During World War II
At the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, over 4,500 American troops were killed and wounded — and for the cost, very little ground was gained. Many have never heard of the Hürtgen Forest, much less the bloody battle that took place there 71 years ago. Located in western Germany between the Ruhr River and the…
Military History: The Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917
A Cautionary Tale for Revolutionaries Human society is continuously shaped by social, political, and technological developments. Some societies reject these developments and others embrace them. Normally, the rejection or acceptance is silent and smooth. At times, however, the process is violent and leads to conflict or revolution. According to Samuel Huntington, “a revolution is a…