[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles and the occasional radio broadcast delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

This map is dated 29 February-1 July 1945, but 1945 was not a leap year. One of the details on the map is dated 19 February-8 May so I guess that is what was meant as the start date – HJS.

[ken5050]

FYI...Marines are returning to Iwo after 70 years.

When I was going through Quantico in 1968 we had several senior NCOs..lifers...as instructors...they'd been at the Canal, Tarawa, Iwo..Inchon..and in Nam early on...and they'd talk...and we'd all listen. People have absolutely NO idea what Iwo, for example, was actually like. It will probably take something akin to that to ultimately defeat ISIS...You have to root them out, one by one, and kill them

[central_va]

"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!"

Eleanor Roosevelt

[Lurking Libertarian]

The article about carriers quotes a “Vice Admiral John Sidney McCain.” Is that who I think it is?

[Steven Scharf]

On page 8 above, the article about Montgomery discussing the final push, the NYTs published his statement to the troops and included a line from a poem.

“Peace for the kids, our brothers freed,
A kinder world, a cleaner breed.”

I had never heard thi line so I went to look for the poem. Here is the full poem.

This anonymous poem was blown into a slit trench in Tunisia during a heavy bombardment in the early days of World War II.

Stay with me, God. The night is dark,
The night is cold: my little spark
Of courage dies. The night is long;
Be with me, God, and make me strong.

I love a game; I love a fight.
I hate the dark; I love the light.
I love my child; I love my wife.
I am no coward. I love Life,

Life with its change of mood and shade.
I want to live. I’m not afraid,
But me and mine are hard to part;
Oh, unknown God, lift up my heart.

You stilled the waters at Dunkirk
And saved Your Servants. All Your work
Is wonderful, dear God. You strode
Before us down that dreadful road.

We were alone, and hope had fled;
We loved our country and our dead,
And could not shame them; so we stayed
The course, and were not much afraid.

Dear God that nightmare road! And then
That sea! We got there-we were men.
My eyes were blind, my feet were torn,
My soul sang like a bird at dawn!

I knew that death is but a door.
I knew what we were fighting for:
Peace for the kids, our brothers freed,
A kinder world, a cleaner breed.

I’m but the son my mother bore,
A simple man, and nothing more.
But-God of strength and gentleness,
Be pleased to make me nothing less.

Help me, O God, when Death is near
To mock the haggard face of fear,
That when I fall-if fall I must-
My soul may triumph in the Dust.