[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. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
China, 1941: Operation Ichigo, 1945 and Final Operations in the War
The Western Pacific: Japanese Homeland Dispositions August 1945 and Allied Plans for the Invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall)

[chajin]

One of the cities being warned for the first time is Imabari; it's on Shikoku island, and on the big Japan map it is right beneath the "r" in "Kure." This is a pretty good indication that the B-29s are running out of places to bomb.

Imabari was Japan's equivalent of what Concord/Kannapolis, NC used to be, the hub of the nation's textile industry: to this day, Imabari is primarily known in Japan for its towels, though as with Concord, that industry has moved overseas.

The only other reason to bomb the town would be because of the shipbuilding, but as far as I can tell there were no military vessels built there. (The company website is here.) Of course, Imabari didn't get bombed, and it continued as one of the places for shipbuilding during Japan's heydays in the 60s and 70s.

And how do I know all this? Because since 1995 it has been the sister city of Lakeland, FL, ten miles from my home. I wonder if it occurred to anyone in 1945 that such things would happen in 1995.

But as I typed yesterday (with incorrect times, for which I apologize), the bomb explodes over Hiroshima at 8 AM August 6, which would be 7 PM NY time today, August 5. More on this tomorrow...

[Buttons12]

Countdown! (To Hiroshima)

[Buttons12]

“Yale Is Urged to Stress Religion” was a great read!

[PeterPrinciple]

Yale is Urged to Stress Religion as Curb on Intellectual Anarchy.

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One of those “sounds good until you think about it” ideas.

Read the article critically. This was a national trend to close or merge the depts. of theology into the department of religion.

http://www.jackspipe.com/2005/12/29/religion-vs-theology/

The subject matter of theology proper is God; the subject matter of religion is man.

[PeterPrinciple]

New Russian Helicopter does 100mph

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http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/brat_omega.php

Omega II / G-2

Also sometimes called G-2 (helicopter 2), this was the original design with superior engines in streamlined pods with fan-assisted cooling. Drive ratio 0.32. Rotor masts and outriggers stiffened, and dymamic parts (cliutches and gearboxes) redesigned for long life. Test flown by Ponomaryov Sept 1944 with good results. Damaged Jan 1945, repaired and improved (drive ratio 0.283) and used again from July 1945, by this time for research and pilot training. With chief engineer D.T.Matsitskii as observer, gained height of 3km. Demonstrated in Tushino by M.K.Baikalov Aug 1946.

[ALASKA]

After no immediate response from Japan following Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was a third nuke (last one we had at the time) en route to Tinian. Then the emperor spoke.

[Seizethecarp]

Page 22:

Cleveland:

“The Best Location In The Nation!”

I was wondering about that debate location...

[InMemoriam]

Orders are out on Tinian.

[InMemoriam]

Someone recently commented on how lucky Kokura was that the 509th did not visit them. They will now actually receive their first combat visit on this mission.

For the mission this evening, Kokura is designated as the primary alternate target. One of the three weather planes will overfly Kokura to report on visual bombing conditions. If Hiroshima is socked in, they will report on whether Kokura can be vaporized instead.

[mowowie]

It’s 5:55PM here on the east coast, the bombers are in the air. In exactly 20 minutes, 70 years ago today the BIG BOOM is about to happen.
Maybe the Japs are thinking that Pearl Harbor might have been a BAD idea right about now.

Thanks for these posts Homer, I have been reading them every day for a LONG time now.
Fascinating

[fso301]

That was a fascinating p9 nugget about the German U-Boat raft of relatively recent origin being found in the northern Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida coast. I did a quick search but couldn’t find additional info on it.