How India Saved the British Empire in World War I

Very recommendable! I had little idea how much Indian soldiers and India contributed to the British military efforts in World War I. I knew that Indian soldiers were participating in WW I, but not at this scale. This video almost leaves one with the impression that without the Indian soldiers, the British empire might have lost WW I.

Flirting with Danger: The Fantasy of Mata Hari

Recommendable!

12 SHOCKING Ways WORLD WAR I Still Shapes Our World Today

Recommendable!

The Story of the Christmas Truce of 1914—and Its Eternal Message

Recommendable! An amazing grace Christmas story under the most unlikely circumstances!

🎄 The Christmas miracle of 1914

The Harlem Hellfighters: The Incredible Story Behind the Most Decorated US Regiment in WWI by Lawrence Reed

Recommendable!

Lawrence Reed opens his article with a longer quote from the great President Calvin Coolidge, but omits to mention that he gave this speech in 1924 at Howard University thereby bestowing prestige on this university and its students!

"... Nonetheless, African Americans went to war, many of them hoping they might defeat both Germans abroad and racism at home if they proved themselves in battle. Coolidge’s high praise was richly earned, and no contingent of African Americans deserved it more than the US Army’s 369th Infantry, a volunteer regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. ...
While some regarded black troops as expendable, they ultimately proved themselves indispensable.
Consider this amazing record of the Harlem Hellfighters: No American unit experienced more time in combat than they did—no less than 191 days under fire. They never lost an inch of ground. The enemy never captured a single of their number. They suffered the highest casualty rate of any US regiment. None deserted. The grateful French bestowed their highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre, upon the entire regiment. Many individuals of the regiment received the US Army’s second-highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross. Posthumously, Henry Johnson received America’s Medal of Honor in 2015. The 369th ended up as the most decorated US regiment of the war. ..."

The Harlem Hellfighters: The Incredible Story Behind the Most Decorated US Regiment in WWI - Foundation for Economic Education No matter what you think about America entering World War I, and no matter what color your skin, you can celebrate the heroic Harlem Hellfighters. They were among the best.

When America Saved Iran

The story about the Near East Relief founded in 1915. 

"Near East Relief organized the world's first large-scale, modern humanitarian project in response to the unfolding Armenian and Assyrian genocides." (Wikipedia)

"It was during the throes of the First World War that Iran, a militarily-weak country, watched helplessly as Turkish and Russian armies battled each other across its territory, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake and tens of thousands of refugees. Starvation and disease were soon decimating these poor victims of war.
... America’s Near East Relief organization, perhaps the greatest American humanitarian organization that ever existed. It would go on to be responsible for saving at least one million lives in the war-wracked Near East in Syria, Iran, the Russian Caucasus and Greece, especially those of children."



When America Saved Iran | Frontpage Mag

Why there is no Kurdish nation

Very recommendable! Covers many of the complexities involving this question of why about 40 million Kurds spread over 4 countries still do not have their own state!

"From 1920, the new Turkish Army [under charismatic and highly revered, but controversial leader Mustafa Kemal Attaturk]  occupied what was to become the little Kurdistan, and the Allies had no will to challenge them."

Horrible Big Government President Wilson failed here too! Not only did he break his promise to stay neutral and not to get involved in World War I, he also failed the Kurds!

Why there is no Kurdish nation: Despite many attempts, the Kurds have never won and kept their own nation -- though, after World War I, they came close.

Johann Nepomuk Hummel - A European Story And Tragedy

Posted:

Introduction

In my adventure to discover Classical Music, I have been immediately very impressed by this virtuoso pianist and composer. I believe, his biography is exemplary for Europe in his time.

I have previously blogged about Pastiche in Classical Music.

A European Story And Tragedy

Hundred years after World War I (also euphemistically called the Great War), which, in my opinion, nearly destroyed Western civilization, we still wonder how could this monstrous war have happened.

Briefly, a European biography:

1. Born in Hungary
2. Lived and worked in Vienna, Stuttgart, and Weimar
3. He was a freemason like Mozart. Bequeathed part of his property to a masonic lodge.
4. Toured several times European countries and Russia
5. Taught by Mozart, Haydn, Muzio Clementi
6. Friends with Beethoven, Goethe
7. Influenced several famous musicians like Chopin
8. Created one of the first musician’s pension benefit schemes and giving benefit concerts for it

On The Bisbee Deportation Of 1917

Posted: 12/13/2015

Introduction

Recently, we visited Bisbee, Arizona for the first time. Inside the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum I discovered fairly comprehensive information about this infamous event of July 12, 1917. I also met an older gentlemen inside the museum who appeared to be a volunteer at the museum and with whom I had a long conversation. He was very knowledgeable about many things & details that I really thought he was perhaps a retired professor, but he was a self-taught small business owner.

Again, I do not have the time to research this topic in more depth. This story is not complete or finished! This is the caveat! E.g. I did not manage to read the important official, federal investigation into this event, i.e. the Report on the Bisbee Deportations. Made by the President's Mediation Commission to the President of the United States. Bisbee, Arizona. November 6, 1917. The counselor to this commission was none other than Felix Frankfurter, later U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Significance Of The Event

From reading about this event in the past, it was my impression that this event was one of those major events of the labor movement in the U.S. where according to the prevailing narrative poor labor was very unfairly treated by ruthless business owners. In brief, a labor/leftist/ biased view of this event seems to dominate.

Just look at the Arizona State University webpage of this event here (Source 1). The quote at the top of the page reads “How it could have happened in a civilized country I'll never know. ...” from the account of a deportee.

Notes

1. The event happened without much violence or very few death or serious injuries! Just this fact alone deserves more attention. This was probably no coincidence, but more a deliberate achievement. Therefore, this event is also quite different from other major labor strife events in the U.S.
2. It was a militant and extreme labor union, i.e. the Industrial Workers of the World, with communist affiliations and which also carried out acts of sabotage against employers  that tried to organize labor unrest etc. at the Bisbee mines. This fact is often conveniently omitted.
3. The U.S. entered World War I  on April 4, 1917, just three months before the deportation. Bisbee, at the time, was a major source of copper ore for weapons used in that war.
4. Germany asked Mexico in the Zimmermann Note to join a military alliance in January of 1917 and Germany offered to help Mexico to reconquer lost territory in the U.S. (e.g. Arizona). The U.S. learnt about this plot in February of 1917 and President Wilson released it to the media in late February of 1917.  Bisbee is only about 11 miles away from the Mexican border. Many of the miners in Bisbee were from Mexico. Mexican rebel bands had made incursions into the U.S.. Mexico was mired in coups and revolution for years.
5. At the time, the governor of Arizona (Arizona only became a state in 1912)  was a progressive, which made things certainly not easier for the mine management. If I remember correctly, the governor even refused to defuse the situation in Bisbee when the sheriff of Bisbee asked for help.
6. “A group of miners loyal to the mining companies also formed the Workman's Loyalty League.” (Source 1). Unfortunately, we do not learn how many workers were loyal to the company or even opposed to unionization.
7. “Tensions heightened when rumors spread asserting that the unions had been infiltrated by pro-Germans [Yes, there were significant numbers of pro-German Americans at the time]. Another rumor suggested that weapons and dynamite were cached around Bisbee for sabotage.” (Source 1)
8. “The vigilantes rounded up over 1,000 men, many of whom were not strikers -- or even miners -- and marched them two miles to the Warren Ballpark. There they were surrounded by armed Loyalty Leaguers and urged to quit the strike. Anyone willing to put on a white armband was released. At 11:00 a. m. a train arrived, and 1,186 men were loaded aboard boxcars inches deep in manure. Also boarding were 186 armed guards; a machine gun was mounted on the top of the train. The train traveled from Bisbee to Columbus, New Mexico, where it was turned back because there were no accommodations for so many men. On its return trip the train stopped at Hermanas, New Mexico, where the men were abandoned. A later train brought water and food rations, but the men were left without shelter until July 14th when U. S. troops arrived. The troops escorted the men to facilities in Columbus. Many were detained for several months.” (Source 1)
   So it was actually the U.S. government, which aggravated the deportation by detaining the mining workers for several month in New Mexico.
9. How many deported workers returned to Bisbee over time again to actually work for the mining company? These miners may have changed their identity to do that. I believe, it was the older gentlemen who told me about that.

To summarize, this was certainly a much more complicated situation as we are made to believe by the prevalent narrative of injustice against labor:

1. Given all the above circumstances, the management of the mining companies and the city officials of Bisbee were not seriously unjustified for their decision at the time.
2. The miners selected for deportation were asked before deportation to quit the strike and those who quit were let go. At that time this was quite an act of humanity!
3. A later train was sent to provide the deported with water and food rations. At that time this was quite another act of humanity!

Kurdistan At Last

Posted: 8/12/2014

Trigger

I just read “Die historische Chance/Vor einem Jahrhundert ließ die Staatengemeinschaft den Plan eines Staates für die Kurden fallen. Nun ist die Chance dafür wegen des Konflikte im Irak so gut wie selten zuvor.” (German language) and

“Kampf gegen DschihadistenDer Geist des Heraushaltens

Die Bundesregierung will den irakischen Kurden keine Waffen liefern - und suggeriert dabei eine Neutralität, die es nicht gibt. Nur zu beklagen, wie schlimm alles ist, und einige Flüchtlinge mehr aufzunehmen, ist beschämend wenig. Ein Kommentar.”

Kurdistan

Apparently the Kurdish people are an ancient people. After World War I they were promised their own state, but this promise was reneged. See e.g. the treaty of Sevres of 1920.

Given the current situation in Iraq perhaps it is time for an independent state of Kurdistan, if the Kurdish people so wish.

I am sure there would be compromises possible over a transitional period with the remaining Iraq regarding crude oil revenues etc. after formation of a an independent Kurdistan.

If Saudi Arabia or some other Arabian countries or Iran object, then this could probably be ignored!

Martial Consequences Of The American Civil War

Posted: 2/19/2014 Updated: 2/18/2015

Prologue

I usually do not like to entertain speculation about the course history would have taken, but I will make an exception here.

The American Civil War fought under president Abraham Lincoln were a watershed event in U.S. history in many respects.

Brush With Imperialism

In the late 19th century one could argue that the U.S. engaged in expansionism or imperialism (I do not like latter, ideological, loaded term very much) when it was involved in the Spanish American War of 1898 (Cuba, Theodore Roosevelt); Philippine-American War (1899–1902).

At a speech in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far", which was a cornerstone of diplomacy during his presidency (source).

The Rebuilding of the Navy 1882-1898.

The push for the Panama Canal in 1903-04. The story behind the Panama Canal is worth a separate blog post.

The Great White Fleet event of 1907.

Entering World War I

I would argue it was not necessary for the U.S. to enter into World War I as they did. It would probably have sufficed to remain on the side lines and to provide weapons and money to allies. This was a war between roughly equal European powers.

What Is The Point?

In short: The unnecessary American Civil War was a consequential turning point in many respects.

Had the U.S. not previously engaged in a all out devastating Civil War where perhaps as many as 1 million people died, the U.S. would not have been battle hardened and less sensitive to death anymore  to engage like other European powers in all kinds of wars for no good reason.

Previous, Related Blog Posts

Here with references to other, previous blogs.