The Battle of Nashville; Dec 15-16, 1864

Aftermath of the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee
... "In four months of campaigning, the Army of Tennessee had lost nearly 75% of its fighting force. Hood resigned his commission in January and his remaining men were sent to join Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. The Union victory at Nashville effectively ended the war in Tennessee." ...

Photos    Spectators watch the battle

 

The battle "After the battles for Chattanooga, Union troops pursued the Confederate forces to Atlanta, Georgia. After four unsuccessful attacks against the Union, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood abandoned Atlanta in September 1864 and retreated into Alabama. There Hood devised an ambitious plan to cut off Union supply lines coming south from Tennessee and starve the Union troops in Georgia into surrender. He planned to take Nashville, which had been occupied by the Federals since early 1862, and then move toward Louisville before joining Gen. Robert E. Lee in Virginia for the Confederacy’s grand assault on Washington, D.C." Full article

Below: union troops behind their entrenchments at Nashville await attack by Gen Hood's Confederate army

Confederate war song mentions General Hood in Tennessee (but gives him too much credit, I'd say)

Battle of the Bulge; Dec 17, 1944. The Malmedy Massacre.

 

 The massacre site in 1944 (above), and today (below) via Google Earth

Gettysburg Daily    "The atrocities Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey describes actually occurred around the tiny village of Baugnez, Belgium, some four kilometers from Malmedy. American soldiers and Belgian civilians were also murdered at several other locations over the next few days by members of the German 1st SS Panzer Division. The final toll is in dispute, but at least 362 U.S. soldiers and 111 Belgians were executed between December 17-20. The actual number may be a good bit higher. One of those killed/murdered 65 years ago today was Private First Class Frederick Clark. He is buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery."

The Malmedy Massacre

 

The bodies of 81 American soldiers from Battery B of the 285th Field Artillery

 Observation Battalion, killed by Waffen-SS troops on December 17, 1944,

 during the Battle of the Bulge near the Belgian town of Malmedy. 

... "Mine detectors were used to locate the 81 bodies, which had rested undisturbed since the day of the shootings and by now had frozen into grotesque positions. Forty one of the bodies were found to have been shot in the head. As each body was uncovered it was numbered, as seen in the photo above." ...  Photos of the field in 1944

A survivor's story ... "Paluch’s battalion first saw action in the Hurtgen Forest just prior to the Battle of the Bulge.  As Ted explains it, “We were in the Hurtgen for a while, that was a bitch I’ll tell you.  The damn trees would explode from the German artillery, and in just a matter of days it seemed that every tree within sight was stripped bare of all limbs.  It was a bloodbath in there.”  As bad as the Hurtgen was for Paluch, the worst was yet to come." ...

 Flowers, apologies mark commemoration of 70th anniversary of Malmedy massacre

 "At the site where Nazi troops massacred scores of unarmed American prisoners of war during the Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s ambassador to Belgium expressed a sense of remorse during a ceremony Sunday marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre." ...

Lt. Col. Joachim Peiper on the witness stand, June 17, 1946.

Sharpton as the Maltese Falcon

 

American Thinker  [MSNBC's] "Al Sharpton reminds me of the Maltese Falcon.  At every tragedy, he shows up on a shelf of tears next to the serious grievers, the family members, looking like an imitation of the real bird."
...
"The family rebuffs Sharpton: “Who made you the spokesperson of our family?  We just want to bury our nephew with dignity and respect.”  They  feel that Sharpton’s appearance at Akai’s funeral would be embarrassing and an insult to the memory of Akai.
...
"Instead of being regarded as a pariah, he works for MSNBC and is a regular guest at the White House." ...
Read more:

  

http://libertyalliance.com/2013/08/show-money-australian-killed/

 

Mike Lee: Weekend Fight Did Not Help Harry Reid

NRO  "Senate majority leader Harry Reid is using his final days in power to confirm a series of controversial presidential nominees, with the result that Republicans are fighting about whether Texas senator Ted Cruz enabled Reid’s machinations by accident.

legalinsurrection.com

"It’s an argument that pits a group of conservative senators – and their desire for a good weekend of messaging against President Obama’s amnesty – against the broader Republican conference, which was clinging to the hope that it could convince Reid to surrender his post as majority leader without first taking advantage of the nuclear option to confirm the presidential appointees." ...

Peshawar school attack: Taliban's 'revenge' for Malala Yousafzai's Nobel Peace Prize; Pakistan's 9/11

Will its leaders at last end their dalliance with terrorists?    ... " Pakistan has been toughening its stance against the TTP over the past year, but this attack is a symptom of Pakistan’s fatal hesitancy to directly confront TTP. Pakistan’s future now rests on the pivot between those who recognize that these terrorists cannot be leashed and those who see them as tools to use for their own ends." ...

International Business Times

Young Pakistani Supporters of Malala Yousafzai

 

"The Taliban has killed dozens of children at a Peshawar school in a revenge mission for Pakistani schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai being awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.

 "Ahmed Rashid, an expert on the Islamic militants, told the BBC the insurgents had various reasons to attack the school, one of which was to send a message to the supporters of Malala, who advocates education for women and children. 

 

"In response to the events at the school in Pakistan, education campaigner Malala has condemned the "atrocious and cowardly" attack." ...

Ferguson Shooting: Why did the officer not shoot Brown in the legs?

Michael Yon

 

"My original Facebook post has gone viral: facebook.com/MichaelYonFanPage/photos"

"Quoted below, Slightly edited version:
"Many people innocently ask why Officer Wilson did not shoot Michael Brown in the legs. The answer could stretch for pages.  More succinctly, a couple handfuls of reasons:
1) This ain't the movies
2) Most police do not fire their weapons much. Most are not great shots.
3) The officer would have to be an incredible shot to be crazy enough to fire wounding shots.
4) Nearly all firefights are "stress shoots." The other guy is moving. Heart pounding. Often breathless. Officer Wilson in Ferguson had just been punched in the face during a wrestling match for his pistol, according to Wilson.
5) Bullets that miss can hit someone else."

Full article

 

Sony Hack: Carmike Cinemas Drops 'The Interview'

Sony Studios co-chairman Amy Pascal apologized for her leaked e-mails to producer Scott Rudin where she guessed President Obama's favorite movies were Django Unchained and Twelve Years a Slave. She's a huge Obama financial supporter. It's part of her duty to decide which comedies get made.  Argus Hamilton.

 The Hollywood Reporter

 

... "The decision followed new threats from hackers issued Tuesday. During discussions with theater owners during the course of the day, Sony Pictures told exhibitors who had booked The Interview that it planned to move forward with the movie's release, but that they were free to decide not to show the film, and that the studio would support them in whatever decision they made.

"Carmike's headquarters are in Columbus, Ga. It operates 278 theaters and 2,917 screens in 41 states.
The situation throughout the day was very fluid: Neither the National Association of Theatre Owners nor the individual national theaters chains have yet publicly spoken about the situation. But according to some insiders, exhibitors are wary of becoming liable if they show the movie and any violence occurs.

"The discussions have also involved requests from theater owners that Sony provide heavy security if they do go ahead and play the film." ...  Via  The Daily Digg

Weasel Of The Week Nominees!!

Virginia Right!  "It’s time again for the Watcher’s Council’s ‘Weasel Of The Week’ nominations, where we pick our choices to compete for Award the famed Golden Weasel to a public figure who particularly deserves to be slimed and mocked for his or her dastardly deeds during the week. Every Tuesday morning, tune in for the Weasel of the Week nominations and check back Thursday to see which Weasel gets the votes and walks off with the statuette of shame!  Here are this weeks’ nominees:" ...
Here is one sample:
"The Razor : My pick of the litter this week is Sen. Elizabeth “Stands With Fistfuls of Corporate Cash” Warren."

The Battle of the Bulge: St. Vith

Youtube
 

 

"This remarkable documentary combines eyewitness testimony from an all star cast of key participants on both sides of a critical engagement in the Battle of the Bulge with outstanding archival footage, detailed maps, and a return to revisit the actual terrain where each phase of battle was fought." Zeno, Zeno's Warbird Videos http://zenoswarbirdvideos.com See this video & more full screen on our "The Bulge: The Battle at St Vith plus Mastering the Bazooka Rocket Launcher" DVD http://bit.ly/14yoNiR

Operation Wacht am Rhein, the surprise attack launched on Dec 16th, 1944, was Hitler's desperate gamble to shatter the Allied advance by striking with a Panzer fist through a "quiet"sector in the Ardennes Forest, northwest to the vital supply port of Antwerp. A linchpin of the offensive was the early seizure of the road and railroad crossroads of St. Vith on the first day of the offensive. The Battle at St. Vith shows how a hastily formed, ad hoc group of American units manged to delay an overwhelming Panzer force for five critical days before being forced to withdraw, dealing the German plan an insurmountable delay.

From the German side, you'll hear frustration in the voices of Von Runstedt's Chief of Staff, General Siegfried Westphal and General Hasso von Manteuffel, whose 5th Panzer Army was tasked with seizing St Vith, when they give lengthy reports on the battle. On the American side, you'll hear vivid accounts of an aggressive defense from Gen. Robert Hasbrouk, Commander of 7th Armored, Col Gusten Nelson (28th Infantry), Gen William Hoge (9th Armored), Colonels Oliver Patton & Thomas J Riggs (106th Infantry), and General Bruce C Clark, Commander Combat Command B, 7th Armored, who led the spirited deference of the St Vith perimeter. In a series of memorable face-to-face conversations, Generals Clark and Von Manteuffel compare notes on the battle . Among several first hand combat accounts, Lt Will Rogers Jr tells the dramatic story of his bazooka attack on a a German Panzer as part of "Task Force Jones" successful rearguard action. And don't miss rare late war footage of advanced German weaponry, including "King Tiger" tanks in action.

There is no better account of the critical role played small, determined units in the outcome of a major battle than "The Battle at St, Vith." This video was digitally restored and additional explanatory text was added.

16 Dec 1944 in WW2

World War II Database

American prisoners marching along a road somewhere on the western front, Dec 1944

 

Mauthausen Concentration Camp's satellite camp Gusen III began operations in the town of Lungitz with 262 prisoners; it would eventually grow to house 67,667 prisoners before the end of the war, about half of which would not survive. [Main Article | CPC]

Royal Indian Artillery Sergeant Umrao Singh won the Victoria Cross for defending his advanced gun battery against a determined Japanese attack in Burma. The fighting was frequently hand-to-hand and when Sergeant Singh was found wounded and exhausted, ten enemy bodies surrounded his gun. [AC]

A German V2 rocket fell on the Rex Cinema in Antwerp, Belgium which was packed for the matinee performance. The blast killed 567 people, 296 of them Allied servicemen, and injured 291, half of them soldiers. It took six days to dig out all the bodies, many of which were still sitting upright in their seats. It was the highest death toll from a V-weapon attack during the entire war and resulted in the cinemas and theatres of Antwerp being closed "for the duration" and gatherings of more than 50 people in any one place being banned. [AC]

The US Navy Fast Carrier Task Force retired from Philippine waters after three consecutive days of air operations. [Main Article | CPC]

USS Finback attacked a Japanese convoy in the Western Pacific, firing a total of 20 torpedoes but making only 2 hits, sinking a transport. [Main Article | CPC]

Dwight Eisenhower learned that he was about to be promoted to the rank of 5-star general. [Main Article | CPC]

Caroline Islands

• USS Astoria set sail for Ulithi, Caroline Islands. [Main Article | CPC]

Germany

• German troops launched Operation Wacht am Rhein, crossing the German border toward Belgium, opening the Battle of the Bulge. [Main Article | TH, CPC]
• German Army engineers were awarded at the Peenemünde Army Research Center in Germany. [Main Article | CPC]

Dead American soldiers laying face down at a crossroad in

 Belgium, Dec 1944

Lone wolf attacks; just a nut, folks. Nothing to see here; move on

http://terrellaftermath.com/

 

The Sydney hostage situation ended in bloodshed, of course "Could it have ended any other way? No."

"When the guns stopped firing, a man and woman lay dead, four more were rushed away with injuries, and Australian authorities were left with the task of scraping up what was left of Monis. "

 

..."As the scene calmed down, a bomb disposal robot was seen entering the café."

"The dramatic end to the siege came as the gunman holding the remaining captives was revealed as a self-proclaimed Islamic cleric Man Haron Monis. "

 

Lindt Cafe Terrorist called Obama out as an Apostate back in 2008

MSNBC: Sydney Terrorist A “Phony” Muslim, “May Just Be A Violent Criminal”…
"It’s rather amusing to watch the left trip and fall over themselves in a mad dash to defend Islam after a terror attack."

ARI MELBER, MSNBC: Let me ask Jim about the point Mikey is raising. I think people at home can relate to which is, well, maybe the profile here is an overlap between someone who’s deranged but also sympathizes with enemies of Australia and the United States. Now that the actual live conflict is over, how do you disentangle that? Doesn’t it matter a great deal whether this was a person who was just basically a low-level criminal, Abby called him a thug. He may just be a violent criminal. Isn’t that very different as a criminal who latched onto something than a person who’s actually an operational ally of our enemies?

"Motives become mixed"?

The Sydney Siege and the Lone-Wolf Copout  "The phenomenon of “lone-wolf” terrorism is vexing to policymakers because it is so hard to predict and prevent. But it also has too often provided an excuse–a way for the political class or security forces to avoid any blame for a successful domestic attack. Even worse, anti-anti-terrorism commentators use lone-wolf attacks to cast doubt on the whole war on terror enterprise as doing more harm than good, or at least not doing much good. Something similar seems to be taking shape in the wake of the Sydney, Australia siege this week."

Pakistan School Attack: Taliban Militants Kill More than 130 in Peshawar

NBC News
 

 

"PESHAWAR, Pakistan —Taliban militants laid siege to a Pakistan school in a brazen hours-long attack on Tuesday, killing more than 130 children in an atrocity condemned by the White House as "heinous" and "horrific."

 

"More than eight hours after uniformed militants struck the school, the Pakistani military said the assault was finally over. Shortly thereafter, another loud explosion was heard in the city. It was not immediately clear where the explosion originated or what it was caused by.

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"Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, a military spokesman, told NBC News that at least 132 children were killed in the attack, along with 10 staff from the school — including the principal. Seven militants were killed, he added. " ...

UPDATE: Taliban? What Taliban?   ... "This can only be speculation, but one wonders whether the Obama administration prefers not to mention the Taliban due to our impending withdrawal from Afghanistan. Once we are gone, similar atrocities by the Taliban’s Afghan branch are likely inevitable. Perhaps the administration would rather not say anything that might lead others to suggest, when the time comes, that similar attacks on Afghan schools were the foreseeable consequence of our withdrawal. That is the only reason I can think of why President Obama would denounce the attack on the Army school in Peshawar, without denouncing those who carried it out." ...

Words Not Used By Obama In Statement Condemning School Attack In Pakistan: Taliban, Islam, Muslims, Jihad…

 

"Just a bunch of nuts with no religious affiliation or motivation killing people for no reason."