Growing up interested in military history, I was also interested in Last Stands. Very early, growing up i the country and tie that I did, WW2's military history stood well above all other wars - even though my time actually touched the Vietnam War (Yes, I have clear memories of the helicopters being tossed from the decks of USN ships - I am older than you, remember). And my favourite Last Stand when I was growing up? Had to be Wake Island.
Wake was a small battle rite @ the beginning of the war when the Japanese - closely resembling the '84 Tigers - ran off victory after victory. Y'all know Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March, but there was also Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Java Sea, Guam, the Dutch East Indies, etc etc etc...
But Wake Island made the Japanese pause, if only for a bit. Wake was a coaling/seaplane little island way out into the Pacific. Went the Japanese went Tigers on everybody, Wake (totally isolated and out manned) was left to -well, 'fend' would not be the rite term- how about 'be swept under by the Japanese impetus'. But they would not give up. No navy to support them, a few Wildcat fighters that had to be progressively cannibalised to keep the remainder flying, only 3 inch guns to fite off the enemy fleet. The first time the Japease tried to storm the island, the Marines were actually able to beat off the invasion, and even (maybe -record till don't know) maybe sink one of the enemy ships w/ battery fire and the Wildcats, The Japanese were stunned, and cobbled to-gether a larger invasion force that now included some of the Pearl Harbor carriers. After a long fite, the Japese won the island.
In high school, I discovered the fall of the Roman Empire. No, not the one centered i Rome, but it rump of a rump of a rump in Constantinople in 1453. I was freaked out that the Roman Empire actually existed until 1453 - what a stunner. Again, the end of a civilisation, outnumbered and hopelessly situated, they fought for a long time against the Turks who were trying to conquer the city. 29 May, 1453, an open door was discovered in the walls, and in swept the enemy army. Long live Rome.
I remember first getting into this battle. In the neighbourhood library where I grew up in on 61st and Kedzie, they had a History of the Byzantine Empire (Roman Empire rump by another name)book. I happened to b pick it up and however I got to that section i dunno, but I rememeber standing in the stacks after I'd happened upon the book and finishing that chapter. I then went on an obsession about the fall of Constantinople. Last memory of Constantinople. We had a great freshman english teacher, and on days he didn't want to teach, he'd have us write a essay on whatever. I wrote a short story that involved me in the Battle of Constantinople, and lo and behold it went rather well. Mr. C would read out the best stories, and I will amidt to pride when the first line of my story was read out loud. And the fact that Mr. C read the whole story - including the two "Fucks" I'd written - was just perfect. Lazers was in that class.
Then there was the bunker in Berlin. Yes, Hitler was an evil dude, but he was also very interesting. Adn never more interesting than those last days, when the whole world was crashing down and the Soviets drew step by step closer. The story of the bunker, of the flites in, of the tank traps and Panthers dug up to their turrets and the French SS Charlemange Division, and the breakout attempts........ That film about Hitler - "Downfall". I knew the story so well, and the filmmakers tried to put historical words (what was written down)that the participants said- it was like watching a Passion Play. Knew all the words, the plot, and all. "Downfall" was great. I stared loving this story after I'd read C. Ryans The Last Battle.
And, finally, Waterloo. Past 7pm, the Guard attack on Wellingtons center cracked upon the Allied line, and the retreat - called The Catastrophe - started. Since he had thrown his last heavy reserves into the Guard attack for one last chance @ victory, threw as nothing left -except for one last small little Guards battalion. Napoleon had them form square (to better beat off any cavalry -well, of course, what other reason are squares formed?)and have them cover the terrible retreat from the battlefield. The famous stories that came out of this is the terrible punishment that was thrown on these soldiers as everyone else made best skedaddle off of the battlefield are two : called to surrender, their ranking officer, called Cambronne (?), said either "Merde" or "The Guard dies but does not surrender."
So. Die? Surrender? Sometimes either are no choice @ all. No choice @ all.
It's the Day of Days.
But Wake Island made the Japanese pause, if only for a bit. Wake was a coaling/seaplane little island way out into the Pacific. Went the Japanese went Tigers on everybody, Wake (totally isolated and out manned) was left to -well, 'fend' would not be the rite term- how about 'be swept under by the Japanese impetus'. But they would not give up. No navy to support them, a few Wildcat fighters that had to be progressively cannibalised to keep the remainder flying, only 3 inch guns to fite off the enemy fleet. The first time the Japease tried to storm the island, the Marines were actually able to beat off the invasion, and even (maybe -record till don't know) maybe sink one of the enemy ships w/ battery fire and the Wildcats, The Japanese were stunned, and cobbled to-gether a larger invasion force that now included some of the Pearl Harbor carriers. After a long fite, the Japese won the island.
In high school, I discovered the fall of the Roman Empire. No, not the one centered i Rome, but it rump of a rump of a rump in Constantinople in 1453. I was freaked out that the Roman Empire actually existed until 1453 - what a stunner. Again, the end of a civilisation, outnumbered and hopelessly situated, they fought for a long time against the Turks who were trying to conquer the city. 29 May, 1453, an open door was discovered in the walls, and in swept the enemy army. Long live Rome.
I remember first getting into this battle. In the neighbourhood library where I grew up in on 61st and Kedzie, they had a History of the Byzantine Empire (Roman Empire rump by another name)book. I happened to b pick it up and however I got to that section i dunno, but I rememeber standing in the stacks after I'd happened upon the book and finishing that chapter. I then went on an obsession about the fall of Constantinople. Last memory of Constantinople. We had a great freshman english teacher, and on days he didn't want to teach, he'd have us write a essay on whatever. I wrote a short story that involved me in the Battle of Constantinople, and lo and behold it went rather well. Mr. C would read out the best stories, and I will amidt to pride when the first line of my story was read out loud. And the fact that Mr. C read the whole story - including the two "Fucks" I'd written - was just perfect. Lazers was in that class.
Then there was the bunker in Berlin. Yes, Hitler was an evil dude, but he was also very interesting. Adn never more interesting than those last days, when the whole world was crashing down and the Soviets drew step by step closer. The story of the bunker, of the flites in, of the tank traps and Panthers dug up to their turrets and the French SS Charlemange Division, and the breakout attempts........ That film about Hitler - "Downfall". I knew the story so well, and the filmmakers tried to put historical words (what was written down)that the participants said- it was like watching a Passion Play. Knew all the words, the plot, and all. "Downfall" was great. I stared loving this story after I'd read C. Ryans The Last Battle.
And, finally, Waterloo. Past 7pm, the Guard attack on Wellingtons center cracked upon the Allied line, and the retreat - called The Catastrophe - started. Since he had thrown his last heavy reserves into the Guard attack for one last chance @ victory, threw as nothing left -except for one last small little Guards battalion. Napoleon had them form square (to better beat off any cavalry -well, of course, what other reason are squares formed?)and have them cover the terrible retreat from the battlefield. The famous stories that came out of this is the terrible punishment that was thrown on these soldiers as everyone else made best skedaddle off of the battlefield are two : called to surrender, their ranking officer, called Cambronne (?), said either "Merde" or "The Guard dies but does not surrender."
So. Die? Surrender? Sometimes either are no choice @ all. No choice @ all.
It's the Day of Days.
1 comment:
turns out it wasn't
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