A Brief History On June 27, 1981, the Chinese Communist Party issued its report on the “Cultural Revolution” that took place in China from 1966 until the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. A program designed to “purge” China from political dissidents and traces of capitalism, the Cultural Revolution cost between 400,000 and 7.7 million Chinese lives, depending on the source. Digging Deeper Mao had fought the National Chinese under Chiang Kai Shek since before World War II until he took control in 1949, establishing Communist China and assuming the mantel of a dictator. Mao followed the usual dictator script,…
Author: Major Dan
Major Dan
Major Daniel Zar is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.
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A Brief History On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy addressed Germans in Berlin and made his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. What he meant was “I am a Berliner,” but an alleged mistranslation perpetuated in popular culture made many believe his stirring statement meant “I am a jelly donut!” Digging Deeper JFK is not the only US President alleged to misspeak, with GW Bush, DJ Trump, and JR Biden infamous to their critics for their suspected misspeaking. Here are two other examples: In 1977, an interpreter’s mistranslation claimed that President Carter told the people of Poland that he…
A Brief History On June 22, 1813, an intrepid Canadian woman, Laura Secord, made a harrowing 20 mile trek through American occupied territory in Ontario, Canada, to warn British troops of an impending American attack. Digging Deeper Secord was 38 years old at the time of her heroics, and her efforts led British and Mohawk forces to defeat the American surprise attack. For her service, Canada has honored her as a war hero and used her example in the cause of women’s suffrage in Canada. With schools named after her, commemorative plaques, and her route dedicated as the Laura Secord…
A Brief History On June 21, 1734, a 29 year old African woman was executed for setting her slave master’s house on fire which spread through Montreal in New France, what is now Canada. Digging Deeper Born a slave in Madeira around 1705 and named Marie-Joseph Angélique by a Flemish man that bought her and sold her to a Frenchman in Montreal around 1725, Marie was not submissive and tried to escape with a White indentured servant she had taken as a lover in 1733. The White servant was jailed, and Marie was returned to domestic duties, although her sale…
A Brief History On June 19, 2005, the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis, Indiana, suffered a mass exodus when 14 cars running on Michelin tires withdrew from the race due to tire failures by the French tire giant. Only six cars remained to race on Bridgestone tires. Digging Deeper Michelin and Bridgestone combine with Goodyear to make up more than half of all tire sales in the world each year. Each tire company pours millions of dollars into research to make their tires with the best wet and dry traction, best heat resistance, best gas mileage, least noise, longest…
