A Brief History On October 23, 2022, the Air Force of Myanmar conducted a bombing raid with a few fighter-bombers against a music concert! At least 80 civilians were killed in an incident called the “Hpakant massacre.” Digging Deeper Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been undergoing a civil war since a military coup took over the government in 2021. The “junta” government claimed the air raid was against a military post of the rebel Kachin Independence Organisation and that no civilians were targeted or killed. The large crowd present at the bombing disagrees with that claim. Performers and concert…
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 October 22, 2012, cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles due to allegations of illegally using performance enhancing drugs. Digging Deeper Armstrong had won the greatest bicycle race in seven consecutive years, a record performance. After years of accusations and allegations of cheating, Lance denied the reports, but was banned for life after an investigation. In 2013, he told the truth and admitted his cheating. Science and pharmacology have made athletic ability reach unnatural levels, starting with steroids, basically forms of testosterone and including other stimulants, growth hormones, blood doping, sleeping…
A Brief History On October 21, 2021, film actor Alec Baldwin fired a single shot from a movie prop pistol on the set of Rust, a movie being filmed at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. Sadly, Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer involved in the film, was struck and killed by the bullet fired by Baldwin. Digging Deeper The tragic incident appeared to have been an accident, although at this time we still are not sure how a live round ended up in a prop gun that should only have blank rounds either in the pistol or on the…
A Brief History On October 20, 1827, an international coalition of British, French, and Russian ships fought against a fleet of Turkish Ottoman and Egyptian ships in the Battle of Navarino, the last major naval battle fought by wooden sailing ships. Digging Deeper Part of the 1821 to 1829 Greek War of Independence, Navarino pitted 1,252 naval guns spread across 10 ships of the line, 10 frigates, two schooners, four sloops, and one cutter on the European side against the Ottoman fleet of 2,158 guns dispersed among three ships of the line, 17 frigates, 30 corvettes, five schooners, 28 brigs,…
A Brief History On October 19, 1943, a French cargo ship that had been seized by Germany in 1942, was sunk by USAAF North American B-25 Mitchell and RAF Bristol Beaufighter bombers near Crete, taking 2,098 Italian soldiers being held as POWs to a watery grave. Digging Deeper The Italians had surrendered to the Allies in September of 1943, and the Germans were faced with considerable numbers of Italian military forces alongside German forces. The Germans decided to give the Italian soldiers the choice of either serving alongside their German comrades just as before the surrender, or to assume the…