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Posted on Feb 11, 2007 in Armchair Reading, Front Page Features

ACG WebOps (10 February 2007)

Jim H. Moreno

Welcome to WebOps, Armchair General’s weekly recon of links to military history news, articles, and websites. This week, discover the 10 Greatest Military Achievements, Three lessons of World War II for Today’s Generation, learn about Operation Tracer, and lots more. Clicks away!

News

Secret plan to bury soldiers alive inside Rock of Gibraltar – Belfast Telegraph

The Gibraltar chamber had the innocuous name of the "Stay Behind" Cave. But this was no game. This was a top-secret wartime mission, code-named Operation Tracer, in which six men volunteered to be buried alive in the cave if the Rock were captured by the Germans, so they could continue to monitor enemy movements.

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Gettysburg Military Park among winners in proposal – pennlive.com

WASHINGTON – After years of staff cutbacks, fewer rangers to lead tours, and watching deteriorating cannons collapse from lack of repair, Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the few domestic winners in the budget proposal President Bush sent to Congress yesterday.

Slave Exhibits Stir Old Passions at Civil War Museum – Bloomberg.com

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) — Richmond, Virginia, whose statue-lined Monument Avenue has glorified Confederate heroes for a century, is making room for new voices to tell the story of the Civil War.

The American Civil War Center, which opened in the one-time capital of the Confederacy in October, is the first museum in the U.S. to discuss the history of the war from the perspectives of three sides — the North, the South and the slaves.

Tuskegee Airmen Wow Students at Central High School – KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia

As part of Central High School’s celebration of Black History Month, a group of America’s first black military pilots spoke to students there on Friday.

Articles

Re-enactors march through war history – Chicago Tribune

To keep the heroics of the "Lost Battalion" during World War I from fading into history, Robert Laplander dons the uniform of the doughboys and tells the story of the shell casings, razors, soap dishes and mess kits he has found in the Charlevaux Ravine of France.

Three lessons of World War II for Today’s Generation – History News Network

World War II was profoundly different from the conflict the United States currently finds itself waging in Iraq, but that titanic struggle of the mid-twentieth century does offer three valuable lessons for the leaders and citizens of today.

Learn the history, see the artifacts – TheState.com

Columbia’s newest collection of military artifacts and relics, the South Carolina Military Museum, has everything from Revolutionary War weapons to F-16 ejection seats.

Idaho History: Fort Boise’s cavalrymen were led by seasoned veterans – IdahoStatesman.com

During and after the Civil War, the United States Army had a high percentage of German and Irish soldiers.

Two men who commanded Boise City’s frontier military post endeared themselves to the people of the city in the years they were here. One was born in Germany and the other in Ireland, and both had spectacular careers.

The 10 Greatest Military Achievements – Associated Content

Listed here are the top 10 achievements which influenced military warfare the greatest. They are 1.}the atomic bomb, 2.)gun powder, 3.)the musket rifle, 4.)The tank, 5.)the airplane, 6.)the submarine, 7.)the military formation, 8.)sailing ships, 9.)the chariot, and 10.)the cannon.

The 761st Tank Battalion: Fighting the Enemy, Beating Stereotypes – Army.mil/News

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 9, 2007) – "Men, you’re the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren’t good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don’t care what color you are as long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sons of bitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you. Don’t let them down and damn you, don’t let me down!"

Announcements

Author Harry Crocker: "The Top Myths of American Military History" – Saint Anselm College

Think you know American history? Author Harry W. Crocker III argues you might not if you think that the American Revolution was an obviously necessary one, or that the North held the moral upper high ground throughout the Civil War, or that the founders disdained "empire." To learn what Crocker calls "the real scoop," attend this lecture.

42nd International Congress on Medieval Studies – Western Michigan University

The schedule for the 42nd International Congress on Medieval Studies, taking place May 10–13, 2007, is now available.

Obituaries

Military pilot flew missions during two wars – HeraldTribune.com

PUNTA GORDA — Walt Cecil Jr.’s early fascination with airplanes led to a 29-year career as a military pilot who transported cargo over the treacherous Himalayas during World War II and flew more than 40 bombing missions during the Vietnam War without serious injury.

Blogs – Netcasts

Anderson, Evans, Hooker and Beauregard – Military History Blog on the Web

For our last update of the week we add four American Civil War biographies.

The Yalta Conference – about.com: Military History

On February 4, 1945, Winston Churchill (UK), Franklin D. Roosevelt (US), and Joseph Stalin (USSR) began a series of meetings to discuss the future of Europe at the conclusion of the Second World War.

WebOps is a weekly report linking to military history news and articles published in mainstream online media. Excerpts are taken exactly as they are on the noted source websites; quotation marks are not used. The hyperlinks are added by me as I can find them. Please visit the Armchair Forums to discuss the topics in WebOps and much more!

Stay Alert, Stay Alive!

Jim H. Moreno