News & Updates
Despite President Trump’s efforts to get Iran to agree to a peaceful way to endure that they are not and will never be capable of having nuclear weapon, Iran’s leadership absolutely would not agree. And Israel, the clearly named target of any major weapon Iran could come up with, also sought a peaceful solution; at the same time, Israel knew that they couldn’t wait indefinitely, or they’d find themselves being hit with a nuclear bomb. So, Israel attacked. They had so many drones and weapons already in place inside Iran that it’s clear they’d been planning this for a long time. It’s worthy of note that virtually all of Israel’s strikes were against governmental and military sites; this is typical of Israel. And, Iran’s response was also typical of Iran—and all the terrorist groups it supports. While some of Iran’s targets were military sites, a great many were civilians. Iran’s terrorists have always targeted civilian areas, like schools and hospitals and places where civilians live. And when the terrorists launch rockets and the like at Israel, they do so from civilian sites, so when Israel shoots back at the location, they hit schools and the like. Iran’s leaders, not their people—many of whom really dislike their nation’s leadership, and the terrorist groups they lead and support, are pure evil. I’m glad our nation is standing with Israel and will not tolerate a nuclear capability in Iran. Hopefully, the Iranian people will throw out their evil leaders sometime soon.
Military History
n 17 June 1775, British General William Howe landed his troops on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston, Massachusetts, and led them against Breed’s Hill, a fortified American position just below Bunker Hill.
As the British advanced in columns, American General William Prescott reportedly told his men, “Don’t one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” When the Redcoats were within 40 yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat. After reforming his lines, Howe attacked again, with much the same result. Prescott’s men were now low on ammunition, though, and when Howe led his men up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. The outnumbered Americans were forced to retreat. However, by the end of the engagement, the Patriots’ gunfire had cut down nearly 1,000 enemy troops, including 92 officers. Of the 370 Patriots who fell, most were struck while in retreat.
The British had won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and Breed’s Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula fell firmly under British control. Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a morale-builder for the Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might.
On 19 June 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor as a symbol of Franco-American friendship. Nine years late, the 300-foot statue was a gift from the people of France, who had been the Patriots’ primary foreign ally in the War for Independence, to those of the US as a celebration of the Declaration of Independence‘s centenary in 1876. The monumental work is mounted on a steel framework designed by Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue, originally titled “Liberty Enlightening the World” from copper sheets upon a steel frame. After completion, the statue was disassembled into 350 sections and shipped in 214 crates to New York Harbor. Over a year later, on October 28, 1886, the statue was reconstructed and dedicated in a large public ceremony by President Grover Cleveland.
On 26 June 1917, during WWI, the first 14,000 US infantry troops landed in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The landing site had been kept secret because of the menace of German submarines, but by the time the Americans had lined up to take their first salute on French soil, an enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome them. However, the “Doughboys,” as the British referred to the green American troops, were untrained, ill-equipped, and far from ready for the difficulties of fighting along the Western Front.
On 22 June 1942, during WWII, a Japanese submarine shelled Fort Stevens, Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River.
On 24 June 1948, one of the most dramatic standoffs in the history of the Cold War began as the Soviet Union blocked all road and rail traffic to and from West Berlin. The blockade turned out to be a terrible diplomatic move by the Soviets, while the US emerged from the confrontation with renewed purpose and confidence.
American officials were furious, and some argued that the time for diplomacy with the Soviets was over. For a few tense days, the world waited to see whether the US and Soviet Union would come to blows. In West Berlin, panic began to set in as its population worried about shortages of food, water, and medical aid. Our response came just two days after the Soviets began their blockade. A massive airlift of supplies into West Berlin was undertaken in what was to become one of the greatest logistical efforts in history. For the Soviets, the escapade quickly became a diplomatic embarrassment. Russia looked like an international bully that was trying to starve men, women, and children into submission. And the successful American airlift merely served to accentuate the technological superiority of the US over the Soviet Union. On May 12, 1949, the Soviets officially ended the blockade.
On 25 June 1950, armed forces from communist North Korea smash into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The US, acting under the auspices of the UN, sprang to the defense of South Korea. The forces of many nations fought a bloody and frustrating war for the next 3 years.
Korea, a former Japanese possession, had been divided into zones of occupation following WWII. US forces accepted the surrender of Japanese forces in southern Korea, while Soviet forces did the same in northern Korea. Like in Germany, however, the “temporary” division soon became permanent. The Soviets established a communist regime in North Korea, while the US became the main source of financial and military support for South Korea.
The Korean War was the first “hot” war of the Cold War. Over 55,000 US troops were killed. Korea was the first “limited war,” one in which the US aim was not the complete and total defeat of the enemy, but rather the “limited” goal of protecting South Korea. For the US government, such an approach seemed to be the only rational option in order to avoid a third world war and to keep from stretching finite American resources too thinly around the globe. It proved to be a frustrating experience for the American people, who were used to the kind of total victory that had been achieved in WWII. The public found the concept of limited war difficult to understand or support, and the Korean War never really gained popular support.
On 28 June 1965, during the Vietnam War, in the first major offensive ordered for US forces, 3,000 troops of the 173rd Airborne Brigade–in conjunction with 800 Australian soldiers and a Vietnamese airborne unit–assault a jungle area known as Viet Cong Zone D, 20 miles northeast of Saigon. The operation was called off after three days when it failed to make any major contract with the enemy. One American was killed and nine Americans and four Australians were wounded. The State Department assured the American public that the operation was in accord with Johnson administration policy on the role of US troops.
COMING UP ON FRONTLINES OF FREEDOM
On the weekend of June 21-22, Dr. Mark Moyar from the Hillsdale College will discuss Military History and Strategy.
Vet Jesse Johnson-Brower will present Welcome Home Mission Steve Wilson will explain HelpVet.net.
Gen Chris Petty will present the Battle of the Month.
And the show on the weekend of June 28-29, General John Teichert will discuss our nation’s many challenges.
The team will salute and pick-on Col Denny Gillem as he retires from hosting Frontlines of Freedom.
Diane Raver from the Garden State will present the Movie of the Month.
~ Humor/Puns ~
Research shows that people eat more bananas than monkeys. I don’t remember seeing anyone eating a monkey.
After playing the guitar for years I thought I’d try to learn to play the piano. But it’s not an easy instrument to pick up.
A woman on a but asked me if I have any pets. I said that I have a goldfish. She asked, any hobbies? I said, that he likes swimming.
When asked how it felt to be the prison librarian, I said it had its prose and cons.
Who is in favor of bringing Roman numerals back into use? I for one.
I went to the hospital for a cardiac stress test. They connected me to the machines and then made me watch my wife park my new car.
Someone stole all my lamps, and you’d think I’d be upset; actually, I’m delighted.
~ Interesting Quote ~
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.” — General Douglas MacArthur (1950)
~ A quote from our Bible ~
Psalm 71:16
I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
