ITAL
ITAL's JournalOn this date in 1918, the "Llandovery Castle" was sunk
Great writeup I found on the incident and its significance a year or so ago. Haven't picked up the book though!
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2024/07/09/the-llandovery-castle-massacre-how-a-little-known-attack-on-a-wwi-hospital-ship-would-forever-change-war-crime-prosecutions/
Also on this day in history
D-Day It is perhaps the most famous battle in American history (it's either that or Gettysburg). However, another crucially important battle began that day - arguably when the tide turned in the First World War.
The German Army was on the move in the Spring of 1918, advancing their furthest on the Western Front since the early days of the war. They seemingly were about to knock out France. The French asked General John Pershing for help and Black Jack sent the 2nd Division, which was made up of one Army Brigade and one Marine, to attack the tip of the spear...a little forest called Bois de Belleau. Belleau Wood as we call it is about 40 miles from Paris, the German's closest advance to France's capital. Maybe a mile or two in size, it is still thick with trees a century later and the battle must have been nigh impossible.
The Marine Brigade of the 2nd Division charged through this wheat field into the woods on June 6th and for the next three weeks Americans and Germans would trade parts of it back and forth many times. My wife and I travelled there a few years ago. Walking through the woods was very humbling...it is still pock marked with shell holes, fox holes, and trench lines. But maybe the most moving experience is standing at the spot where the Second Division charged into. You can see the trench line where the Germans fired at the oncoming Americans....killing many. It's simply amazing any made it to the woods at all, much less got a foothold...much less fought and clawed their way though.
Casualties would mount on both sides...the Marines lost more men in the battle than they had in their entire history prior and had to be pulled out for a few days (the men of the 3rd Division would be thrown in during their absence). However the Marine Brigade eventually took the forest on the 26th.
Americans fought all around the area in those fateful days of late May through mid-July where the tide of war was turned. But Belleau Wood was a tremendous boost psychologically, as France's morale had cracked almost beyond repair and one could reasonably say stiffened their resolve at the most crucial moment of the war. Within five months the Allies would be triumphant.
Obama may be next
This really would mean it's over if he's getting involved.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/18/obama-says-biden-must-consider-viability/
I know 538 isn't the be all, end all
In 2020 they called on Biden to win with 348 to 190 EVs (PV 53.4 to 45.4). They were off, as the result was 306 to 232 (51.3 to 46.8). So even though they're calling for Biden to win 277 to 261 right now (47.7 to 45.1 PV margin), given he's down in the polls, many people don't find their model inputting other factors very reassuring. Party bosses are flipping out.
I honestly still like his chances. Biden is only given a 54% chance of winning as of now - hardly better than a coin flip. And yet, I still see it as quite probable.
Perhaps it's something, perhaps nothing
I just saw that Xi Jinping may have seriously injured himself in a bad fall. Something to keep an eye on maybe?
https://x.com/jenniferzeng97/status/1813567866983031087
August 1864 Quotes
Regarding President Lincoln:
"From almost all points very bad news in relation to Mr. Lincoln's chances of re-election. The people at large seems not so enthusiastic for him now." Adam de Gurowski
"Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. We must have another ticket to save us from utter overthrow. If we such another ticket as could be had by naming Grant, Butler, or Sherman for President, and Farragut as Vice, we could make a fight yet." Horace Greeley
"I cannot believe that Mr. Lincoln, if fully advised of the state of the public mind, would desire to enter upon a canvass." Daniel S. Dickenson
"It may be that Mr. Lincoln will see that we shall be stronger and more united under another candidate." Charles Sumner
"The people regard Mr. Lincoln's candidacy as a misfortune. His apparent strength when nominated was fictitious, and now the fiction has disappeared, and instead of confidence there is distrust." Richard Smith
"It is rumored in New York, and that report is believed by many who are in a position to be well-informed, that at an early date, Abraham Lincoln will withdraw his name as a candidate for re-election, and urge the assembling of another nomination convention." --- Buffalo Courier newspaper
That's just a sampling.
Biden to visit Aisne-Marne Cemetery
This is the same one that Trump skipped out on because it was raining.
https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/why-us-president-biden-is-going-to-aisne-this-weekend/663479
(Aisne-Marne is beautiful...my wife and I visited the area in 2018)
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