History Archives - Page 2 of 3

We Need to Abolish the Electoral College

September 7, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

We’re concluding our look at causes. Indiana, who feels strongly about many things, expresses passion for the Electoral College–not for keeping it, but for abolishing it.
Blog Advisor Zachik

By Indy Behr, Junior

What is the Electoral College?

In the United States, Presidential elections are not actually decided by the people directly. They are decided by a compromise made between the Founding Fathers in the Constitution called the electoral college. A candidate wins the election by winning at least 270 of the 538 possible electoral votes. Voters decide how a group of electors vote, and these electoral votes are then certified every four years on a day you may recall, January 6, and the events that transpired on this day in 2021 have led to the Electoral Count Reform Act being introduced in Congress, which would make several changes to the electoral college certification process such as establishing the Vice President’s role in certifying the vote as ceremonial and raising the objection threshold to 20% of both the House and Senate, as opposed to the current system where only one member of each body is required to object.

The electoral college is an antidemocratic institution that allows a minority of voters to determine the future of our country, and it no longer has any use. I believe that America cannot truly be referred to as a democracy until the electoral college is abolished, and until then, serious reform is required.

*Supporters of former President Donald Trump* *storm the US Capitol* *as a Joint Session of Congress is counting the electoral votes of the 2020 Presidential election.*

Disproportionate Representation

If anyone should be upset about the electoral college, it should be us Californians. Wyoming, the least populated state in the US, has 581,000 citizens, according to the US Census Bureau. Due to its size, Wyoming has only one Representative in the House of Representatives and, like all states, two Senators. The amount of electoral votes a state receives is simply the amount of people in their Congressional delegation. This means that in Wyoming, one electoral vote represents 135,000 citizens. California has a population of 39,538,000, and has 55 electoral votes (this will change to 54 in the 2024 Presidential election). Therefore, one electoral vote represents 712,000 people. However, one electoral vote represents just 195,000 people in Wyoming. Yes, you heard that right, a voter in Wyoming has more than three times the voting power as someone in California. Some Republicans argue that Democratic voters concentrated in big cities choosing who wins in the end is unfair, but guess what? That is where the actual people live!

Forgotten States

Another issue with the electoral college means that during a Presidential election most states are not visited by candidates, and most states don’t even see candidates’ TV ads as there is no point. This is because some states are so partisan that it is near impossible for a candidate to win. The fact that candidates feel that trying to promote their candidacies to voters is a waste of time is incredibly problematic in my opinion, and unfortunately the candidates are indeed making a strategic decision in this case. The electoral college is for the most part a winner-takes-all system, meaning that regardless of how narrow or wide a statewide win is, all electoral votes go to the winner, with the exception of Maine and Nebraska. In 2020, six million Californians voted for Donald Trump, and two million Ohioans voted for Joe Biden. Despite this making up almost 10% of the total popular vote, these people never had their voice heard. Donald Trump never made a single visit to California because he knew that it was simply impossible to outright win the state, meaning winning swing votes would not benefit him. In this model presented by the New York Times, we can see that TV-ad buys in the 2020 Presidential election were concentrated in just a few states. California did not have a single ad! Trump and Republicans spent many millions on ads in Florida and won in the end, and yet he won one million more votes in California than in Florida. In spite of this, California’s winner-takes-all system gave all electoral votes to Biden, and Florida gave all electoral votes to Trump.

Faithless Electors

Though luckily in 2020 we did not see any, in 2016 we saw a massive uptick in what are known as faithless electors, likely due to both major party candidates being relatively unpopular. Many people do not realize this, but electors are actual individuals assigned to vote for one party in the event they win. These electors are selected by the state party of the winning candidate. However, in almost half of the states, electors are able to vote for another candidate regardless of the will of the voters. Trump was expected to win 306 electors, yet only won 304. Clinton won 227 instead of 232. Seven of the 538 total electors voted faithlessly. Do you know who Faith Spotted Eagle is? I didn’t, yet she won an electoral vote in 2016. The late Colin Powell, George W. Bush’s Secretary of State, won three electoral votes. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) won two electoral Vice Presidential votes, one being with Powell, one from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

In 2016, Hilary Clinton won the state of Washington over 500,000 votes, or 15.7%, yet a whopping 33% of the electors voted for candidates who did not appear on the ballot. Though some of these candidates received a small amount of write-in votes, Powell won three votes, or 25% of the total electors, with a grand total of zero votes. In 2004, John Edwards was Democrat John Kerry’s running mate, and yet in Minnesota he received both the Presidential and Vice Presidential nod from one elector. And, because these slates of electors are selected by the victor’s party, these electors are often relatives of politicians or retired lobbyists. Both former President Bill Clinton (D) and his wife Hillary Clinton (D) were Biden electors in New York, as were the New York City Comptroller and the Temporary President of NY’s State Senate. A Florida State Senator, Keith Perry (R), was a Trump elector in Florida. The only disqualifying factors for electors are being an incumbent US Senator or Representative, and since the Civil War, having engaged in rebellion or insurrection against the country.

Faithless Colorado elector Michael Baca casts his ballot in 2016. He chose to support a former Ohio Governor, Republican John Kasich, rather than Hillary Clinton.

Popular Vote Winners Losing

In 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016, the individual who won a plurality, or in 1876, an outright majority of the popular vote, lost the election. The electoral college gives so much more power to residents of smaller states that in 2016, despite winning the popular vote by 2.8 million or 2% in 2016, Hillary Clinton lost by 77 electors. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore defeated Republican George W. Bush by over 500,000 in the popular vote yet lost by five electoral votes in the end, or four if you do not recognize a faithless elector who did not vote at all. In the end, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court forced Florida to end an ongoing recount, and according to CNN, “The studies also show that Gore likely would have won a statewide recount of all undervotes and overvotes, which are ballots that included multiple votes for president and were thus not counted at all . . . . The studies also support the belief that more voters went to the polls in Florida on Election Day intending to vote for Gore than for Bush.”

Florida vote counters try to determine which candidate was selected on a ballot in 2000.

Conclusion

To me, it is very clear we need to abolish the electoral college. However, this would require a Constitutional amendment which has an approximately 0% chance of passing within my lifetime. It would require 67% of both the House and Senate to pass, which itself is completely impossible considering the Senate also has the issue of disproportionately representing smaller states, and it then would require 38 states to ratify it through their legislatures, even more unlikely. So, in the meantime, we are going to have to continue dealing with the electoral college. However, we can support reform so that we can scrap the winner-takes-all system like Nebraska and Maine have done, and we can also support banning faithless electors. But, if you really want your voice heard, your only option is to move to a swing state like Wisconsin.

Though support among Republicans has dropped, most people still support abolishing the electoral college as of 2018.

Let’s Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Alyna Rei

In the month of May, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, like most memorial months, began in Congress. House Joint Resolution 540, proposed by Rep. Frank Horton of New York in 1977, declared the first ten days of May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week (asianpacificheritage.gov). Senator Daniel Inouye presented Senate Joint Measure 72, a similar resolution, the same year (asianpacificheritage.gov). Because neither of these resolutions passed, Rep. Horton sponsored House Joint Resolution 1007 in June 1978 to “proclaim a week” during the first ten days in May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week” (asianpacificheritage.gov). On October 5, President Jimmy Carter signed this joint resolution (asianpacificheritage.gov).

Presidents issued annual proclamations honoring Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week over the next decade, until Congress approved Public Law in 1990, extending the celebration to a month. It was President George H.W. Bush who signed the bill extending Asian American Heritage Week to a month (apsva.us). Then, in 1992, Congress established a law designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month each year.

The month of May is designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to honor the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

There are many activities that you can do to celebrate this special month. But here are three of my favorites to do with a group of people or even by yourself (verywellfamily.com).

Book Clubs–Learning about Asian culture is best when you read from Asian authors. A few favorites are Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha, and way more.

Interactive maps--Interactive maps are a great icebreaker activity. The National Park Service hosts interactive opportunities to visit the “stories of ordinary and extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders preserved in our nation’s parks, memorials, and historic sites” (nps.gov). And, teambuilders.com offers activities that highlight the different countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the ties we have to them.

Watching a movie–This one can be great for any family and for the people that want to learn about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. If you log onto your streaming sites, you’ll see several Asian-American/Pacific Islander movies and series recommended. Movies that I like are mostly Disney movies. These would include Turning Red, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, Raya and The Last Dragon, and the short Bao.

The Story Behind Daylight Savings

April 7, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Levi Kassinove

Daylight Savings Time (DST) is a period that lasts from Spring to Autumn, which begins when clocks are turned forward one hour. This offset lasts until Autumn, which is when clocks are turned back one hour. On that day in the Spring when we turn clocks forward, one hour in the day disappears. To balance it out, we gain one hour in the Autumn. Unsurprisingly, many people are unhappy about losing an hour in the day. But who is to blame? And, what are the pros and cons of the time shift?

It was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin who sarcastically said that waking up earlier would save candle use and money (Daylight Saving Time). It was then proposed by an entomologist in 1895 who wanted to have more daylight hours to devote to collecting insects (Daylight). His name was George Hudson. Nowadays, only a minority of the world practices Daylight Savings. Asia and Africa generally don’t, along with places of high latitudes and places near the equator (Wikipedia). The real reason for Daylight Savings is to follow the daylight shift that happens naturally as the seasons change. In the Summer, daylight lasts longer. So it makes sense to add an extra hour to the day by moving the clocks forward. If you normally wake up at 8 am, and the clocks are turned forward to 9 am, then you’d have to wake up at (your old) 7 am to wake up at 8 am. Now you have an extra hour of daylight. The same logic is applied for turning the clocks backward in the Winter, since daylight is shorter during Winter. You gain an hour in a day that’s growing shorter. It’s a little confusing, but the point is that Daylight Savings aligns our days with the changing sunrise and sunset. This is why places near the equator and places on completely opposite sides of the equator don’t use Daylight Savings. The places near the equator experience a negligible difference in the sunrise and sunset times as the seasons change. While the places on opposite sides of the equator, at high latitudes, experience such a drastic change in daylight hours that changing clocks one hour wouldn’t be enough.

Daylight Savings has more downsides than upsides, according to many people. A common myth is that it was implemented for farmers so that they can have more time to water their corn or whatever farmers do. Point is, farmers hate Daylight Savings Time. They say that Daylight Savings Time disrupts cows’ readiness to be milked (Agriculture Myth). The actual reason why Daylight Savings Time (DST) was created was to conserve energy during WWI; however, multiple studies have shown that DST actually doesn’t save any energy (California Energy Commission Study). And, health experts argue that DST disrupts your circadian rhythm, which is otherwise in tune with Standard Time (uofmhealth.org). Despite this, Congress has been interested in permanently changing clocks to DST. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Senate on March 15 passed legislation that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent starting in 2023.

I think it’s clear that Daylight Savings is an outdated concept that should be abolished. It doesn’t save energy, and it has public health risks. And, when we switch between time standards, it’s such a pain to change mechanical clocks.

Have You Celebrated a Woman Lately?

March 10, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Alyna Rei

Throughout the month of March, we celebrate women: Malala, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anne Frank, Amelia Earhart, and more. This month is Women’s History Month! Women’s History Month is a designated month that recognizes the important contributions women have made throughout history.

Before we celebrated a full month of women, the actual celebration only spread out a week. The “Women’s History Week” became a local celebration in 1978. The Education Task Force of Sonoma County selected the week of March 8th to go with International Women’s Day. This movement eventually spread through other communities. In 1980, a group of women and historians wanted national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8th as National Women’s Week. Since then, every community has celebrated Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress passed public law and designated March as Women’s History Month. Between 1988 and 1994, Congress kept on requesting and authorizing March as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, each President has issued proclamations trying and succeeding to designate the month of March to represent Women’s History Month (womenshistory.org).

The Women History Month Alliance selects the yearly theme. This year, the theme for 2022 is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” This is a tribute to the work of caregivers and frontline workers during this pandemic. This would also be a recognition to all the women of various cultures who have provided healing and hope throughout the years (nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org).

The women that inspire me~

Many famous women inspire me, but I feel the most inspired by my family. My grandmother and my mother teach me new things everyday: how to water my plants, what to read, how to be grateful. Who are the women you celebrate?

Documented Debacles of the Ancients

October 27, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Hannah Hall

Tasked with finding “Funny stories from history,” Hannah encountered a cornucopia of outrageous events that make history a little more interesting.–Editor Evan

People have always been ridiculously stupid at times–whether that be through their actions, obsessions, or legends. I’ve scoped out some of the funniest historical moments and made a list–which is kind of my thing. Enjoy these stories, and let me know what you think!

1) Allegedly, when Voltaire was near his death, he was told to renounce the devil. He instead replied, “This is no time to be making new enemies.” I mean, I would want to at least try to be on the good side of the devil before my death, too. (Hilarious Historical, factinate.com).

2) Charles Darwin is widely known for his theory of evolution and his famous trip to the Galapagos Islands. When Darwin arrived on the islands, he discovered giant tortoises and thought that it would be a good idea to try and ride them. (Hilarious Historical, factinate.com).

3) We all know Plato, right? Well, his name actually wasn’t even “Plato.” Historians believe that was just his nickname. Funny enough, his nickname means “broad” in Greek. So all these years, we are actually calling Plato a big hunky man, aaaoooooga! (Greek Philosophers, factinate.com).

4) Speaking of Plato, Diogenes sent him a hand-plucked chicken and “called it a man.” This was a not-so-subtle nod to Plato’s famous quote of man being nothing but a “featherless biped.” His stunt urged Plato to change his interpretation of man to include “with broad flat nails.” (Greek Philosophers, factinate.com).

5) Fidel Castro loved loved loved ice cream. So much so, he actually bred his own kind of cow, called Uber Blanca, that “stands up to heat” and produces “lots of milk.” He loved ice cream so much that he founded an ice cream shop that is still running to this day! Also, Castro was so passionate about his dairy that he would even debate with other global figures about it. (liveabout.com)

6) In Ancient Rome and China, they needed a torture method that didn’t leave a trace. They came up with a method where they would rub salt on the soles of the victim’s feet, then goats would lick it off! (Hilarious Historical, factincate.com)

7) Andrew Jackson had a parrot. Unfortunately, at Jackson’s funeral, guests found out this bird had quite the foul mouth. This bird cursed up such a storm that it not only interrupted the service but had to be removed from the venue completely. Polly wanna shut up? I’m just kidding. (Hilarious Historical, factinate.com)

8) Tycho Brahe, a nobleman who is known for his astronomy and alchemy-related observations, was very proud of his mathematical formulas. He has actually been recorded to have challenged another scientist to a duel who believed his formula was better! In this duel, Brahe’s nose was sliced clean off, resulting in Brahe wearing a prosthetic nose until his death. (liveabout.com)

9) One day, Greek philosopher Chrysippus was feeding figs to his pet donkey. Naturally, he thought that the donkey should wash the figs down with an alcoholic beverage. The donkey of course got drunk, and the sight was so incredible that Chrysippus died of laughing–literally. (Hilarious Historical, factinate.com)

10) Willoughby Bertie had a thoroughbred–one of the most prestigious racehorses in the world. And, this thoroughbred had a unique name. When the horse was a colt, a stable boy was told the horse’s name was Potatoes and noted the name on paper. But he actually didn’t know how to spell “Potatoes.” So, the colt’s official name became “Potatoooooooos.” This name was shortened to “Pot8os” and surely left spectators amused. (liveabout.com)

Sources:

https://www.liveabout.com/hilarious-historical-facts-4154997

https://www.factinate.com/things/33-hilarious-historical-facts-brighten-next-history-lesson/

https://www.factinate.com/things/42-seriously-weird-facts-ancient-greek-philosophers/

Funny Stories from History Editor: Evan Spry

The First American Olympics

October 22, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

Editor Evan ordered the Blog Staff to find Funny Stories from History. Jake found the most intriguing series of events in Olympic history.

By Jake Sonderman

Since the dawn of the ancient Greek city-states, countries have gathered despite differences to compete in an event called the Olympics. The Olympic games discontinued for thousands of years after the fall of the Greek city-states, but they were revitalized in 1896 in Europe. After almost a decade of the Olympics, the United States sought to host these reputable games. So, in 1904, the third Olympic games came to St. Louis, Missouri. This was a landmark Olympics in many ways. It was the year the gold medal was introduced (the silver medal was the highest previously), and American gymnast George Eyser won six medals even though he had a wooden leg (The Atlantic). German-American Frank Kugler won four medals in three different sports, making him the only competitor to ever win medals in three different sports (bleacherreport). Boxing was also introduced at this Olympics. But by far, the most peculiar part of these Olympics was the Olympic marathon.

Today we look to keep our athletes in peak condition and performance. But, in 1904, not so much. The 24-mile course was an entirely dirt road with 100-300 foot hills, and on the day of the race, it was 92 degrees and humid (I put the numbers into a heat-index indicator: it felt like 135 degrees in St. Louis). On top of all of this, James Sullivan, the organizer of the race, decided to put only one water station in the entire race to “purposefully dehydrate” the runners. This was because he had a hypothesis that dehydration would help the runners do better. Because of this, only 14 of the 32 runners finished the race, and the winning time is still the worst in Olympic history by 30 minutes! (AV Club)

The gun fired to begin the race, and Fred Lorz was in the lead. A short way into the race, William Garcia, from California, collapsed after inhaling so much dirt from the unpaved road and passing traffic it blocked his esophagus. He was rushed to the hospital, just in time. If he had continued for even a couple more minutes he would have likely died (Smithsonian).

Two racers had come all the way from South Africa, and they ran barefoot. They were fast and likely would have won if they hadn’t been chased a mile off course by dogs (Quartz).

The only Cuban in this Olympics, Andarin Clervajal, was in the marathon. Upon his arrival in the US, he gambled away all of his money. He hitchhiked and walked from New Orleans to St. Louis. He had not eaten in 40 hours and only had pants and a dress shirt on. He cut his pants and rolled up his sleeves and began the race anyway. On the track through the town, Clervajal saw a tasty lookin’ peach cart, and begged the owners for a couple. When the owners of the cart refused he grabbed one anyway and ran. Farther down the track, Clervajal saw an even TASTIER looking apple orchard. He took a quick stop and ate one of the apples, but the apples were rotten! Clervajal decided to nap it off and then woke up, and continued the race. He finished 4th. (AV Club)

Even though Fred Lorz was leading at the start, Thomas Hicks passed him fairly quickly. Lorz tried to catch up and burned out around halfway through the course. Lucky for him, he hitched a ride on a passing car, and waved at the runners as he passed them. The car broke down a couple miles from the finish line, and from there Lorz continued the race. Lorz ended up crossing the finish line first. He was even awarded the gold medal by Alice Roosevelt! Then, the truth came out–in just minutes. Lorz said he was only joking. (AV Club)

Thomas Hicks, the real leader in the race, found he could not keep going seven miles before the race ended. But his trainers wouldn’t let him give up. They gave him some strychnine (rat poison) and brandy to keep him going. Safe to say this didn’t help, and Hick’s trainers carried him the rest of the way to win him the gold medal. Hicks needed immediate medical attention for his dehydration combined with the rat poison in his system. Though he finished first, he lost eight pounds in the couple hours of the race. (Medium)

*I almost don’t feel the need to include sources for this story because you really can’t make this kind of stuff up.

Sources:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1182023-30-greatest-athletes-in-summer-olympic-history

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/how-a-guy-with-a-wooden-leg-won-6-olympic-medals/260988/

https://www.boredpanda .com/1904-olympic-marathon-st-louis/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/

https://www.penn.museum/sites/olympics/olympicorigins.shtml#:~:text=Although%20the%20ancient%20Games%20were,presented%20the%20idea%20in%201894.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Summer_Olympics

https://qz.com/758181/the-long-and-bizarre-history-of-the-olympic-marathon/

https://www.avclub.com/the-1904-olympic-marathon-was-the-worst-race-ever-run-1842740808

View at Medium.com

https://medium.com/history-of-yesterday/the-worst-marathon-in-human-history-66047f7e004c

Funny Stories in History Editor: Evan Spry

There Were Three Popes…And They All Excommunicated Each Other

October 20, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

In looking for Funny Stories in History, as directed by Editor Evan, Sara looked to the Catholic Church and its intriguing papal history.

By Sara Habibipour

The history of the Catholic Church is a lengthy one (said every history student ever). But, hidden in this history is a pretty ironic story that’s worth sharing. It all takes place during the Western Schism.

After the death of Pope Gregory XI in 1378, the open position in the papacy led to the Western Schism. Urban VI was elected as pope but soon became very unpopular among the Roman people because he was known for being “temperamental, suspicious, and reformist” (History 101).

Where did the second pope come from? “Many of the cardinals under Urban VI left Rome and appointed Robert of Geneva (who took the name Clement VII) as a rival pope in Avignon” (History 101).

The council of Pisa was held in 1409 to resolve the question of the true heir. But, wait! There’s more! Alexander V established a third papacy in Northern Italy, leading to more drastic tensions within the Catholic Church; the followers of the three popes were greatly divided along national lines and “political antagonisms arose” (Medium). All three popes claimed legitimacy to the throne of St. Peter. In an attempt to resolve this issue and claim power, they all excommunicated each other! In other words, they exiled each other from the Church; this is the worst punishment a member could possibly receive because it dooms a follower to Hell! Rather than leading to resolved conflict, this event only led to an ironic and funny story. Never before in history had three popes deemed each other as disgraces to the Church!

After three excommunications and eight years of the Council of Constance to elect a recognized pope by all, Pope Martin was elected to the papacy, effectively ending the Western Schism; there were no more arguments over who the true pope was.

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/event/Western-Schism

View at Medium.com

https://www.history101.com/one-time-there-were-three-popes-and-they-all-excommunicated-each-other/

Image Source:

https://alchetron.com/Western-Schism

Funny Stories in History Editor: Evan Spry

Tomb or…Toilet?

October 20, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Elizabeth went searching for Funny but Historical Stories–as directed by Editor Evan. She found a most unsavory burial that nearly went to the grave with Patton.

By Elizabeth Shay

In 1917, esteemed World War II general George S. Patton visited the tiny French village of Bourg with the intention of establishing a tank training school. The local mayor approached General Patton in tears, claiming that the Americans had failed to inform him of the death of one of their soldiers. Patton was perplexed, as he was not aware of any death, but he allowed the mayor to lead him to the site of the soldier’s supposed grave: “Being unaware of this sad fact, and not liking to admit it to a stranger, I stalled until I found out that no one was dead. However, the Frenchman insisted that we visit the grave,” as Patton recalled in his diary (later published by his widow Beatrice in 1947).

Upon arriving at the site of the “grave,” Patton discovered that the mayor had led him to a recently filled latrine pit, with a makeshift cross that had the words “‘Abandoned Rear”’ stenciled into it. The French had mistaken the covered lavatory for a field grave! Not knowing how to respond, Patton simply offered his sympathies before leaving Bourg without telling anyone about the true nature of the grave.

Twenty-six years later, in 1943, General Patton returned to his former Brigade Headquarters in Bourg and was shocked to learn that the “Abandoned Rear Grave” was still being maintained by the local population who viewed the unknown soldier as a national hero. Even after the second visit, Patton admits, “I never told them the truth!” and took the secret to his own grave.

Sources Referenced:

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/abandoned-rear.html

10 Funny Stories from History that You Never Read in Your School Books

Funny Stories From History Editor: Evan Spry

The Secret Weapon?

October 19, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Editor Evan assigned the Blog Staff the subject of “Funny Stories in History.” Erik went searching, . . . and found a surprising twist to the military supply line during the Korean War.

By Erik Bearman

From 1950 to 1953, the Korean War raged across…well, Korea. In November of 1950, the First Division, led by American General Edward Almond, was pinned down near the Chosin River. Trapped in Korea’s unforgiving landscapes with temperatures reaching below -38℃, the Corps desperately needed additional fire-power. So, the men sent an encoded request for mortar rounds with the code phrase being “Tootsie Rolls.”

However…

The radio operator was a bit of a dingus. He did not have the code sheet that would tell him that “Tootsie Rolls” meant mortar rounds. As a result, instead of acquiring much-needed ammunition, the First Division received actual, chocolate, Tootsie Rolls.

I know what you must be thinking, “Wow, these guys are screwed!” But, in fact, the Marines were saved! Besides also being a delicious snack, Tootsie Rolls can be used for plugging bullet wounds. And, after being warmed inside their mouths, the Tootsie Rolls could be made into a putty capable of sealing cracks in fuel pipes. Although the package was rather unusual, these Tootsie Rolls provided the soldiers with much needed food and makeshift medical supplies and allowed the First Division to escape the river and continue fighting in the war. After the Korean War ended, the surviving members of the First Division started calling themselves the “Chosin Few.”

Tootsie Rolls | HeadStuff.org

Sources:

https://usmc-mccs.org/articles/how-tootsie-rolls-accidentally-saved-marines-during-war/

headstuff.org

The Veterans Site Blog – GreaterGood

Funny Stories in History Editor: Evan Spry

Historical Figures–What would life be like without them?

April 2, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Chelsea

As we all know, historical figures played a huge part in the making of our history. Their impacts are hugely different from one another, and thus, they made the world what it is today. Here are some famous historical figures that shaped the world. Imagine what life would be like without them.

Without Issac Newton, we would discover gravity much later, thus delaying the progression of scientific improvement.

Without William Shakespare, the greatest plays and stories would not have been created.

Without Charles Darwin, the science of evolution of all species would not be discovered until much later.

Without Nicolaus Copernicus, people would choose to believe in religion that earth is the center of the universe much longer than it should be.

Without Benjamin Franklin, the discovery of electricity would be much later than it was supposed to be.

Without George Washington, America would take much more time to gain its independence, or it would still remain in the Commonwealth.

Without Susan B. Anthony, the women’s suffrage movement would never have made it that far.

Without Adolf Hitler, the Second World War would probably have never happened. The geography of European countries would not have changed during that time. The recovery of the Great Depression in the USA would recover much slower. NATO and the Marshall plan would never exist. etc.

Without Robert E. Kahn and Vint Cerf, our improvement on the internet would have slowed, or never happened.

Without Sergey Brin, our beloved Google would never exist. Or, it would take on another name.