History Challenge & Journal

[Jimbob]

There were many major mistakes the French made at Dien Bien Phu .
Under estimating your enemy on home turf was the worst. And still bring misjudged by invaders..
With the NVA manhandling heavy artillary to heights above the French and carpet shell the drop zones was totally unexpected.
Khe Sahh was a side show while the Tet offensive was being prepared. A pyrhic vitory to the US only to walk away later as it was bypassed.

Sorry, what have the French got to do with the US forces in Vietnam?
I believe that the "losers" were US special forces?

Dien Bien Phu has been called 'the battle the US forgot' about.

The US air force supplied planes for parachutist drops. They financed a lot of the French Indo-China war as a battle against the spread of coummunism. (I sound like Mr. Plum)

Both US Marines and the NVA fought ferociously for Khe Sanh. Both placed huge importance on the base. For the Americans, the base had to hold out for many reasons. The psychological impact on the French of the fall of Dien Bien Phu – guarded by elite paratroopers and men from the French Foreign Legion – was overwhelming. The defeat marked the end of France as a colonial power. Khe Sanh was also guarded by elite troops – US Marines – and both Westmoreland and Johnson knew that the US public would neither tolerate nor accept defeat by a Third World nation. Withdrawal from Khe Sanh was out of the question.



The siege at Khe Sanh lasted until April 5th. However, despite the ‘end’ of the siege, the NVA was still in the region with 7,000 men and the fighting continued into the summer of 1968. The NVA had established large artillery guns in Laos, which were out-of-range of US artillery at Khe Sanh. It was not unusual for 100 artillery rounds to fall on the base in a day.

Its a case of same same but different. The US came out of Korea bloodied but not beaten in conventional war initially repeating similar tactics from there. The British leanrt quickly from the Malayasisn Crisis not toget involved in Vietnam. This topic has raged for 50 years among miltary historians. I stood three years ago in Hanoi at the Army musuem and watched some old NVA guys break down with memories. Very Sad.

[kalbow]

Another clue for my challenge;

think missiles!

[dtaai-maai]

Can't give too much away - the clue is slightly cryptic, but think religious and royal figure...

OK DM, master of the cryptic clue please help the clueless.

I think you are referring to UK prime ministers ..royal appointment?
Maybe someone like Harold macmillan..(Mac the Knife)

Ok, not a politician, not British. Think religious leader (the 49th), though hardly a stereotype, and royalty (the 4th).

[Nereus]

Can't give too much away - the clue is slightly cryptic, but think religious and royal figure...

OK DM, master of the cryptic clue please help the clueless.

I think you are referring to UK prime ministers ..royal appointment?
Maybe someone like Harold macmillan..(Mac the Knife)

Ok, not a politician, not British. Think religious leader (the 49th), though hardly a stereotype, and royalty (the 4th).

H.R.H. Shāh Karīm al-Ḥussaynī, The Āgā Khān IV, Prince Karim, at the age of 20, became the 49th Imām of the Ismailis.

[Nereus]

Another clue for my challenge;

think missiles!

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s. More recently, he has been working as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense.

And THAT, is my final say on the matter!

[dtaai-maai]

H.R.H. Shāh Karīm al-Ḥussaynī, The Āgā Khān IV, Prince Karim, at the age of 20, became the 49th Imām of the Ismailis.

[Jimbob]

many thanks to Nerus-pedia. Two shots, two prizes
anything off the top shelf for him

[Jimbob]

A little history quiz for the weekend Who was this man?

Started working as a brewer before joining the army, where he championed soldier’s rights.
Played a major role in a pivotal event in English history that was then named after him.
Eventually had his own palace but eventually hung at Tyburn

This previous question (P40) only got one nibble so I will answer it myself

In December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents. It is arguably the only military coup d'état in English history and led to the temporay establishment of the commonwealth that failed after Cromwell died,
This event became known as Pride's Purge and was arguably the most significant political event of the English Civil War, directly leading to the execution of Charles I and thus a permanent end to hostilities between the King and Parliament

[dtaai-maai]

Edit: wait for it...






Hmm, it seems I can't edit the photo, so... where are they and what are they doing?

[PeteC]

↑ Same place "The Wire" is about. Pete

[Nereus]

Edit: wait for it..

Hmm, it seems I can't edit the photo, so... where are they and what are they doing?

Oh, that`s easy. Anybody that marches like that lot with red trousers on can only be one thing:

Spurning ‘Northern scum’

Wet, but hardy reenactors march along Baltimore's Pratt Street, where the first deaths of the Civil War occurred 150 years ago.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Baltimore’s biggest and most inglorious contribution to the American Civil War, city leaders joined with several dozen costumed history reenactors Saturday to rededicate and reopen for visitors the historic President Street railroad station.

[dtaai-maai]

Spurning ‘Northern scum’

But would it have been that easy if I'd been able to edit out the photographer's name...?

[Nereus]

Spurning ‘Northern scum’

But would it have been that easy if I'd been able to edit out the photographer's name...?

Oh, sorry D-M, I just thought that it was another of your cryptic clues!

[Siani]

What is all this about?

[attachment=2]what7.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=1]what.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=0]what6.jpg[/attachment]

[kalbow]

Another clue for my challenge;

think missiles!

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s. More recently, he has been working as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense.

And THAT, is my final say on the matter!

Yes, well done Khun Nereus, if I had a hat I would take it off for you

So, yes, Khun "Skunk" developed an interest for ballistic missiles after his neighbour who helped develop the Stinger missile gave him a subscription to and aviation magazine. The connection, the ship shown has a Aegis defense system. Skunk wrote a paper on an idea he had to convert the sea going missiles to land based defense system and gave it to his local congressman.