History & Comment for May 7, 2025

A look at historical and current events on this day, comment and humor so dry it would make a camel thirsty. 

Transcript

This is History and Comment for Wednesday the 7th of May 2025.

The City of New Orleans is founded in 1718.   A major coastal center dating back to maybe the year 400.   It was founded by the French, but come under Spanish control for a period, back to France, then to the United States in 1803.   The city is known for its party atmosphere and being largely below sea level.   From a practical standpoint it has issues, with a complex series of levees and pumps to keep the city dry.   

A few miles down the Mississippi River meets the Gulf.    While drawn maps show clear channels, photos are less clear what is river and what is open water.   I suspect the variation between high and low tides is a factor.  It you follow the river South on Louisana Road 23 the last town going South in Venice.   From there if you venture down Tide Water Road you will come to the Official Most Southern point you can reach by car.     But wait there’s more,   it might be a private road, but Google Maps has ventured down Delta Gathering Station Road to a barge terminal another mile or so South before they stopped.  

There are a lot of dates that are significant in the Civil War or History for that matter.  This one will not make most list, but it might be one of the most important.  General Grant in command of the Army of the Potomac, was out fought in the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864.   Up to this point after a major battle Union Generals would withdraw and lick their wounds and reorganize.   Often getting replaced.    Grant did not have an Army career to protect and had a completely different vision.   This time instead of withdrawal, he turned  South towards Richmond.    Every soldier knew this was a major change. Grant was going to keep fighting.    The next battle will drag on for nearly two weeks and include the Mule Shoe, almost 24-hours of hand to hand fighting. Some of the most sever in the entire war.   This will be known as the Battle of Spotsyvania Courthouse.    Tactically again it was inconclusive.    

It seems calloused, but Grant knew he could afford to fight a war of attrition.    Lee and the South had expended their resources, men and energy over three years of fighting.    The Union had lost nearly as much but was not so spent.    Grant did not get his decisive win,  but he pushed Lee until he could no longer put up a fight.  That day will be nearly a full year in the future.  

The oldest surviving clipper ship is launched in 1864.  A clipper was a fast, commercial craft.   This ship was built and launched in Sunderland, England to make the run between England and Austraila. She was cristened the City of Adelaide.  The USS Constitution is older but it is a warship.  A few other types of sailing ships from the period remain also. 

Ronald Reagan in his dealings with the Russian, coined the phrase, Trust but verify.     They have a history of not playing nice.   In 1920 they recognize the independence of Georgia, then in six months they invade. 

The British Parliament is having a debate in 1940.   It was called the Norway Debate, in fact it was a crossroads point.   Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had lead the Government the previous three years.   Despite the short term, he was known for his lack of resolve to stand up to Hitler, in fact it is recalled as outright appeasement.   Letting Hitler have what he wanted hoping he would be stratified.   It was now clear that would not be the case.   England was going to have to fight and Chamberlain was not the leader to do that.   Winston Chruchill will replace him three days later.   

The change and personalities might be compared to Carter – Reagan or Biden-Trump transitions. 

The introduction of new technologies, often have a dramatic effect on warfare. This was apparent in 1942. The airplane had matured between WW I and WW II.   One this day the Naval Battle of Coral Sea takes place between the US and Japan.    It is the first naval battle to be fought where the two fleets were beyond visual range.   The large battleship will play a part especially with Germany, but the day of the aircraft carrier has come.   

Germany signs an unconditional surrender in 1945.   The surrender is signed by Wilheim Keitel, the high command of the German armed forces.  His days are numbered.  He will be arrested on war crime charges six days later.   Tried and executed by mid-October.   While we would like to think that an Army leader at the utmost levels would be firm and resolute.   Keitel was known by his peers as Hiter’s yes man and outright groveling. 

Much of Japan’s industrial might was formed in the ashes of WW II.  On this day in 1946. Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering is founded, you known them today as Sony.    The name Sony was a new word created for the company.  It met some resistance in the very traditional Japan, but the founders wanted a name that could be used in a Global Market, especially in America.  

The concept of the integrated circuit is outlined in 1952 by Englishman Geoffrey Dummer.     The German company Siemans had a version three years earlier.   American Jack Kirby will get some credit in 1957.   It brings to mind the comic sketch, Whose on First.

When ratifying  Constitutional Amendments sometimes they have expiration clauses and other times they do not.  The Equal Rights amendment had such a clause and died without enough votes.  The now 27th amendment that pushed Congressional pay rasies to the next term.   It was first raised in the Compromise of 1789.  Michigan votes to approve on this day in 1992 and it becomes law .

Mercedes-Benz buy US Automaker Chrysler for $40 billion, making it the largest business merger in History. That was 27 years ago.

We talked earlier about the divide between the Eastern and Roman Churches.  This dates back to 1054.  In 1999 Pope John Paul the 2nd, travels to Romania.   That is the first time a pope that has visited a predominantly Eastern country in 945 years. 

Vladimir Putin is first inaugurated as Russia President in 2000.  He sits out one term from 2008 to 2012.  And is currently in his third 4-year term of this run, his fifth overall.    He really wants to reestablish the Soviet Union.   

Films often have heros and they have sidekicks.   Batman and Robin is  a prime example.   Captin Kirk and Spock and Maverick and Goose.  and so on.   This was especially true in the Western Film era.   Think Matt Dillion and Festus.   The sidekick was often a bit dim or slow,  trying real hard but never reaching the level of the lead.   Nearly every singing cowboy had his sidekick, and they became famous in their own right.    George Hayes would be on the Mount Rushmore of sidekicks, known by the nickname Gabby Hayes.   He was exceedingly successful in vaudeville and retired at the age of 43.   Then lost his retirement in the Stock market crash of 1929.    This prompted him to move to Los Angles and try his hand in film.   Despite his on-screen personna as a grizzled, contancerous, old codger, Hayes was by all accounts was in real life an intelligent, well-groomed and articulate man.    Hayes was born on this day in 1885 in Western New York not far from the Pennsylvania border.     

Hayes was much like Actor Ken Curtis of Gunsmoke fame in that their characters was very different that their actual life. Curtis had another career as a singer and was quite talented.  

Older football fans might know the name Johnny Unitas, he was born in 1933.   Johnny U,  played 18 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, becoming a premier quarterback between 1956 and 1973.   Helping to popularize the NFL. 

Irish traditional signer Christy Moore is 80 today.  Moore has been very clear combining songs and politics.   His song Back Home in Derry is maybe his most famous and debated.  

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