The Mysteries of History (January 27 Edition)
The End of Wars and Preparation for Others, and Astronauts
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana, 1905
1945 — Prisoners of Auschwitz Freed
public domain image from wikimedia commons
Eighty years ago today and precisely one year after Russian forces penetrated the German lines which had surrounded Leningrad for almost two-and-a-half years — a siege which had caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in that city from starvation, sickness, and exposure — Russian forces reached the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland, and freed more than 7,000 starving prisoners.
Questions: How many people perished in the camps at Auschwitz? How many men? How many women? How many children? How many of these at all of the Nazi concentration camps? In how many countries did the Nazis have concentration camps? Why were there so many in France, Russia, and Poland? What infamous monster in human form operated (literally) at Auschwitz? How did the rest of his life turn out?1951 — Nevada Nuked, Human Guinea Pigs
image generated using Bing Image Creator
The first test of a nuclear bomb was made in the Nevada desert on this date in 1951. The “flash” of the blast was seen as far away as San Francisco, approximately 500 miles away (as the clouds drift).
Humans were also tested: In order to study the effects of radiation on them, soldiers were stationed within 2,500 feet of the blast site, and then moved even closer right after detonation. When the suspected, or at least feared, results were confirmed (the human “guinea pigs” were harmed), further testing was eventually moved (literally) underground, but not until six years later, in 1957.
Particle generator at Nevada test site; public domain image from wikimedia commons
Questions: What was "The Manhattan Project"? Besides Nevada, what other places in the Western United States were part of that initiative? What testing took place at Bikini Atoll between 1946 and 1958?1967 — First American Spacecraft Deaths
public domain image from wikimedia commons
On this date in 1967, all three astronauts on the Apollo 1 died in an apparent electrical fire while on the launch pad in their space capsule at Cape Canaveral, Florida. They were about to conduct a simulated launch in preparation for the real one planned for the next month.
The three astronauts were Roger B. Chaffee, Edward H. White II, and the senior member of the crew, 40-year-old Virgil “Gus” Grissom, who has since been featured in the 1979 book (and subsequent 1983 movie) The Right Stuff.
Questions: What mission was to have been carried out the next month? Was it ever accomplished, and if so, who were the replacement Astronauts? How old were the other two Astronauts (besides Grissom), namely Chaffee and White? Who was the first female Astronaut? Who was the first non-human Astronaut? When did Astronauts first land on the moon, and who were they? Do you think robots should replace human astronauts? Do you think it's possible, or can some of the necessary tasks only be performed by humans?1973 — Vietnam War Ends
public domain image from wikimedia commons
The Vietnam War (called “The American War” there) came to an end on this date in 1973, when a peace treaty was signed in Paris. The terms of the cease-fire were that foreign soldiers would leave, their bases be dismantled, that prisoners of war would be released (see some of these jubilant ones in the photo above), and that force not be used to reunify the Country (which was at that time divided between North and South Vietnam). The ceasfire went into effect the following day, January 28, 1973.
Questions: When did reunification of Vietnam take place? How many Americans died there? How many Vietnamese? How many people from other Countries? When had France been involved in a war there? What was the cause of these wars? Did anybody "win" the wars waged? What was the response of the American people to the war? What effect did the war have on American culture, during and after the conflict? What was the message or motive behind Bruce Springsteen's song Born In The USA?
