Day 340

Persistence of Memory

On a visit to Berlin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the blueprints of the Auschwitz concentration camp from German officials.  This gesture was called a "gift of truth" by Netanyahu.  I think the Holocaust will always be a stain on the collective German psyche, but I'm glad to see an attempt at making amends with the past.  Please excuse me if my tone comes off as nonchalant, but I guess it's something for which the country will always be apologizing.  Such is life.  I think it is also important to remember and honor the other side of that dark period in history as well.  For that, I offer this link: The White Rose- an organization that gave their lives in resistance to the Nazi Regime..... 

Day 319

Hiroshima Anniversary

Today marks the 64th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.  50,000 people gathered at the A-bomb Dome to mark the tragic day.  At the event, the mayor of Hiroshima called for the eradication of nuclear arms by 2020.  

Day 258

Today is the anniversary of D-Day.  From the Wiki:

Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the main landing points of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6 1944, during World War II.

The beach was located on the northern coast of France, facing the English Channel, and was 5 miles (8 km) long, from (coming from the sea) east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve river estuary. Landings here were necessary in order to link up the British landings to the east with the American landing to the west at Utah beach, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Armytroops, with sea transport provided by the U.S. Navy and elements of the Royal Navy.

On D-Day, the untested 29th Infantry Division, joined by eight companies of U.S. Army Rangers redirected from Pointe du Hoc, were to assault the western half of the beach. The battle-hardened 1st Infantry Divisionwas given the eastern half. The initial assault waves, consisting of tanks, infantry and combat engineer forces, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defences and allow the larger ships of the follow-up waves to land.