Civil War Results

I read recently in Vol 5 of Page Smith's multi-volume set on "People's History of the United States" that after the Civil War many southerns, who had lost most of the their wealth due to emancipation, did not regret the ending of slavery.  They were still able to get cheap labor and not have to expend any concern about health of their labor force or housing and care of them (as much as there was).  They realized that the free black labor was cheaper.  Then after Reconstruction ended they had created a system where the former enslaved population was still under the control of the rich white planter class.  I may have embellished on this (by unintended error) and more research into the points made by Dr Smith will be necessary.  But if correct then it would really add to the absurdity of the war in the first place. 

Jamestown Colony

In a Virginia Beach, VA newspaper on 7/29/15 it was reported that archaeologists excavating a burial site in the first church of the Jamestown settlement found the graves of four men,  one containing an artifact that was clearly of Roman Catholic origin.  This is of interest because the settlers there were Protestants and Europe at the time was mired in Catholic vs Protestant conflict, to the point that the settlers were thought to think of Catholics as spies from a Spanish colony to the south; at least one Catholic was executed according to this report.  The artifact was a two and half inch silver box with an "M" etched into the cover.  The item was  referred to as a "reliquary" and small human bones and a "ampulla", a container used to collect holy water, were determine to be inside.  The artifact was found on the grave of Capt. Gabriel Archer who was the secretary of the colony and "kept records of explorations aimed at finding gold or silver...".  Was Capt Archer a Roman Catholic?  The article does not clearly say for sure. 

(Source:  "Why was a Catholic artifact buried in a Protestant Colony" by Joanne Kimberlin of The Virginian Pilot.  The Virginian Pilot on 7/29/15)

The Lost Colony

The Roanoke Island settlement established by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587 in north eastern North Carolina disappeared some time after Raleigh sailed back to England not to return for three years.  The colony was not to be found; thus the "lost colony".  Historians have debated for years over the fate of those settlers for years with no accepted explanation.  The director of the Lost Colony Center for Science and Research-Fred Willard-suggests a new theory (at least new to me).  He has suggested that the colony found a valuable crop to export back to England-Sassafras-that was used in the making of tea and medicine for any number of illnesses.  He further claims that Raleigh and others in charge of the company that funded the settlement kept the secret of the colonist to themselves to protect the market  in sassafras cultivation.  The colonist, in order to better grow the crop, moved inland about 50 miles to an area known as "Beachland" which is now in the area of the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.  The colony existed for another 20 years producing unknown number of shiploads of the crop for export back to England.  At some point the colonists intermingled with the native population and in essence disappeared.  Willard believes the sassafras was transported to Croatan (now called Hatteras Island) for shipment to England.  100 years after the "disappearance" of the colony natives in the area were found "with gray eyes who spoke of white ancestors who could read from a book".

(Source:  "Lost Colony's roots are found" by Jeff Hampton of The Virginian Pilot of Virginia Beach, VA.  

The Virginian Pilot on 7/25/15).

Discrimination American Style

During World War I (that is One) two American service men performed deeds of courage and danger to themselves-one dying of his injuries in his early 30's.  It is news now because they were never given the recognition they deserved, not because of some bureaucratic snafu, but because of bigotry.  Sgt William Shemin risked his life to save fellow soldiers on the front lines in France but was ignored for the Medal of Honor because he was Jewish.  Pvt Henry Johnson, a member of the "Harlem Hellfighters", was ignored because he was black; he died destitute in his early 30's from his injuries.  Efforts by their families and friends finally brought them the recognition they deserved 100 years ago.  President Obama gave the Medal of Honor award to Shemin's daughters and Johnson's fellow NY National Guard veterans this past week in the White House.  The extent and degree of our bigotry never ceases to sicken me regardless of how much of it I come across in reading American history.

(Source:  "Two World War I vets receive Medal of Honor" by the AP.  The Record on 6/3/15)

Vietnam War death toll.

The Virginian Pilot-newspaper from Virginia Beach, VA.-published on Memorial Day this year a listing of the number of US service personnel killed in the Vietnam War.  They list a total of 58,230 and the deaths by year as follows: 1956 to 64 = 416, 1965 = 1928, 1966 = 6350, 1967 = 11,362, 1968 = 16899, 1969 = 11,780, 1970 = 6173, 1971 = 2414, 1972 to 2006 = 897.  The article also lists those who died from the Virginia Beach area, and the first death is listed as 1961; the last death listed as 1979.  We left in 1973 and the war ended in 1975 with the North Vietnamese taking over the entire country.  Why then are there seven listed killed from the Virginia Beach area at a time when the war was supposedly over?  I wonder how many died there after 1975 from the US in all.  On further reading of the article those death were listed when they were declared dead, not when they might actually had been killed. (The Virginian Pilot on 5/25/15 "Vietnam War: Remember" (One should not jump to conclusions without all the facts considered first; a valuable lesson).

World War II prisoner exchange

The book-The Train to Crystal City-details a secret prisoner exchange program with Germany during the war.  The author is Jan Jarboe Russell.  Some German's and their families living in this country were taking in custody and held in a secret internment camp in Texas called Crystal City.  At some point during the war they were exchanged for Americans trapped in Germany when the war broke out; diplomats, businessmen and POW's.  The review states "Axis nationals living abroad in 13 Latin American countries were also deported to the United States, arrested for illegal entry and delivered to Crystal City..." based on same unproven idea that they might be engaged in pro Axis propaganda  and espionage.  The camp at 290 acres, held 6000 people from Dec 1942 till Feb 1948; some being American citizens by virtue of birth in the US.  The exchanges were known as "quiet passages" with many going to countries destroyed by war.  President Reagan issued a formal apology in 1988 for the internment of Japanese Americans and Congress offered restitution amounting to $ 37 million (I knew a man-a child at the time of internment-who got $ 20,000).  German and German Americans-some 10,000-were never issued an apology or restitution (as of the date of this review).  I believe we-history teachers-have all heard of the internment of Japanese Americans, but I have never heard of the this treatment of German Americans during the war.  Info from a book review in The Virginian Pilot "Shameful chapter for a Nation of Immigrants" by Megan McDonough of the Washington Post on May 24, 2015.  

World War II non-combat deaths

In the book "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand that reports on the life of Louie Zamperini, we are informed that in the Pacific theater of action the Army Air Force lost more planes to accidents and non-combat situations that to actual combat.  On page 70 Delacorte Press "young adults" edition, the author notes "...for every plane lost in combat, some six planes were lost in accidents...almost 36,000 airmen died in nonbattle situations...majority accidental crashes".  The author also notes that 36,000 planes were lost and the same number of planes and lives lost might be suspect; more research will be needed to confirm this fact.