What was the 1966 Palomares B-52 Crash?

Introduction The 1966 Palomares B-52 crash, also called the Palomares incident, occurred on 17 January 1966, when a B-52G bomber of the United States Air Force’s Strategic Air Command collided with a KC-135 tanker during mid-air refuelling at 31,000 feet (9,450 m) over the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Spain. The KC-135 was completely… Read More

What is Evacuation Day (Massachusetts)?

Introduction Evacuation Day is a holiday observed on 17 March in Suffolk County, Massachusetts (which includes the cities of Boston, Chelsea, and Revere, and the town of Winthrop) and also by the public schools in Somerville, Massachusetts. The holiday commemorates the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston following the Siege of Boston,… Read More

What is Lacplesis Day?

Introduction Lāčplēsis Day (Latvian: Lāčplēša diena) is a memorial day for soldiers who fought for the independence of Latvia. Background It is celebrated on 11 November, marking the victory over the West Russian Volunteer Army – a joint Russian-German volunteer force led by the warlord Pavel Bermondt-Avalov – at the 1919 Battle of Riga during… Read More

What was the Latvian Legion?

Introduction The Latvian Legion (Latvian: Latviešu leģions) was a formation of the German Waffen-SS during World War II. Created in 1943, it consisted primarily of ethnic Latvian personnel. The legion consisted of two divisions of the Waffen-SS: the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian), and the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the… Read More

What is the Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires?

Introduction Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires (Latvian: Leģionāru piemiņas diena), often known simply as Legionnaire Day (Leģionāru diena) or 16 March (16. marts) in Latvia, is a day when soldiers of the Latvian Legion, part of the Waffen-SS, are commemorated. From 1998 until 2000, it was officially recognised as a “Remembrance Day for Latvian… Read More

What was the Wilmot Proviso (1846)?

Introduction The Wilmot Proviso was an unsuccessful 1846 proposal in the United States Congress to ban slavery in territory acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. The conflict over the Wilmot Proviso was one of the major events leading to the American Civil War (1861-1865). Congressman David Wilmot of Pennsylvania first introduced the proviso in… Read More

What was the Anglo-Spanish War (1779-1783)?

Introduction Spain played an important role in the independence of the United States (refer to the American War of Independence, 1775-1783), as part of its conflict with Britain. Spain declared war on Britain as an ally of France, itself an ally of the American colonies. Most notably, Spanish forces attacked British positions in the south… Read More