America at war! (1941–) – Part 3

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Editorial: The Republican opportunity

The Republicans meeting in Chicago today are facing a national situation more critical than that which existed when they met in the same city in 1860 and again when they met at Baltimore in 1864. As on both those historic occasions, they believe they have a chance for victory. If they are right in this belief, they have a great opportunity. If they are wrong, they may still give their party a significance and cohesion it has lost since 1932 and restore the vitality of the two-party system.

This system demand compromise. Each of our major parties is the equivalent of half a dozen or more groups and factions such as have bedeviled many European parliaments in times gone by. If we are to avoid a similar confusion here, the right wing and the left wing must somehow find middle ground. The extreme policy is not practicable and cannot be expected. But this need not mean that the party as a whole cannot stand firmly and unequivocally for a few easily understood principles.

This is the first wartime presidential year since 1864. In that year, the Democrats, as the opposition party, declared that the war to restore the Union had failed and demanded “that immediate efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities.” They paid for that error by 20 years out of office. Today there is no question of Republican support for all-out victory. There is some question as to how fast the party will go in committing the country to all-out participation in a worldwide organization to keep the peace. Just eight years ago, it took its stand against the League of Nations and the World Court. It has certainly learned much since that time, as have the Democratic Party and the voters to whom both must appeal. The old cry of “entangling alliances” cannot successfully be raised again. Our only choice is between limited ties in a precarious balance-of-power system and full membership in a world organization for peace. If the Republicans will accept this necessity, as their wiser leaders urge them to do, they will redeem past errors.

In the domestic field, there are real issues on which the Republicans can seize. Perhaps the most vital of these is the relationship between the federal government and the states and between the federal government and private enterprise. Neither of these issues is likely to be stated now in the terms that would have seemed most appropriate in 1932. But they can be stated. The country has the right to expect a statement that shall e honest and explicit, so that voters this fall may know exactly what they are voting for or against.

Viewed with perfect impartiality, the Republican Party has a great history. It has now reached a turning point. We may hope that this week it will rise to its destiny, suppressing within its own ranks the forces of isolationism and reaction.

McCormick: The concert of powers in combined action

By Anne O’Hare McCormick

Patterson calls individual to war

Under Secretary lays on union class a personal obligation in fight for freedom

Army unit is routed by Aleutian volcano

4 saved, 1 believed lost – erupting since June 10

New landing craft to help beat Japan

1,000-men attack-vessels are planned for the Pacific

Glider pilot tells of French landing

Flown here wounded, officer says craft hit tree – Nazi tanks did not fire

Washington (UP) – (June 25)
The first two wounded soldiers to arrive in this country from the invasion beachhead in France were identified today by the War Department as Lt. Col. Michael C. Murphy, 37, of Lafayette, Indiana, and Pfc. James A. Lester, 21, of Route 3, Clio, Michigan.

The two arrived last night at Mitchel Field, Long Island, on an Air Transport Command hospital plane and were taken to a nearby hospital. Their names were withheld overnight until the next of kin could be notified.


Lt. Col. Murphy said in New York yesterday, according to the Associated Press, that he landed his glider at Sainte-Mère-Église within 15 feet of a German tank column without being fired upon.

He recalled:

We were caught in a pretty heavy crossfire while still in the air. The pilot of the plane leading us was Col. Whitaker. I called him and told him that they were making a sieve of us back there. He said, “What in blazes do you think they are doing to me up here?”

I received my injury because my glider didn’t stop when I applied the brakes. It skidded on the tall grass and coasted into a tree.

When my glider came to rest, I was within 15 feet of an enemy reconnaissance tank column. I was pinned in and couldn’t move. I told the passengers what was in front of us. In about 15 seconds, the enemy started up the motors on their tanks and moved off. They moved past the other parked gliders and didn’t fire a shot.

Because snipers and machine-gunners were firing on then, Murphy said, the troops took cover in ditches at the edge of the field. He said a Medical Corps doctor risked the fire to reach the gliders and treat the injured.

Lt. Col. Murphy said the trip back to England from Normandy required three days because of snipers and artillery firing on the beach, as well as mines offshore.

He said:

It is interesting that it took twice as long to evacuate us across the Channel to England by boat as it took us to fly across the ocean.

The glider pilot, who formerly operated his own flying service at Findlay, Ohio, trained flight nurses at Bowman Field, Kentucky, before going overseas.

Four months ago, he married the former Mary Louise Neville of Lafayette.

CIO INSISTS COSTS REQUIRE WAGE RISE
Says living expense is up 45.3%, increase of 1.8% this year, and federal index errs

Pay formula ‘obsolete;’ report by Murray and Thomas declares Little-Steel plan violates stabilization
By Louis Stark

Army nurses accept discomfort of moving base in Italy in stride

By Dorothy Sutherland

Tornado victims aided

Red Cross rushes relief – death toll now stands at 146

LIFE (June 26, 1944)

Bayeux Tapestry reports old invasion

When the English-speaking allies fought their way into Bayeux June 7, they had returned to one of the great sources of English culture. That is the place from which Normans came in 1066 to conquer England. There, until the Germans came, hung the great Bayeux Tapestry which depicted the Battle of Hastings only a few years after it had been fought. Key examples of the 72 surviving scenes are reproduced here from the 230-foot embroidery on white linen, which used to be hung around the nave of Bayeux Cathedral. Today, three German scholars are studying it for Hitler in some “safe place,” said to be Linz, Austria. They have already described it as “a sort of German royal saga.”

By more respectable scholars, the Bayeux Tapestry has been called “the noblest monument in the world relating to English history” and “the most famous and most remarkable of medieval embroideries.” So factual is the work that the Bayeux Tapestry is one of our chief historical sources on the decisive Battle of Hastings. The borders are decorated with the Romanesque conceits then in fashion” griffins, phoenixes, fables, hunts, monsters, real animals.

The Battle of Hastings was the last great flare of infantry against armored cavalry for several centuries. The battle was won, however, not by mounted knights but by the Norman archers who pitched their arrows high and finally dropped one into Harold’s eye, killing him and demoralizing his army.


Harold, carrying a falcon (left), sets sail in Channel in 1064. Normans claim that he was going to pay a call on William of Normandy.


Landing in Normandy, Harold’s Saxons drop anchor in a calm sea. This contradicts Saxon story that Harold was shipwrecked in a storm. Saxons wear mustaches.


The seizure of Harold, by anchor, is effected by Count Guy. He surrendered him to Duke William, who released him after oath.


Harold sails home, having given oath to support William’s claim to throne of England on death of King Edward the Confessor.


Edward dies in 1066 and is hastily buried in St. Peter’s on site of Westminster Abbey. Harold is crowned King, violating his oath, a sacred thing in those times.


William’s fleet of about 700 open boats is built in the mouths of the Norman rivers. Each one carried about 20 men and three horses.


With a south wind setting out at midnight, Sept. 27, 1066, William’s fleet reaches Pevensey, England, by 9:00 a.m. The following four pictures are panorama of fleet.


Sailing swiftly by night, William carried “a great lantern” on mast of his own ship, the* Mora, as well as a brass Cupid on the prow.


The fleet carries not only Norman barons but also Breton and French adventurers to a total of perhaps 13,000 men, 2,000 horses.


A crusade was what Pope had called William’s expedition, for Harold had broken his word. Furthermore, William’s great-aunt was Edward the Confessor’s mother.


Landing at Pevensey on southeast coast of England is shown above. The horses are led ashore. Notice that Normans are clean-shaven.


In mail armor, Norman barons head for Hastings. Their weapons were the lance, sword, mace and kite-shaped shields. Duke William carried a mace in battle.


Normans dig entrenchments around camp at the town of Hastings and build a timber castle. They had won complete surprise.


The countryside is burned by Duke William’s men. His objective is to force Harold to fight quickly, before Normans supplies run out.


William (left) has his fine Spanish stallion, given him by King Alfonso of Spain, led up, to lead his army into battle. He has already caught two of Harold’s spies.


The Norman barons head for Hastings. Decorations at the top of the strip may include Harold’s personal insignia, The Fighting Man.


Harold’s spy, caught by the Normans, is shown the Norman host and in turn tells Duke William which way Harold is coming. William is left center, the spy at right.


The spy is released after having been wined, dined and impressed by Norman power, Decorations of strip include griffins, donkey.


Spy tells King Harold that the Normans are coming. Harold has formed strong shield wall on a ridge after marching 30 miles a day.


The battle begins with a volley of Norman arrows, then the charge by the heavily-armed Norman knights, here shown all across the bottom row of these two pages.


“Dex aie!,”cried Normans, meaning “God’s aid!” Replied Saxons, “Out! Out!” Another favorite Saxon cry: “Godemite” (God Almighty).


**The shield wall of housecarls of Harold is impregnable against charges of the Norman knights, and volley of javelins, casting axes and stones throws Normans back.


Norman allies were routed by Saxon levies, who pursued but were themselves cut to pieces on the open plain by the Norman knights.


The Norman horses, including William’s, are decimated by the Saxons.


At cry he is dead, William raises his helmet (left) and rallies his men.


In hand-to-hand fighting, King Harold’s two brothers are cut down.


Harold is killed (center), an unaimed arrow had pierced his eye.


The Norman knights harry the remnants of the Saxon shield wall.

War photographers’ stories

LIFE’s cameramen describe their battle experiences on second front and on road to Rome

Our worldwide war

American armed might engages enemy from France to the Far Pacific

Incident in Normandy

Some U.S. infantrymen move the battle ahead by eliminating a German sniper in a barnyard


The High Command visits beachhead

First casualties were lower than had been expected

Sea power wins on Normandy coast

Editorial: De Gaulle

The principle for which we resist his ambition is correct but related

Americans take over Rome

Plane rockets

They are part of invasion arsenal

The South Seas

American fighting men in the Pacific live in a strange world

Soldier-star

John Sweet, U.S. Army sergeant, is sudden film success in London