Weekly History Wrap-Up: 01/21/11.

Here we are, at Friday again.  Time for the History Junkie’s Weekly History Wrap-Up.

Big News!  Upper elementary students, grades 4-6, over at Oak Farm Montessori School are reading BOOTPRINTS.  Wow!  Wow! And more Wow!  We’re talking some 40 kids.  I’ll be heading back over next week for a question-and-answer session with the group.  This, my friends, is a perfect example of how we keep history alive–interaction with young minds.

How many remember those maps from early World War II, showing the gains in territory for Germany and Japan?  Shocking, weren’t they?  Well, how about what Alexander the Great accomplished over 300 years BC?

Naval Warfare brings us an in depth look at the USS Black from World War II.

The History Junkie can only shake his head and walk away at this one.  Thieves stole plaques from a war memorial in Morningside, Maryland, apparently for the scrap metal value.  Surely a sad commentary.

In my years of historical and genealogical research, I’ve come across many documents written in a foreign language.  Fortunately, I’ve always been able to locate a local source to translate.  But how about Britain’s King George II?  In 1756, he received a rather elaborately constructed letter from Burma’s King Alaungphaya.  But nobody could translate the language!  It’s been setting in storage for 250 years.  That is, until now.

Peppered throughout World War II movies, Germany’s “sieg heil” salutes have become familiar to us all.  What better way to wrap up the week than with Dr. Beachcombing and his bizarre collection of “sieg heils.”

Have a wonderful weekend.  Til next week.