Eighty years ago, on November 8, 1942, the Allies launched Operation Torch, the amphibious invasion of French North Africa and the first major U.S. foray into World War II’s European theater. An American aircraft carrier, USS Ranger, and four escort carriers brought 109 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters, 36 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers and 27 Grumman TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bombers to support the Western Task Force off Morocco. Facing the Americans were Vichy French forces with 208 aircraft, 84 of which had been built in the U.S. and delivered to the French before their 1940 capitulation to Germany. The Vichy air arsenal included Douglas DB-7 attack bombers, Martin 167 Maryland light bombers and Curtiss H-75A fighters, export versions of P-36A Hawks.
The action on the invasion’s first day marked the first time in history that American-built airplanes squared off against each other in war. An early clash saw Wildcats of Ranger’s VF-41 squadron taking on French Hawks—several of which were from Groupe de Chasse II/5, a direct descendant of the renowned “Escadrille Lafayette” of mostly American volunteer pilots who fought for France before the U.S. formally entered World War I. Both sides took their lumps during the air battles, but the French force was unable to mount any defense by November 10. At 10:00 pm that night, Vichy headquarters in Casablanca ordered the French to cease hostilities. Those same Vichy airmen were soon fighting for the Allies as the Free French in the renewed effort to liberate their country.
this article first appeared in AVIATION HISTORY magazine
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much money has the U.S. spent on the Vietnam War
The war cost 6 trillion dollars. And we lost. A lot of lives too.
I'm sure there were other costs involved, but those were the big ones.
It is difficult to estimate the cost of war because it requires you to consider more than just military expenditures. It's also important to take into account the costs of providing for our veterans.
The draft cost was paid when an American male reached 21 years of age. This means that approximately 1 million young men served.
Many of them didn't get drafted. But even though they weren't forced to serve, many had to attend college anyway.
Students were subject to a massive increase in tuition fees. If you include the cost of the GI bill, the total price tag is closer to $1 trillion.
And the cost keeps on rising.
According to the National Priorities Project estimate, the lifetime cost of caring and maintaining our disabled vets could amount to $4.3 trillion.
The cost of health care for the survivors of war would be another expense.
In any case, the bottom line here is that the United States spent far more money on Vietnam War combat than it did on all other wars.
Who won the Battle of Gettysburg?
This battle took place near Gettysburg in Pennsylvania during the American Civil War (1861-1865). General Ulysses S. Grant, Union Army, defeated Confederate troops led General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870).
Both sides had huge effects from the battle's outcome. It marked the turning point in the war for the Confederacy. For the Union, this marked the beginning for the end slavery.
Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation" of 1863 freed slaves in rebellion states. In 1865, he signed Amendment 13 to the Constitution, which abolished slavery in America.
General Robert E. Lee surrendered in Appomattox Courthouse to General Ulysses S Grant (Virginia), on April 9, 1865.
Lee was taken prisoner of war after surrender. In 1870, Lee died.
Grant was honored with the Medal of Honor due to his leadership during the battle.
He died 1885.
Who invented the submarine?
Alfred Nobel created the first practical submarine in 1872. This invention had the goal of allowing ships to safely navigate through the oceans while avoiding being attacked by warships.
Nobel developed a series sub-marines powered by compressed oxygen. His original design used two propellers. But they proved too noisy to be effective underwater.
His second design was only one propeller. This allowed the vessel's silent movement below the water's surface.
Nobel patented his invention in 1883 and called it the "Hydrostatic Motor."
What happened to the Ottoman Empire after World War I?
After WWI Turkey lost most of its territory in Europe and was made an independent country. The empire continued until 1922 with the Treaty of Lausanne ending the war between Greece & Turkey. This treaty gave back the majority of the lands they had taken during the conflict. The West provided much-needed financial support and assistance to Turkey in return for these territories. This led to a period of economic growth and modernization.
The Turkish Republic existed until 1923, when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was elected president and transformed the country into a secular state. He also abolished caliphate and established modern Turkey.
Because Ataturk helped create modern Turkey, he's one of history’s greatest leaders.
What is military history's importance?
In the past few years, we've witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of conflicts across the globe. From Syria to Ukraine and Libya to Iraq, there seems to be no shortage of countries currently engaged in armed conflict. But why do these wars continue to break out? Why do we keep experiencing war after war? Is it possible for humans to live peacefully together in such close quarters?
Our collective memory holds the answer. We may not know it, but if we look back at the 20th Century, we see that violence between nations is commonplace. Simply put, we live at a time of great transition.
World War II was ended 70 years ago. It occurred in an age of rapid technological development, including the invention of the nuclear bomb. This allowed for the creation of a globalized economy. This economic system, in turn, created the conditions for a worldwide political movement known as "globalization."
As globalization continues today, it's easy to forget how much progress we've made since 1945. Today, the world is more interconnected than ever; international trade accounts for nearly 40 percent of global GDP; and most Americans depend directly on foreign goods for their everyday lives.
Despite the huge changes caused by globalization however, humanity continues to struggle with a fundamental problem: Conflict cannot be avoided. It is understandable to want peace and prosperity for all nations. However, this is not realistic. As long as people exist, they will strive for power and wealth.
This is exactly why we need to learn from the mistakes made in the past. If we hope to prevent future conflicts, we must recognize the underlying factors that lead us to fight each other.
Understanding the history behind war is key to developing strategies to prevent future conflict. Let's start with World War II. What was its cause? How did it get started? What were the main causes of war?
What are the different types of war?
Both sides find war an intense experience. For the aggressor, there is excitement and anticipation. He wants his enemy to suffer. It is a game about strategy and tactics to him.
Fear, uncertainty, confusion, are the three main emotions of the victim. He knows that he's outnumbered and outgunned. He doesn't know from where the fight will be or how much damage he'll take.
He is victorious in the end. He feels strong. He is eager for the next challenge. His mind is sharp and clear.
He is prepared to lose, even though he knows it. He is ready to lose. He accepts that his opponent has more experience and is stronger.
The winner regards himself as the master of all his domains. He believes that he is invincible. He is convinced that victory is possible.
War isn't just physical. It's mental too.
It's psychological war.
It's not about winning hearts or minds.
It's all about convincing people to follow your example and not your opponent.
Statistics
- Of military historians, 0% are Socialist, 8% are Other, 35% are Liberal, and 18% are (en.wikipedia.org)
- Kimball reports that: Of historians in the field of diplomatic history, 7% are Socialist, 19% are Other, 53% are Liberal, 11% are None, and 10% are Conservative. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
networks.h-net.org
usacac.army.mil
web.archive.org
- Documenting shock and awe: Investigating Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
- HELLAS:NET - Warfare
How To
What number of countries were involved during the Korean War
1950 saw the Soviet Union supporting communist North Korea. The capitalist Republic of South Korea was supported by the United States and its allies.
China reached a separate deal with the Communist North Koreans following the outbreak of fighting.
China sent troops across the 38th Parallel to support their ally. This however led to the Korean War.
The war was ended in 1953. The North Korean troops retreated to China.
On June 25, 1953, the Armistice Agreement was signed. Both sides agreed that they would withdraw their armies.
However, the agreement was never fully applied. Instead, fighting resumed in July 1955.
It ended on July 27, 1953. All hostilities ceased after a truce was reached.
An estimated 3 million men died during the conflict. This makes it the deadliest conflict since World War II.
Did you miss our previous article...
https://lessonsbeyondthestory.com/world-wars/he-survived-a-kamikaze-attack-and-saved-his-men-his-name-says-it-all-mccool
