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Final Battle & Debt Paid

US Military History Throughout The Years

Short bits of history you know and some you may not!

  • War Debt: Sunday, October 3, 2010 – 92 years after the end of WW1, Germany completes the last reparation payment for damage caused over the four years of bloody war. In order to pay the reparations Germany had to take out foreign bonds, which quickly bankrupted the country. Germany would suspend its payments during the Great Depression and Nazi Germany would again decline payments. After WW2 West Germany would restart payments, and after reunification with East Germany continue to pay off loans taken out. The reparations that Germany paid were used by Britain and France to payoff their own debt incurred by the loans they took out from the USA. The massive amounts of money that Germany was deemed responsible to pay had a part in the discontent that led to the rise of Nazi Germany and WW2. In total Germany would pay around $400 Billion in reparations to the Allies after WW1.
  • The Last Battle: Saturday, October 6, 1781 – After some initial skirmishes and movements, the Continental Army under General George Washington began the siege of British forces under Gen Cornwallis at Yorktown. A combined American and French force would begin digging trenches increasingly closer to the British defenses in order to bombard them with artillery. After several days of bombardment and moving closer the allied American and French force would attack and take several key British positions. The attacks forced the British to attempt an escape across the York River, but they were unsuccessful. The entrenched British force would be forced to surrender after the allied artillery grew stronger and more damaging. For two days negotiations would take place, when finally on the 19th of October British forces would formally surrender. Cornwallis would request that his forces be given traditional Honors of War, which would allow them to march from their defeated position with honor. General Washington denied their request, on the grounds that the British did not allow the Continental Army the same respect when they were defeated at Charleston. This battle was the last major land battle of the American Revolution, the capture of General Cornwallis prompting the British government to begin negotiations to bring the revolution to an end.
  • SGT York: Tuesday, October 8, 1918 – During WW1 Corporal Alvin York would be attached to a group of 17 American Soliders tasked to infiltrate a German machine gun position and silence it. The group would capture a large group of Germans but soon most of his group would be killed or wounded as the Germans attacked. As a result CPL York became the highest ranking member of his small group. Tasking his Soldiers with guarding the German prisoners he would single handedly attack the German machine gun position. He soon ran out of ammunition for his rifle and switched to his pistol as Germans charged him with bayonets. Of the six Germans charging at him, he would kill all of them with his pistol. Soon after the German officer in charge of the position would surrender to CPL York, after firing his pistol at York but missing completely. CPL York and his Soldiers would bring back over 130 German prisoners to American lines, where he was immediately promoted to Sergeant. Initially he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but after an investigation he was awarded the Medal of Honor. SGT York became an instant American Hero and was greatly praised when he returned from the war. Interestingly, he originally tried to opt out of service, citing his religious beliefs forbidding violence. After the war he returned to his quiet life in Tennessee, only using his fame to help others around him prosper, such as building a Bible school for children in his local area. As prewar tensions rose and became a reality in Europe prior to WW2 York would be a powerful voice in support for American intervention in Europe. He would give a speech in 1941, before war broke out, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier advocating for American support of the Allies and action against the Nazi rise.

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