Military History at APSU

Shameless self-promotion. We had a terrific turnout! Already planning the next event.

On December 10, 1941,the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea. The British warships were the first capital ships to be sunk solely by air power while underway and actively resisting, ushering in a new era in warfare, with naval airpower henceforth supplanting the battleship as the dominate weapon at sea.

The Nevada was "defended by teenagers..."

Remembering the USS Nevada’s daring run for the sea during attack on Pearl Harbor Two of the battle’s last remaining survivors tell how teenage crew pulled off one of the most storied maneuvers in maritime military history.

Images from "a day that will live in infamy."

On April 6, 1917, the United States formally entered World War I. The Selective Service Act of 1917 began the draft, and Clarksville's initial quota was 121 men. Many of them posed for a picture on the Courthouse steps. Today, Clarksville's Doughboy Statue is located in front of the Tennessee State Veterans Home.

President Harry Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur 65 years ago this April. Although the President's action was very unpopular with the public (Truman's approval rating dropped to an astonishing low 22 percent in the months that followed), MacArthur's insubordination threatened one of the country's most cherished traditions: subordination of the military to the civilian political leadership.

Memorial to the World War II hero and APSU professor, Preston J. Hubbard. Professor Hubbard survived the Bataan Death March and years of captivity as a POW. Our nation owes him a debt of gratitude. Professor Michele Butts and Malcolm "Kip" Muir were just two of the distinguished guests who spoke at the ceremony.

Akershus Castle (Fortress)

From 1700-1721, the Great Northern War was fought between a multinational coalition that included Norway, Russia, and Prussia on one side and Sweden on the other. As a result of the war, Imperial Russia not only became the dominant nation on the Baltic, but also entered the ranks of the great European powers. Akershus Fortress, built to protect Oslo, was besieged 300 years ago this month by Swedish forces. The operation failed. The fortress, in fact, resisted many sieges in its history only to be surrendered without a fight to German forces in 1940 after the Norwegian government evacuated the capital. The fortress was liberated on 11 May 1945. The Norwegian collaborator, Vidkun Quisling, was sentenced to death and executed at Akershus.

This month marks the 220th anniversary of Napoleon's First Italian Campaign (1796 -1797). In March 1796, Napoleon was given command of the Army of Italy. In 18 months of inspired fighting, Napoleon's forces achieved a record of success rarely equaled in the history of war. With few resources and heavily outnumbered when the campaign began, French forces defeated seven opposing armies and captured over 150,000 soldiers, 2000 cannon, and huge quantities of military supplies and foodstuffs. Bonaparte single-handedly secured the safety of France against the First Coalition and, even more importantly, the accomplishments of the Revolution. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the campaign? It was initially conceived as a diversion for a larger operation by two French armies against the First Coalition in central Europe.

The AC-130 Spectre Gunship made its first flight in 1966 and was deployed in 1968. Armed for most of its history with two 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannons, one Bofors 40 mm autocannon, and one 105 mm M102 cannon, the Spectre is an awesome sight.

The Battle of Verdun began on February 21, 1916. The battle took place on the hills north of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France. Perhaps as many as 800,000 German and French soldiers became casualties, with at least 300,000 killed during the nine month struggle. The memorial cemetery and ossuary are pictured here.This site should see a massive turn out for the 100th anniversary later this month.

The Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge
In February 1776 over 2,000 Loyalist militia collided with a Patriot force of just over 1,000 at a bridge spanning Moore’s Creek in North Carolina. Over 900 Loyalists were killed, wounded, or captured. The battle was pivotal to the Patriot cause and is often referred to as the “Lexington and Concord of the South.” Without Loyalist forces to protect the British colonial government, Royal authority collapsed, allowing Patriot leaders to establish a state government. The Patriot victory also denied Britain use of North Carolina’s ports, which were logistically significant.