442 by Dean Hughes

This book is made for young kids to teenagers. Far below my reading level, as it would be described by teachers. But I love this book. It's so good. After reading this book, I felt interested in learning more about the actual 442, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

Summary

-After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, all people of Japanese descent are rounded up and sent to "war relocation centers", better known as internment camps because of Executive Order 9066, deeming them "enemy aliens." Yukus "Yuki" Nakahara and Shigeo "Shig" Omura join the US Army with other men to try and prove the Japanese people can be trusted. They get assigned to the famous 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an all Japanese military unit. They both see intense combat, face racial prejudice from other soldiers, the enemies and even people back home. But they also prove, along with the other Japanese soldiers from this unit, that the Japanese people can be trusted

35 Years Ago, Judas Priest was on trial for subliminal lyrics

35 years ago, British metal legends Judas Priest were called in to court to answer for subliminal lyrics supposedly put into their music.

The members of the band entered a Nevada court room on July 6, 1990, to answer for charges that claimed their music made two young men commit suicide. They removed their studded black leather and donned business suits as they entered the court room, along with their record label, ready to defend themselves against these accusations. It was all part of a civil suit, claiming that they manufactured and marketed a faulty product, committing intentional and reckless misconduct and negligence

During the opening day of arguments, attorney Kenneth McKennas stated "Judas Priest and CBS pander this stuff to alienated teenagers. The members of the chess club, the math and science majors don't listen to this stuff. It's the dropouts, the drug and alcohol abusers. So, our argument is you have a duty to be more cautious when you're dealing with a population susceptible to this stuff."

Lawyers brought up messages, some were overtly clear, while others were supposedly masked through backwards recording techniques, on albums of theirs, such as 1978's Stained Class. They argued that the victims, Raymond Belknap and James Vance, two teenagers from Sparks, Nevada, made a suicide pact and ended their lives on Dec. 23, 1985. According to Vance, before his 1988 death, that the evening started with alcohol, drugs and Judas Priest. He stated that the song "Beyond the Realms of Death" led the fronts to make an oath. The song features lyrics like "Keep the world with all its sin / It's not fit for living in", being sung by vocalist Rob Halford. Regarding the hidden messages, attorneys argued that they heard the words "do it" being said in the song "Better by You, Better Than Me."

Vance said "All of a sudden, we got a suicidal message. And we got tired of life." Later that night, Vance and Belknap shot themselves in the head in the playground of a nearby church with a 12 gauge shotgun. Belknap, who was only 18, died immediately. Vance, was was 20, however, survived. He destroyed most of his face, and had to undergo a series of painful reconstructive surgeries, before succumbing to a methadone overdose in 1988

In an earlier letter to his mother, Vance wrote "I believe that alcohol and heavy metal music such as Judas Priest led us to mesmerized." The Belknap family sued for $1.2 million while the Vance family asked for $5 million. Judas Priest pushed back hard against the allegations, just like when Ozzy Osbourne had the same types of charges filed against him. Judas Priest manager Bill Curbishley stated "I don't know what subliminals are, but I do know that there's nothing like that in this music. If we were going to do that, I'd be saying 'Buy seven copies', not telling a couple of screwed up kids to kill themselves."

The trial was front page news everywhere. It included mind blowing allegations, imagery. Rob Halford telling that lyrics he wrote he never took as "deep and meaningful." August 24, 1990 was welcome end to the tragedy. The Washoe County District Court dismissed the charges and the band was free to go.

30 WWII Myths That Were Made to Seem Real by Hollywood

When Hollywood makes a war movie, they sometimes tend to gloss over actual historical details in lieu of entertainment value. That means they neglect to make the event actually realistic. There's a massive world of difference between Hollywood's version of WWII and the actual reality of what happened. And some people believe what they see on the big screen. Here are 30 WWII myths Hollywood had people believing, as per the MSN.com page Back in Time Today and writer Ella Brown

1. The US won the war almost single handedly

-Hollywood will show the US as being the primary winners of the second World War. Films like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers. This view overshadows and totally neglects the efforts contributed by other countries. The Soviet Union played an important role. They bore most of the aggression from the Germans, most of the casualties occurring on the Russian Front, where no German soldier wanted to go. The UK and other Commonwealth troops, along with resistance movements, made a substantial impact

2. D-Day was all American

-Hollywood likes to create the impression it was only US-based troops who invaded on D-Day. This is simply not the case. Among the US troops, there were British, Canadian and Free French soldiers who stormed the beaches. They all, together faced resistance from the enemy holding the beach practically hostage. The unified work of all the various soldiers contributed a massive impact to the success of the landing

3. All Germans were fanatical supporters of the Nazi Party

-Once again, Hollywood has gotten it wrong. Any person who wore a German military uniform was not a fanatical supporter of the Nazi Party. Hollywood makes it out to seem that German soldiers were fanatical SS officers or ruthless, cold blooded Nazis. Many soldiers who joined the German military did so under duress or under conscription. Many who joined lacked support for Nazi ideology. Many of them simply wanted to serve their country with no intention of supporting the Nazi Party. Some deserted or resisted, which led to severe consequences

4. The French Resistance was everywhere

-France had come under the control of the Germans during WWII. Hollywood would have everyone believing that French Resistance groups were everywhere. While Hollywood films like Casablanca had everyone believing France was teeming with resistance groups, in reality it was not like that. Only 2% of the French population participated in these resistance movements, while another massive percentage of the population was simply enduring what they had to during the occupation

5. Americans Alone Liberated the Concentration Camps

-Once again, Hollywood had gotten it wrong just for entertainment value. Films such as Schindler's List, Band of Brothers often show just Americans as being the lone liberators of concentration camps. This is simply not the case and is a very limited point of view. In reality, Soviet soldiers liberated Auschwitz in January 1945. British soldiers liberated Bergen-Belsen. The efforts were that of the Allies, along with other nations making their contribution. The US did liberate some of the camps. They are Buchenwald, Dachau, Ohrdruf, Mauthausen, Dora-Mittelbau and Flossenburg. It's incredibly narrow minded to think that only Americans liberated the people from these factories of death, when in reality it was a multi-country effort to perform this humanitarian mission

6. Tanks exploded instantly

-Films like Fury show tanks as nothing more than death traps that will explode at the least little trigger. This is misleading. In reality, tank crews could take direct hits, as they designed with bulletproof armor plating. The casualties that occurred were from crews abandoning tanks under fire, not from explosives. This idea creates a false sense or knowledge about tanks. This leads people to thinking they were death traps rather than protective devices. This almost hides from view the strategic efforts and valiant bravery of their crews

7. The Japanese were all believers in being kamikazes

-Hollywood loves its war films. Films like Pearl Harbor and Iwo Jima show Japanese as fanatical kamikazes looking to take to the skies and take out enemy soldiers, sacrificing their lives in the name of patriotism. This is incorrect. Despite kamikaze attacks actually happening, they were more of a desperate measure. Many Japanese soldiers chose to surrender when and if possible, with a range of motivations. This "kamikaze" myth paints a rather bad picture of Japanese soldiers, not taking into account the complexities of their choices and experiences during war time

8. The Enigma Code was Cracked by Americans

-The 2014 film The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch puts a spotlight on the important role Alan Turing performed during WWII. Unfortunately, films from the US often put, into shadow, the contributions Britain made to the war effort. The team at Bletchley Park was incredibly important. The US involvement came later, building upon already established information. The idea that the Americans were successful in breaking the Enigma Code is false. The British had already made scores of discoveries in breaking the Enigma Code before the Americans came in

Alan Turing

Bletchley Park

9. Machine Guns Fired Endlessly Without Reloading

-Hollywood makes it seem like machine guns can fire endlessly without reloading, overheating and mowing down enemies. In the land of reality, machine guns did fire, but not repeatedly. They quickly overheated, required frequent reloads on ammo and frequent barrel changes. Careful management and teamwork is what proved to be effective for operational efficiency. The myth that machine guns fire endlessly diminishes the challenges the soldiers faced, especially when using them under enemy fire or duress

10. The Allies were "The Good Guys"

-In war films from Hollywood, the Allies were always portrayed as being the heroes, the good guys. While they did oppose tyranny, and they did fight other evil acts, not all acts performed by the Allies were so noble of heart. The Allies did have some skeletons in their closet that eventually saw the light of day. US internment camps for those deemed "enemy aliens", the bombing of Dresden by the British. When you take into account some of these darker acts, it adds to your understanding of WWII. It gives more depth to the actions performed during war time and highlights the troubled complexities often neglected in war films

11. The Nazis were Efficient

-Raiders of the Lost Ark, for example, show Nazi officers as being efficient soldiers, executing plans with top notch precision. This is heavily misleading. In the land of reality, Nazi-related logistics had chaos in them. Troops who were ill-equipped for cold weather battle suffered from mismanagement and lack of supplies in the Russian winters. When these real facts are clearly understood, it paints a more effective picture of the Nazi war machine, defeating the idea that they were incredibly efficient

12. Pearl Harbor Was a Surprise Attack

-The film Pearl Harbor shows the bombing on the naval base in Hawaii as a complete surprise. In fact, in reality, it was not a complete surprise. US-based intelligence groups had gotten information suggesting there was to be an imminent attack by the Japanese, but responsible actions had not been executed in time. Preventative measures had not been taken in enough time. This shows that when total surprise comes out over failures in intelligence, the following actions and complexities along with them could have altered history

13. Deep Snow was what The Battle of the Bulge was fought in

-Films like The Battle of the Bulge show soldiers fighting in deep snow. These conditions were not always present. Many soldiers fighting in the Battle of the Bulge fought in cold weather, muddy conditions and rain. Snowstorms did happen from time to time, but not the whole fight. The idea that it was only deep snow the soldiers fought in overshadows the harsh conditions the soldiers actually fought in

14. All German soldiers had perfect accents

-When Hollywood makes a war film involving Germans, the people usually cast as these officers often have a heavy, almost exaggerated German accent. This adds a bit of a stereotype to that role. Yet, many of these actors are not actually German. One good example is the 1960s-era television program Hogan's Heroes. This program takes place during WWII, in a German POW camp called Stalag-13. It centers on a group of Allied POWs who are in the care of German officers. The actors playing the German officers were not all German. Real German soldiers had diverse backgrounds and dialects they spoke with

-A very interesting fact about Hogan's Heroes is that the actors who played the German officers were actually of Jewish descent. It was the idea of actor John Banner, who played Sgt. Schultz, to have Jewish actors playing the German officers. The only actual German actor who appeared on the program was Werner Klemperer, who played Colonel Wilhelm Klink. He was German Jewish and had fled Nazi Europe. Howard Caine, who played SS Officer Major Hochstetter, was born in the US to a Jewish family. Leon Askin, who played General Burkhalter, was of Jewish ancestry, but born and raised in Vienna, Austria. The scar he had on the show was real. It was from getting beaten by the actual Nazi SS for being Jewish. John Banner, who played Sgt. Schultz, was of Jewish descent, and was born in Poland. He fled Poland to avoid capture from the Nazis

Werner Klemperer aka Colonel Klink

John Banner aka Sgt. Schultz

Leon Askin aka General Burkhalter

Howard Caine, aka Major Hochstetter

15. The US Army was fully integrated

-Very rarely will movies address the issue of segregation during war time. It often shows people of diverse backgrounds working together. In reality, it was not that. There was segregation within the military. African American soldiers faced discrimination, even during combat. These men were often put into their own units, destroying and impacting troop morale and the idea of unity. The idea that the US military was integrated hides the actual fact that the various troops were from various walks of life, from various ethnic groups. It hides the racial challenges these troops faced simply because they were not white

16. Atomic bombs ended the war fast

-As seen in the recent film Oppenheimer, atomic bombs were made to seem like the war ended instantly with the dropping of these machines of death and that Japan immediately surrendered. Other factors came into play. When the Soviets invaded Manchuria on Aug. 8, 1945, they dealt significant damage to Japanese troops, playing a heavy part on their surrender. The idea that the atomic bombs ended the war fast is a myth, not to be believed for even a second

18. All SS officers were brutal, cold hearted monsters

-Films like Schindler's List and Inglorious Basterds make it seem like the Nazi SS officers were all cold hearted, cruel monsters. In reality, it was far more complicated. There were people like Oskar Dirlewanger who were believably cruel, while others were more bureaucrats, stuck in the Nazi system without resorting to brutality. Understanding these complex situations helps reveal that there is not just one single narrative to the nature of the SS roles

19. The French Army was useless

-In films, French military officers were shown as lazy or ineffective. This is a very harsh view. French troops fought bravely and valiantly. Unfortunately, 100,000 French soldiers were killed in six weeks in 1940. Their resistance helped set in motion the work for Allied success later on. When one thinks that the French were lazy and ineffective simply because it was in a movie, that diminishes the actual work of the real French military. It impacts the bravery, sacrifices and perseverance they performed with in dire circumstances

20. Americans never executed POWs

-War films made in Hollywood always show US troops adhering to the Geneva Convention. Reality says otherwise. There were instances where Germans who surrendered were executed by US soldiers, especially after the concentration camps were liberated. This idea challenges the concept of good ethical behavior, reflecting the emotional tolls war took on individuals

21. The British were always good mannered and noble

-Dunkirk, while being a historical period war film, shows British troops as being heroic, passing by any detail of moral debates. Not all decisions were so noble of heart. It was said that British troops left Indian and African troops behind when retreat was called. Knowing this will defeat any idealized images and brings to light the often hard choices made during war time

22. The Pacific War was only between the US and Japan

-Hollywood enjoys making it seem like the war in the Pacific was only between the US and Japan. Reality has something to say about that. Allied forces included Australians, Chinese and Filipinos. They together fought against the Japanese, each making their own unique contribution to the war effort. When films ignore these contributions, it reduces the rich, interesting history of war time alliances. It reduces the knowledge of all those who fought against Japanese forces

23. The Warsaw Uprising was a sort-of last stand only seen in Hollywood

-In Hollywood, when the Warsaw Uprising is mentioned, they tend to gloss it up or even romanticize it. In reality, it was far more grim. Polish resistance fought valiantly for 63 days while the Soviet Union delayed assistance, resulting in injuries and death. This episode in history shows that when assistance is not provided to those who need it, grim consequences will result

24. All spies were glamorous

-Casablanca often paints a romantic picture of being a spy abroad. It fills the world of espionage with romance, glamor, mystery and intrigue. In reality, being a spy abroad was far less than that. Most people working as spies were ordinary people, operating in shadows and working under constant danger. Many spies who were discovered were captured and executed. When Hollywood makes films about spies abroad, they paint a rose-colored filter over the harsh realities of being a spy. Instead they focus on a dramatic, not so real version that hides the lives and experiences of those who really worked in espionage

25. The US did not use flamethrowers repeatedly

-In films from Hollywood, it is made to seem that the US didn't use flamethrowers all that often. In reality, flamethrowers were used extensively. They were used frequently in the Pacific for clearing out caves and bunkers where Japanese troops might be holed up. It led to ghastly outcomes for those inside. This idea is misleading and leads to those who read them to believe a non-violent, cleaner image of tactics used by the US military. It ignores and bypasses the harsh realities of the widespread use of flamethrowers during war time

26. Nazis were the only ones working with human experimentation

-The Boys from Brazil, a war time film starring Gregory Peck as Dr. Josef Mengele, shows the Nazis being the ones to focus or work with human experimentation. But, reality has shown all, that the Nazis were not alone in work with human experimentation. Unit 731 in Japan conducted experiments in China while in the US, unethical experiments involving medical studies were carried out, such as the Tuskegee syphilis experiment. This experiment involved African American men who participated in a study to show the natural progression of the untreated disease. The idea that the Nazis were the only ones to carry out human experimentation is misleading. This is a fail to acknowledge the wider range of human rights violations during that time

27. Luck was what won The Battle of Midway

-The film Midway puts great emphasis on good luck and nothing short of miracles as being the reason the US won during the Battle of Midway. This idea strongly hides the strategic planning that went into the fight. Codebreakers working in the US had deciphered Japanese communications, allowing for the planning of highly informed and well planned military maneuvers. This is what led to the victory, not pure luck. The idea that it was "pure luck" that the Battle of Midway was won by shows a limited knowledge of the planning that went into it

28. The RAF was entirely British

-The film The Battle of Britain shows the RAF as being only British soldiers, completely ignoring the additional international personalities that were also part of the RAF. In the world of reality, 20% of the RAF pilots were from other countries, such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Canada. They made major contributions to the war effort. The idea that the RAF was only British hides the unique friendships and relationships that made the RAF strong, focusing only on contributions from the British

29. The US didn't work with spies from the Soviet Union

-Films depicting the Cold War tend to overlook with a blind eye the collaboration during WWII between the US and Soviet intelligence agencies, showing them as enemies. During The Manhattan Project, which was investigating the creation of nuclear technology, this project was infiltrated by Soviet spies, revealing there were alliances at work. This idea makes the world of espionage seem simple, ignoring the sometimes strained relationships that often happened during war time and involved intelligence

30. The war ended in 1945

-Hollywood films make it seem like the war ended cleanly in 1945. The reality of war was far more different. In post-war Europe and Asia, reality was far from over. Famines, civil wars and just overall chaos erupted in Greece, China. The idea that the war ended in 1945 all but hides the hideous aftermath, forgetting the lingering effects and crises that affect the human populace that went beyond history

19 Brutal Realities Soldiers Faced in Vietnam

A war no one should have fought, the Vietnam War killed many and left just as many coming home damaged, suffering from PTSD, or "Vietnam Syndrome." What's truly sad is that when these soldiers returned home, they were called foul names like "baby killer" and treated with disdain rather than respect. According to MSN.com page Back in Time Today, and writer Samuel Cole, here are 19 brutal realities soldiers had to face in Vietnam

1. Constant humidity that rotted out everything

-Because of the high humidity in the Vietnamese jungle, everything rotted. Soldier's bodies never fully dried off because of the humidity. It was usually running at 90% humidity most of the time, and that type of weather is the perfect breeding ground for fungal infections that attacked the groin, underarms and feet. Despite constant cleaning, weapons rusted overnight. The clothing on the soldier's backs become rotted out and leather boots virtually disintegrated just weeks into wearing them. Food spoiled very quickly and ammunition had to be wiped down almost constantly. The moisture even leaked into the technology and other items being used. Radios failed, maps disintegrated, troop morale went very low as they fought nature in addition to the enemy forces

2. Leeches dropping down like rain

-These parasitic bloodsuckers made life in Vietnam even worse. When out on jungle patrols, soldiers had to worry about leeches dropping from trees. Daily jungle patrols was like ringing a dinner bell for these parasites. They would attach themselves to exposed skin without warning, especially in watery areas. When soldier's removed them improperly, infections set in through the open wounds because their heads could remain in the skin. Veterans of this war recall using salt packets from their rations or burning cigarettes to force them to detach

3. Traps around every corner

-On any patrol, soldiers never knew what they were going to encounter around the next corner. They didn't know if the Viet Cong had booby trapped the trail with two claymore mines attached by a trip wire to trees. Or if there was dangerous wildlife waiting for them. The Viet Cong created deadly traps for the patrolling soldiers. Punji stakes, which are sharpened sticks of bamboo set in a pit, was covered with a light covering that would give if someone stepped on it. These stakes were covered in fecal matter, which guaranteed a slow, agonizing death from infection. Trip wires triggered to ignite explosives were another reality, while trip wires or bent trees would activate a nail studded board to swing out into patrols at face or chest level, impaling the victim and subjecting them to a slow, agonizing death

4. Venomous snakes!

-The Southeast of Asia is known for having venomous snakes. The jungles of Vietnam alone had 140 species of snakes, dozens of them being terribly deadly. Such as the bamboo pit viper, whose nickname is the "three step snake", because the victim would only make it three steps before dying from the potent venom. King cobras were another one. They can reach up to 18 feet in length, with enough venom to kill elephants. Soldiers had to sleep with almost one eye open, keeping their boots on and checking their sleeping bags on a regular basis. While medics did carry antivenin, in remote areas, these snake bites proved fatal before any sort of evacuation was possible. Many units reported casualties from snake bites and other wildlife encounters than from contact with the Viet Cong during certain missions

5. Relentless mosquitoes

-Mosquitoes are said to be the deadliest creature on the planet. They carry more diseases than one can imagine or even want to imagine. Hot, humid, tropical environments like Vietnam are considered the dream home of mosquitoes. Soldiers stationed in Vietnam had to battle these disease-riddled parasites. Between the constant buzzing and relentless itching, these soldiers were fighting an additional battle. These insects carried diseases like Japanese encephalitis, malaria, dengue fever. At least 40,000 troops were affected by malaria, despite the preventative methods used to eliminate the mosquitoes. Soldiers bathed themselves in military-issued insect killer containing high concentrations of DEET. While this irritated skin, it proved to be little protection. Mosquito nets became precious luxuries, but using them on patrol was near impossible. For many soldiers, it was psychological torture, having to lie awake, listening to the constant buzz of mosquitoes waiting to strike a victim

6. Monsoon rains that never ended

-Because Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, that region is subject to monsoons each year. Those storms would transform battlefields into watery nightmares. Heavy rains could turn jungle paths into rivers and fill foxholes with mud, turning them into ponds. Operations slowed down tremendously due to helicopters not being able to fly in low visibility. Soldiers developed immersion foot, also known as trench foot, from their constantly wet boots. This caused painful skin infections that led to amputation if left untreated. The psychological damage was also a reality. The constant beating of rain on helmets and jungle canopies drove some men to their limit during patrols

7. Invisible enemies using guerilla warfare tactics

-Viet Cong fighters were almost like ninjas. They seemingly disappeared after attacking, leaving the US troops to wonder if they were fighting phantoms. Viet Cong used underground tunnels to appear and disappear at will. These tunnels also held caches of weapons, ammo, hospitals, sleeping quarters and more. They could virtually live underground in these tunnels, which stretched for miles, without stepping foot above ground. Troops who would patrol these tunnels would be referred to as "tunnel rats." This job in itself was terrifying; it was psychological torture at its best. The soldier doing the patrol didn't know what was around the next corner. If it was an armed Viet Cong, a highly poisonous Chinese cobra, a trip wire set up to trigger explosives. The thought of fighting an enemy who could appear / disappear at will caused high anxiety among soldiers

8. Immense heat draining strength

-During the day, temperatures soared to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity. Carrying heavy amounts of gear made it worse. The soldiers were often carrying around 70+ pounds of gear, meaning they were subject to heat exhaustion and heatstroke during daytime patrols. This often required a medical evacuation. Discipline with rations also became a reality. Soldiers had to learn how to ration their water, despite their bodies requiring more. Some patrols carried three gallons per man to just avoid dehydration, which was an impossible task in itself to carry. The heat made simple tasks into nearly impossible goals. The heat alone caused men to lose 10-15 pounds in their first weeks because their bodies were struggling to adapt to this brutal environment while also staying battle ready

9. The Devastating Psychological Toll on Soldiers

-The hot, steamy jungle created the perfect storm of psychological damage. There was the constant threat of an ambush, booby traps were lurking within the shadows, dangerous wildlife waiting to strike. This all combined kept the soldiers in a highly tense state of hypervigilance and it drained the mental reserves they had. Sleep deprivation was a very real thing and made these symptoms far worse. Many man developed what is known as the "thousand yard stare"- blank, unfocused gazes indicating severely deep psychological trauma, even after extended combat tours. Unlike the wars before that had clear front lines, there were no clear front lines with Vietnam. There were no safe zones where soldiers could relax and decompress. There was the constantly present thought that danger lurked everywhere, it could come from any direction. It created and bred anxiety disorders that many veterans, years later and to this day, still fight

10. Insects everywhere!

-In addition to disease-riddled mosquitoes, the Vietnamese jungles were crawling with insect life along with other wild life. Fire ants swarmed the tents, crawling over soldiers and inflicting painful bites that resulted in welts and allergic reactions. Giant venomous centipedes hid in the darkness of boots and equipment. Large spiders, some with leg spans going past 6'', would fall from trees on to unsuspecting troops. Termites and beetles wreaked havoc on the wooden rifle stocks and other equipment. The most irritating insect of all were tiny biting midges that could penetrate the mosquito netting. They would bite soldiers, leaving them with itchy welts that quickly became infected in the hot and steamy conditions

11. Contaminated water

-It was a battle in itself just to find clean drinking water. The waters in the Vietnamese jungle were rife with bacteria, parasites and chemical contaminants. If ingested, intestinal distress soon came calling. Soldiers had to choose between dysentery and dehydration. They soon received water purification tablets that rendered this dangerous water safe. Despite giving the water a chemical taste that many could not stomach, it led some men to drink the tainted water out of desperation. This resulted in painful waves of diarrhea that left troops in a weakened state during the most critical operations. When supplies ran low,, especially during extended patrols, soldiers got creative. They would filter water through t-shirts to remove visible parasites before drinking the water. It was a crude, but effective way before adding the water purification tablets

12. Flesh-Eating Bacteria and Infections

-Any sort of minor scrape or cut became a life threatening situation in the hot and steamy environment that was Vietnam. Jungle ulcers-painful infections that expanded and ate away at flesh-became a reality. These would develop from the smallest cuts. Without immediate medical attention, these could go down as far as bone and cause sepsis, or blood poisoning. Antibiotics became a dream come true for those who suffered from jungle ulcers. They were essential on patrols. Medics were fighting a battle themselves against the many tropical diseases that seemed to lurk out there, diseases that had no American versions they were familiar with. The mixture of constant moisture, heat, various microorganisms and parasites signaled that even properly treated wounds often festered. Many soldiers carried extra socks not for comfort but for foot infections, infections that could make a man unable to walk within days

13. Dense Vegetation Limiting Visibility and Hiding Enemies

-Despite being the middle of the day, the dense jungle canopy made patrols think it was nightfall. Visibility was strongly limited to only a few feet ahead. Triple-canopy forests blocked out sunlight completely, forcing some soldiers to resort to using flashlights, even if it was the middle of the day. They had to move slow through this dense jungle, using machetes to clear away dense brush. This would slow troop movements and announce to the enemy that there were patrols out there. It would literally announce the movements and location of soldiers. The limited visibility combined with the darkness from the canopy created a perfect breeding ground for ambushes and made it nearly impossible to spot any booby traps before they were triggered. Calling in for air support was all but useless when troops could not see any sort of landmark or even the sky for when the chopper would show up. Many soldiers eventually would develop claustrophobia from the constant feeling of being closed in by the suffocating vegetation

14. Becoming Disoriented from Jungle Noises

-The various noises of the jungle would challenge the sanity of even the toughest soldier. Nights brought on noises that bordered on deafening, such as insects and frogs, which would hide the sound of approaching enemy troops. US soldiers struggled to tell the difference between natural jungle noises and human movement. Monkeys screeched in the jungle canopy overhead, mimicking human screams. This caused false alarms and frayed nerves. The constant noise made communicating with others nearly impossible. Hand signals replaced verbal commands on patrols. Some veterans state that the sudden, unusual silence when wildlife detected a threat was the most terrifying noise of all-it signaled that enemy troops were in the vicinity

15. Inadequate equipment for jungle warfare

-US troops were ill equipped for fighting soldiers who were well trained in the art of jungle warfare. Early in the war, US troops received equipment better suited for European battlefields, not rainy, swampy Southeast Asian jungles. Standard-issue boots fell apart within weeks in the wet conditions, heavy cotton uniforms took days to dry when soaking wet. The M16 rifles issued to soldiers jammed constantly in the muddy conditions, leading to fatal results in firefights. Soldiers often took AK-47s from fallen Viet Cong, which proved reliable to them. Radio equipment struggled to work in the high humidity while the dense vegetation limited the range. Many soldiers and units got creative and improvised a solution. They would wrap equipment in plastic, modified uniform items and developed unofficial gear rules that contradicted what the official military guidelines instructed. But these improvised rules worked and kept soldiers alive

16. Mud, mud everywhere!

-The mud in Vietnamese jungles was of the variety that it was sticky clay. It stuck to everything it touched. Monsoon season made it worse, allowing this mud to reach thigh-high heights on jungle pathways, making each step more exhausting than the last. These exhausting steps burned precious energy and calories. Vehicles constantly got stuck, forcing troops to abandon the medical transport and move forward with their own two feet. The suction the mud created could quite literally pull boots off of soldiers' feet. In addition to the physical challenge of the mud, the constant presence of this clay mud bred psychological fatigue. Men gave up the hope of ever feeling clean or dry. Veterans of this war state the mud as one of their most unpleasant memories

17. Limited opportunities for medical evacuation

-When injuries were inflicted in deep jungle, medical evacuations were literally life or death situations, a race against time. Helicopter evacuations required a cleared landing zone by cutting down trees. A process that could take hours while the injured slowly succumbed to their injuries. Many areas had extraction points where the injured had to be carried to just to get evacuated out. These extraction points often had soldiers walking through hostile territory. The threat of hostile territory combined with the physical toll of carrying stretchers through the jungle bred exhaustion in even the toughest soldier. During bad weather, medevac helicopters couldn't fly at all. This forced field medics to perform emergency medical care with limited supplies. Many veterans remember the haunting sound of wounded comrades calling for medics in areas deemed too dangerous for an immediate rescue

18. Physical demands exhausting troops

-Soldiers going out on patrols often had to carry 70 pounds or more of gear. Toss in the challenging terrain to this and it often left soldiers physically exhausted. It was a mission in itself to climb mountains in jungle terrain while also remaining on high alert for enemy movement. Typical infantry supplies included a weapon, ammunition, grenades, mines, food rations, tools for digging trenches, poncho, canteen for water, first aid kit and equipment for communicating. During some operations, some men lost up to 30% of their body weight. The demands for energy were so high that the military increased rations to 3,600 daily calories, which proved to still be insufficient for the requirements of the soldiers. Many veterans recall the constant exhaustion as their most vivid memory

19. Being isolated from the outside world

-Being on operations deep in the Vietnamese jungle, soldiers often went weeks or months without contact from home. Mail delivery was unreliable. Letters would often arrive either not at all or after long delays. The psychological impact of not having contact from home proved to be completely devastating to the soldiers. Many of the men missed the births of their children, deaths of family members, important life events. This created a feeling of being disconnected from everyday life. The only news from America came through via Armed Forces Radio or heavily censored newspapers. These formats offered a limited view on the growing anti-war protests. Many of the men felt they were fighting in a different world. They felt completely cut off from the world they were trying to defend

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen creates controversy at this past weekend's Spanish Grand Prix

I witnessed this controversy go down. I was watching the race with my family and we all watched it go down. The team radios were lit up like Christmas trees with commentary from the drivers. Quite a great deal of profanity coming from George Russell and Max Verstappen. It made me angry to see this; George Russell is one of my favorite drivers. Sebastian Vettel is my other favorite driver, but he no longer races

According to MSN.com page YardBarker, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has one more controversy to his name. The previous weekend had the F1 racers in Monaco, home territory for Ferrari driver Charles LeClerc (pronounced "sharl le claire). Verstappen ripped into the FIA for a rule change. This rule change involved the stating of only two pit stops minimum. This caused havoc and mayhem for those intending to box (F1 terminology for making a pit stop)

This past weekend was the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, home territory for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr. Verstappen committed another infraction. The infraction committed by the Dutch driver was that in the 66 lap race, Verstappen was in fourth and Mercedes AMG Petronas driver George Russell was in fifth. Red Bull engineers and team told Verstappen to move aside and let Russell pass after tapping Russell's car on a safety car restart on Lap 62. The Safety Car was initiated after Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Kimi Antonelli suffered mechanical failure, causing his car to break down and run into the gravel pit

At first, it looked as though Verstappen was complying with the order, but instead he collided hard with Russell's car while trying to keep Russell from passing, causing a flurry of swearing to emerge from Russell. Suffice to say, the still running Mercedes driver was on fire. This earned Verstappen a 10 second penalty from the stewards, knocking him down to 10th place

When asked about it afterwards, George Russell stated via a Sky Sports interview "I was as surprised as you guys were. I've seen those sort of maneuvers before on simulator games and go karting, but never in F1. Ultimately, we came home in P4, and he came home in P10. I don't really know what was going through his mind. It felt deliberate in the moment, so it felt surprising."

Nico Rosberg, a former Formula 1 driver himself, but now Sky Sports analyst, agrees wholeheartedly with Russell. According to Nate Saunders of ESPN, Verstappen should have been red flagged and disqualified for the collision. Of course, Verstappen didn't apologize. Following the race, Verstappen said "I'll bring some tissues next time."

In races to follow, Verstappen should be far more careful. Race stewards issued him three penalty points for him. He currently has 11 penalty points on his super license. He will be suspended for one race if he is issued another in the races to come, in Canada and Austria. Missing one race for Verstappen would be deadly because he is losing ground in the race for the drivers' championship. In terms of ranking, he has 137 points, making him third behind McLaren driver Lando Norris, who has 176 and Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, who has 186 points

Verstappen's aggressive driving style and arrogant attitude could make enemies of other teams and drivers. It seems, however, he does not care whether he is liked or disliked, as long as he's winning or getting into first place. This type of mindset is making him one of the grid's more polarizing racers

19 Historical Events You May or May Not Have Been Taught in School

History classes in school can only teach so much in a small amount of time. It's up to you to learn additional stuff, if you want to. According to MSN.com writer Aria Moore from the page Back in Time Today, here are 19 historical truths you may or may not have learned in school

1. The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)

-Back in the past, it was not uncommon for cities to have segregated sections. White sections and black sections. Tulsa, Oklahoma was no different. A mob of white people had entered the predominantly black neighborhood of Greenwood in 1921. This region of town was known as the black Wall Street because of the many successful businesses there. This neighborhood was almost wiped off of the map, left a smoldering ruin. Hundreds of people were killed, thousands left homeless. This was considered to be a violent outburst of racial hatred and it was left out of history books for reasons that are unknown. The trauma stayed behind for years

2. The US invasion of the Philippines (1899-1902)

-Coming in hot on the heels of the Spanish-American War, the US entered another conflict. This involved the US laying claim to the Philippines, which didn't sit well with Filipino independence fighters. This war resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of Filipino residents. Many people were left in the dark about the brutal tactics to win this war. It was a troubling sign of US expansion. It signals how things can look way one but actually happen another

3. Japanese American internment camps (1942-1945)

-Following the sneak attack bombing on Hawaiian naval base Pearl Harbor, over 120,000 people of Japanese origin or ancestry was sentenced to a "war relocation center", better known as internment camps. Places like Rohwer, Jerome, Minidoka, Heart Mountain, Tule Lake and most famously, Manzanar, were the places where these people of Japanese descent were sent. They were considered "enemy aliens" simply because they looked like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. This unjust act was fueled by paranoia and also racism. Families were torn apart, forced to endure harsh conditions in these camps. They lived in a constant state of fear and discrimination in these camps. This dark time in history left a lasting scar. But, there was hope. Many of the internees showed they were truly patriotic and they were resilient

-And, a very interesting fact is that one of the most famous military units emerged out of the camps. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, aka the 442, emerged from these camps. This military unit was comprised solely of Japanese men in the camps who wanted to prove they were loyal to the US. Their motto was "go for broke", a phrase they learned from Hawaiian Japanese they were with, who would gamble until there was nothing left. The 442 were the toughest fighters and they became known as the Purple Heart Battalion because of the high number of killed / wounded in action

4. The Wilmington Coup (1898)

-In Wilmington, North Carolina in 1898, a successful coup was mounted. White supremacists overthrew a biracially elected and also legal government. This led to the deaths of dozens of people. This coup was violent in nature and it shows clearly the lengths some will go to ensure a certain type of racial hierarchy. This short-lived biracial government had nothing more than hope for all races to work in harmony. The damage this event left has left an ugly stain and scar on the US democracy system and race relations. This scar took years to heal

5. The US government performing "redlining"

-"Redlining" is the process of marking clearly defined areas where certain minorities are not allowed to be. In the 20th century, federal housing was controlled by redlining. These practices are considered discriminatory, as it targeted black families, preventing them from owning a home. Maps would mark areas as "high risk", which kept investment low. This process of exclusion only highlighted racial discrimination, leaving a nasty scar behind that would take years to heal. Unfortunately, redlining seems to still exist today. It's visible in the many urban landscapes, showing up in the forms of education, health and overall economic concerns. One must understand the process of redlining to help address this concern

6. Operation Paperclip (post-WWII)

-When WWII ended, the US started Operation Paperclip. This operation consisted of recruiting over 1,600 Nazi scientists, including Werner von Braun. They helped contribute to scientific works and discoveries and even advanced technology. The recruitment of these individuals was controversial, at best, because of their past affiliations with the Nazi Germany government. This operation was designed to show that there were complexities in ethics and that they must be faced in pursuit of progress

7. The 1914 Ludlow Massacre

-The National Guard of Ludlow, Colorado attacked coal miners and their families who were striking for better conditions in 1914. This fight between the coal miners, their families and the National Guard resulted in dozens of deaths, including kids. The miners were requesting better working conditions and it was met not with better conditions, but with death, violence and destruction. This clearly shows the struggles of labor people had to contend with in the early 20th century. This resulted in better labor reform and showed that workers would fight for rights

8. The CIA playing an essential role in foreign events

-In the 20th century, the CIA has performed several missions overseas. Including Iran in 1953, Guatemala in 1954, Chile in 1973. These covert, black ops operations were performed with the intention of placing settlements who were favorable to interests in the US and destabilizing the local regions. This interference was created by Cold War politics. Meaning that strategic gains were prioritized over a country's leadership. These missions left a lasting mark on the nations entered, creating long-standing instability and obvious resentment towards foreign policy from the US

9. Boarding schools for Native Americans

-It's always been known that Native Americans would face discrimination. From the 1800s to the 20th century, the children of Native American people were forcibly taken from their homes and families and forced into boarding schools. This process was designed to erase their cultural traces from them, forcing these children to adopt Western values and practices and even language. This loss of heritage, identity and family bonds opened a deep wound in generations of families. This policy affected many, and understanding it today is key for healing

-Ironically, there was something similar to this done in Australia. Children of Aboriginal people were taken from their homes by Australian government and church officials. This was done with the hope of assimilating these children into white society. The children were denied access to the Aboriginal culture, language and heritage. These children taken from their homes would be referred to as "The Stolen Generations"

10. The Trail of Tears

-This aptly named trail was forcibly relocating Native Americans in the name of US expansion. This trail resulted in deaths from disease and starvation. This trail was a sign of US expansion, the government lacking any regard for the rights of indigenous people and sovereign nations in order to gain more land for white settlers

11. US getting involved in slavery after 1808

-There was a ban put into place in 1808 banning transatlantic slave trading. Unfortunately, slavery thrived in the US until 1865. The economy in the South lived on forced labor, supported by both political and economical reasons. This period shows the contradictions in the growing nation, fighting for freedom while also showing people as prisoners. The resilience of these enslaved people showed clearly and played a major role in their liberation

12. Deacons for Defense and Justice

-The Civil Rights era of the mid-20th century was a turning point for the rights of all. The 1950s and 1960s were a turbulent time. Civil Rights violations occurred with a frightening frequency. A group calling themselves the Deacons for Defense and Justice emerged. Initially formed to protect activists from violence from the Ku Klux Klan, this group consisted of armed African American people, they ensured safer marches, safer rallies, providing evidence that resistance could be done peacefully. Their story is one of a fight for civil rights, but done peacefully

13. COINTELPRO (1956-1971)

-The FBI launched a mission called COINTELPRO. This targeted civil rights and activist groups. These groups included the Black Panther Party, Martin Luther King Jr. The whole initiative behind this mission was to disrupt and even discredit these movements. It showed the lengths governments would go to to maintain control of the populations, even infringing on civil liberties. Because of the shadowy nature of this mission, it created greater scrutiny in the intelligence agencies and formed a growing distrust of governmental power

14. Repatriation of Mexico (1930s)

-The Great Depression hit people hard. No one had money or jobs. And it was not just the US that was affected. Many Mexicans and US-born Mexicans, over 1 million people, were deported or forced to leave the US. This mass flooding of people back to Mexico was fueled by scapegoating and discrimination. This was a dark episode in history, showing the recurring pattern of targeting certain ethnic minority groups during times of crisis. It's important to understand events such as these, so as to understand the social issues that happen in today's world

15. Anti-Chinese Violence and Exclusion Acts

-In the early 20th century, there was a law called the The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This law banned the whole Chinese ethnic group from immigrating to the US. This led to massive violence against already established Chinese communities. While in the US, Chinese immigrants faced constant discrimination, yet they made huge contributions to US society. This exclusion act highlights the act of immigration policies deeply rooted in racial bias. Understanding this part of history helps one understand the continuing issues of racial / ethnic discrimination

16. The 1933 Business Plot

-A plot was created in 1933 by a group of wealthy businessmen to overthrow then President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A Marine General named Smedley Butler revealed the plot, which had come to be known as the Business Plot. Despite no one being prosecuted, this revealed tensions between the economic classes and governmental power. This is a strange, but curious part of history. It shows just what can happen when democracy is fragile and it's left with unchecked ambition

17. American Eugenics Movement

-Prior to Nazi Germany performing the act of "removing" any threat to the Master Race, as they called it, removing anyone they deemed "unfit for human life", the US had a sort of eugenics program running. The US would have forced sterilizations of those who were considered "unfit." This movement was rooted in scientific beliefs, seeking to control human reproduction. Policies unfairly targeted certain groups, reflecting barely hidden prejudices. This movement, inspired by Nazi ideologies, shows just how dangerous scientific abuse can be. Knowing this bit of history helps for understanding the debates on ethical research and genetics

18. The role slavery played in the American Revolution

-When Britain offered a friendly hand to enslaved people during the Revolutionary War, offering them freedom, this posed a massive threat to slaveholders. This offer made a major influence on the war, intensifying the fear of emancipation. Individuals who were enslaved were torn between the opposing sides. When one understands the difficult decisions to make in a time like that, it shows the contradictions one faces with the fight for independence

19. The actual effects of the GI Bill

-The GI Bill was a miracle for soldiers returning from WWII. This bill could allow a soldier to go to school if they wanted to. To buy a home. To do almost anything to make their life better after returning from combat. Unfortunately, the systematic racism meant the GI Bill was excluded from black veterans. These veterans were denied access to housing, educational opportunities. This inequality shows that it is important to guarantee that there is no reason why one group is allowed access to things while another is not, despite being in the same role. Understanding this is important for understanding the same opportunities for all veterans, no matter the skin color or race or ethnicity