Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 31, 1944: Soviet forces trap German Army Group North in the Courland Peninsula of Lithuania for the rest of the war.
US Navy opens WAVES to black women.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 30, 1944: Aaron Copland/Martha Graham ballet, Appalachian Spring, premieres in the Library of Congress.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 28, 1944: Axis Bulgaria signs armistice with the Allies. US B-29s fly first mission from the Marianas.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 26, 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf concludes with a decisive US victory, despite heavy Japanese kamikaze attacks. This battle marks the virtual collapse of the Japanese Navy.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 25, 1944: Japanese forces take advantage of the naval diversion and attack US ground troops at Leyte in the Philippines.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 24, 1944: Fifty black sailors are convicted of mutiny in the controversial Port Chicago case. After only 80 minutes deliberation, all 50 men receive 15-year sentencea.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 23, 1944: Battle of Leyte Gulf begins as Japanese fleet lures the US Third Fleet away from the landing beaches at Leyte in the Philippines.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 22, 1939: Soviets clamp down on occupied Poland, closing factories & schools, banning the Polish language & typewriters, and burning churches.
65 Years Ago - October 22, 1944: First use of napalm - US fighters drop napalm on oil storage tanks on Ceram Island in the Pacific.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 21, 1939: President Roosevelt establishes an advisory committee on uranium.
65 Years Ago - October 21, 1944: US First Army takes Aachen, the first German city to fall to the Allies.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 20, 1944: US Sixth Army lands at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who declares, "I have returned."

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 19, 1944: Japanese Vice-Admiral Onishi Takijino orders the formation of a kamikaze force to attack Allied ships around the Philippines.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 18, 1939: Hitler authorizes U-boats to attack any ships traveling in convoys. President Roosevelt orders US waters off-limits to subs of warring nations.
65 Years Ago - October 18, 1944: Hitler activates Volksturm, a militia of all men 16-60 years old. Greek government returns to Athens.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 17, 1939: Movie premiere of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 16, 1939: First air attack of war on Britain - German Ju 88s attack British ships in the Firth of Forth, and are engaged by RAF Spitfires.
65 Years Ago - October 16, 1944: In Germany, bread ration cut to 7 ounces per week.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 15, 1944: As Soviets cross Hungary, the Hungarian regent, Admiral Mikos Horthy, is deposed by the Germans and replaced with a fascist leader, Ferenc Szalasi.

Bay Area Revell Authors' Booksigning

Bay Area friends! Would you like to meet five authors at one event? (Sorry, but one of them is me.) Come to The Door Christian Bookstore in San Carlos on Saturday, November 21 from 2-4pm for fun, music, and book talk. In addition to signing books, we'll be chatting about "The Story Behind the Story," how we each got started writing. Granted, I have nothing to sign yet, but my publisher, Revell, will be providing excerpts from A Distant Melody. And I'll have bookmarks!! Interested? Check out the link for The Door at: http://www.thedoorchristian.com/featured.html
or contact me for more info. Please feel free to send this to anyone who might be interested, or I can send you postcards to mail to your friends. I hope you all can come!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 14, 1939: German U-boat U-47 sinks British battleship HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow in the Orkneys; 883 killed.
65 Years Ago - October 14, 1944: German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, a suspect in the July 20 Hitler assassination plot, commits suicide to protect his family.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 13, 1944: Soviets take Riga, Latvia. US secures Palau Islands in the Pacific.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 12, 1939: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain rejects Hitler's "peace offer."
65 Years Ago - October 12, 1944: First B-29 Superfortress arrives in the Marianas, Joltin' Josie, flown by 21st Bomber Command CO, General Hansell.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 11, 1939: NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund established to fight discrimination.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 10, 1939: Hitler forms Winter Relief, forced charitable contributions from German civilians.
65 Years Ago - October 10, 1944: British troops take Corinth, Greece; Germans retreating from Greece.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 9, 1939: German battleship Deutschland captures neutral US freighter City of Flint, creating international incident.
65 Years Ago - October 9, 1944: Third Moscow Conference opens between Churchill and Stalin.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 8, 1939: The New York Yankees win their fourth straight World Series, defeating the Cincinnati Reds.

Got Idols?

In ancient times, people worshipped idols. They bowed down to chunks of wood or metal fashioned to look like cows or people or birds, trusted in them, and devoted themselves to them.

We laugh at that. We know better.

Or do we? Do we bow down over our computer keyboards, investing our time in celebrity updates, YouTube videos, and Facebook—and say we don’t have time to read the Bible? Do we trust in our abilities, finances, and strength—without asking for God’s guidance? Do we devote ourselves to sports or TV or our latest gadgets—and grumble about tithing and serving?

Idolatry happens whenever we put anything above the Lord. This doesn’t mean we can’t follow our favorite team, meet our friends on-line, or keep an eye on our financial portfolios. God gave us many good gifts—to serve Him, to help others, and yes, for our enjoyment. But whenever anything comes between us and the Lord, we need to watch out.

God designed the laws of nature that allow our technologies. He gave us our abilities and strength. He created the natural resources we use, and provided everything we own. How foolish we are to put the creation above the Creator, how ungrateful to put the gift above the Giver, how arrogant to put ourselves above the One True God.

The prophet Elijah told the idol-worshippers in Israel, “’How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’” And when the people saw the power of the One True God, they fell to their faces and cried, “’The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!’” I Kings 18: 21, 39.

Let’s not forget the power and sovereignty of our God. Let’s keep Him first, where He belongs.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 7, 1944: US Third Fleet begins strikes on Luzon in the Philippines in preparation for the Leyte landings.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 6, 1939: Hitler calls for peace talks with Britain and France.
65 Years Ago - October 6, 1944: Soviet Army enters Hungary.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago - October 5, 1939: USSR forces Latvia to allow Soviet troop bases.
65 Years Ago - October 5, 1944: Canadian troops cross Belgian-Dutch border north of Antwerp. Germany begins conscription of sixteen-year-olds.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 4, 1944: World Series opens - in six games, the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the St. Louis Browns. One-armed Pete Gray played for the Browns.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 3, 1944: Germans resume launching V-2 rockets at Britain from new sites in Holland.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 2, 1944: The Warsaw Uprising ends, as the Polish Home Army surrenders to the Germans; 200,000 Poles killed.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago - October 1, 1944: Canadian forces open campaign to clear the Scheldt Estuary around port of Antwerp, Belgium. Library of Congress once again displays the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, retrieved from Fort Knox.