Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/News/October 2010/Articles


 * ARA Moreno (The ed17) : ARA Moreno was a dreadnought battleship (Spanish: acorazado) designed by the American Fore River Shipbuilding Company for the Argentine Navy. Named after Mariano Moreno, a key member of the first independent government of Argentina, the First Assembly (Primera Junta), Moreno was the second ship in the Rivadavia-class battleship. Argentina placed orders for Moreno and her only sister ship, ARA Rivadavia, in response to a Brazilian naval building program and border disputes, particularly in the River Plate (Río de la Plata, literally "Silver River") area. During their construction, the two dreadnoughts were subject to numerous rumors involving Argentina selling the two battleships to a country engaged in the First World War, but these proved to be false. After Moreno was completed in March 1915, a series of engine problems occurred during her sea trials which delayed her delivery to Argentina to May 1915. The next decade saw the ship based in Puerto Belgrano as part of the Argentine Navy's First Division before sailing to the United States for an extensive refit in 1924 and 1925. During the 1930s the ship was occupied with diplomatic cruises to Brazil, Uruguay, and Europe until the Second World War broke out. During this time, Moreno was employed little as Argentina was neutral. Decommissioned in 1949, Moreno was scrapped in Japan beginning in 1957.
 * December 1964 South Vietnamese coup (YellowMonkey) : Before dawn on December 19, 1964, the ruling military junta of South Vietnam led by General Nguyen Khanh dissolved the High National Council (HNC) and arrested some of its members. The HNC was an unelected legislative-style civilian advisory body created at the request of the United States&mdash;South Vietnam's main sponsor&mdash;to give a veneer of civilian rule. This dismayed the Americans, particularly the ambassador, Maxwell D. Taylor, who engaged in an angry war of words with various generals including Khanh and threatened aid cuts. They were unable to do anything about the fait accompli that had been handed to them, because they strongly desired to win the Vietnam War and needed to support the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Instead, Taylor's searing verbal attacks were counterproductive as they galvanized the Vietnamese officers around the embattled Khanh. Over the next few days, Khanh embarked on a media offensive, criticizing US policy repeatedly for infringing Vietnamese sovereignty and declaring the nation's independence from "foreign manipulation". Khanh and the Young Turks began preparations to expel Taylor before changing their minds; however, Khanh's misleading tactics had rallied the Young Turks around his fragile leadership for at least the short-term future. The Americans were forced to back down on their insistence that the HNC be restored and did not carry through on Taylor's threats to cut off aid, despite Saigon's defiance.
 * Nguyen Chanh Thi (YellowMonkey) : Lieutenant General Nguyễn Chánh Thi (February 23, 1923 – June 23, 2007) was an officer in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). A strong-willed and independent-minded officer, Thi oversaw I Corps with a great deal of autonomy from Saigon, and the other officers felt threatened. This was accentuated by Thi's alignment with Buddhist activist movements in his region, traditionally a Buddhist stronghold. The Buddhists were opposed to expansion of the Vietnam War and the American leadership viewed Thi very negatively. In early 1966, feeling more confident about his hold on power, Ky orchestrated Thi's removal and announced that Thi would be going to the US for medical treatment, but in reality into exile. Thi refused to go along with Ky's false story and wanted to stay in Vietnam, and this led to civil unrest in I Corps, where Thi was popular. The disquiet escalated into open rebellion by pro-Thi military units in the I Corps, allied to Buddhist anti-junta activists who were calling for civilian government and an end to the US-driven war expansion policy. After three months of virtual secession, Ky's forces quelled the dissidents, and Thi emigrated to the US, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Upon commissioning into the High Seas Fleet, Baden was made the fleet flagship, replacing SMS Friedrich der Grosse (1911). Baden saw little action during her short career; the only major sortie in April 1918 ended without any combat. Following the German collapse in November 1918, Baden was interned with the majority of the High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow by the British Royal Navy. On 21 June 1919, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the scuttling of the fleet. However, British sailors in the harbor managed to board Baden and beach her to prevent her sinking. The ship was re-floated, thoroughly examined, and eventually sunk in extensive gunnery testing by the Royal Navy in 1921.
 * Pedro II of Brazil (Lecen & Astynax) : Pedro II (English: Peter II; 2 December 1825 – 5 December 1891), nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. His father's abrupt abdication and flight to Europe in 1831 left a 5-year-old Pedro as Emperor and led to a grim and lonely childhood and adolescence. Pedro II grew into a man with a strong sense of duty and devotion toward his country, who turned Portuguese-speaking Brazil into an emerging power in the international arena. The nation was distinguished for its political stability, freedom of speech, respect for civil rights, vibrant economic growth and especially for its functional representative parliamentary monarchy. Under his rule, Brazil was victorious in three international conflicts and prevailed in several other international disputes and domestic tensions. Pedro steadfastly pushed through the abolition of slavery despite opposition from powerful political and economic interests. A savant in his own right, the Emperor established a reputation as a vigorous sponsor of learning, culture and the sciences. He won the respect and admiration of scholars such as Charles Darwin, Victor Hugo and Friedrich Nietzsche, and was a friend to Richard Wagner, Louis Pasteur and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, among others. The reign of Pedro II came to an unusual end—he was overthrown while highly regarded by the people and at the pinnacle of his popularity and the same men who had exiled him soon began to see in him a model for the Brazilian republic. A few decades after his death, his reputation was restored and his remains were returned to Brazil as those of a national hero. He is usually ranked as the greatest Brazilian ever.
 * SMS Baden (1915) (Parsecboy) : This Bayern class dreadnought battleship of the German Imperial Navy built during World War I, was launched in October 1915 and completed in March 1917. She was the last battleship completed for use in the war; two of her sisters&mdash;Sachsen and Württemberg&mdash;were incomplete when the war ended. The ship mounted eight 38 cm guns in four twin turrets, displaced 32200 MT at full combat load, and had a top speed of 21 kn. Along with her sister SMS Bayern (1915), Baden was the largest and most powerfully armed battleship built by the Imperial Navy.


 * List of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy (Sturmvogel 66) : The battlecruiser was the brainchild of Admiral Sir John ("Jacky") Fisher, also the sponsor of the world's first "all big gun" warship, HMS Dreadnought (1906). He visualised a new breed of warship with the armament of a battleship, but faster, lighter, and less heavily armoured. The first three battlecruisers, the Invincible-class battlecruiser, were laid down in 1906. All told, eighteen were built in five classes. In service, they used their speed to run down smaller and weaker ships but were less successful against heavily armoured ships.


 * Bayern class battleships (Parsecboy) : The Bayern class was a planned class of four super-dreadnought battleships built by the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy). Construction started just before World War I, but only SMS Bayern (1915) and SMS Baden (1915) were completed, as shipbuilding priorities changed. The last German battleships completed by the Kaiserliche Marine, they were commissioned in July 1916 and March 1917 respectively. Bayern took part in Operation Albion, which drove the Imperial Russian Navy from the Gulf of Riga but was severely damaged by a mine and was withdrawn to Kiel for repairs. Baden replaced SMS Friedrich der Grosse (1911) as the flagship of the High Seas Fleet, but saw no combat. At the end of the war, both vessels were interned ships in Scapa Flow. Bayern was successfully scuttled but Baden was beached by British guards to prevent her from sinking.
 * Rivadavia class battleships (The ed17) : ARA Rivadavia, named after Bernardino Rivadavia, the first Argentinian president, was a dreadnought battleship (Spanish: acorazado) built for the Armada de la República Argentina. She was the lead ship of her class; her sister ship was Moreno. They were the first and last battleships built by the Argentine Navy. The contracts for Rivadavia and "Moreno" were offered to a number of foreign shipyards and proposals from several of them were incorporated into the final design, which was ordered from the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts. Rivadavia was commissioned on 27 August 1914; Moreno was completed in March 1915. As Argentine was neutral, neither ship saw active duty during either world war. Moreno was scrapped in Japan in 1957, and Rivadavia in 1959.


 * Battle of Kalavrye (Constantine) : The Battle of Kalavrye (also Kalavryai or Kalavryta) was fought in 1078 between the imperial forces of Alexios Komnenos and the rebellious governor of Dyrrhachium, Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder. The two armies clashed at Kalavrye on the Halmyros river. Alexios Komnenos tried to ambush Bryennios' army but failed, and the wings of his own army were driven back by the rebels. Alexios barely managed to break through himself with a few men, but succeeded in regrouping his scattered men. Reinforced by Turkish troops, he lured the troops of Bryennios into another ambush through a feigned retreat. The rebel army broke, and Bryennios himself was captured. It is one of the few Byzantine battles described in detail, and hence a valuable source for studying the tactics of the Byzantine army of the late 11th century.
 * Battle of Kapyong (Anotherclown) : The Battle of Kapyong, also known as the Battle of Jiaping, was fought during the Korean War from 22–25 April 1951 between United Nations (UN) forces—primarily Australian and Canadian—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army. The fighting occurred during the Chinese Spring Offensive and saw the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade establish blocking positions in the Kapyong Valley, on a key route south to the capital, Seoul. The fighting helped prevent a breakthrough on the United Nations Command central front, and ultimately the capture of Seoul. Today, the battle is regarded as one of the most famous actions fought by the Australian and Canadian armies in Korea.
 * Battle of Taegu (Ed!) : The Battle of Taegu was an engagement between United Nations and North Korean forces early in the Korean War, with fighting continuing from August 5–20, 1950 around the city of Taegu, South Korea. It was a part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, and was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously. The battle ended in a victory for the United Nations after their forces were able to drive off an offensive by North Korean divisions attempting to cross the Naktong River and assault the city.
 * Chaplain-Medic massacre (Ed!) : The Chaplain-Medic massacre was a war crime that took place in the Korean War on July 16, 1950, on a mountain above the village of Tunam, South Korea, during the Battle of Taejon. Operating at the Kum River troops of the US Army's 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division were cut off from resupply by a roadblock established by North Korean troops of the NK 3rd Division. One group of 20 critically wounded US troops was stranded at the top of a mountain, with an unarmed chaplain and a medic (who escaped), and were killed by a North Korean patrol. Publicity following the massacre led to North Korean commanders setting out stricter guidelines for handling enemy captives.
 * Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre (The ed17) : Almirante Latorre, named after Juan José Latorre, was a super-dreadnought battleship (Spanish: acorazado) built for the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile). Construction began soon after the ship was ordered in November 1911, and was approaching completion when she was bought by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy for use in the First World War. Commissioned in September 1915, she served in the Grand Fleet as HMS Canada (1913) for the duration of the war and saw action during the Battle of Jutland. Canada was repurchased by Chile in 1920.In September 1931, crewmen aboard Almirante Latorre instigated a mutiny which the majority of the Chilean fleet quickly joined. After divisions developed between the mutineers, the rebellion fell apart and the ships were returned to government control. The old battleship survived until 1958, when she was sold for scrapping in Japan.
 * Hill 303 massacre (Ed!) : This war crime took place in the Korean War on August 17, 1950. Forty-one captured US Army prisoners of war were machine-gunned by members of the North Korean People's Army during one of the smaller engagements of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter. The massacre provoked a response from both sides in the conflict. US Commanders broadcast radio messages and dropped leaflets demanding the senior North Korean commanders be held responsible for the atrocity. The North Korean commanders, concerned treatment of prisoners of war, issued stricter guidelines for handling enemy captives.
 * Hadong Ambush (Ed!) : The Hadong Ambush was an engagement between United States and North Korean forces, on July 27, 1950 in the village of Hadong in southern South Korea, early in the Korean War. The inexperienced US Army's 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment walked into an ambush laid by the North Korean People's Army, who held higher ground. The North Korean forces divided the American force and killed most of its commanders, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Decimated in its first engagement, the 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment was later disbanded and merged with other units.
 * Japanese battleship Kongō (Cam) : Kongō (金剛, "indestructible") was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. She was the first battlecruiser of the Kongō class and was the last Japanese capital ship constructed outside Japan. Kongō fought in almost every major naval action of the Pacific Theater during World War II, including at the Battle of Midway and during the Guadalcanal Campaign. In 1944 she participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, engaging and sinking American vessels in the latter.  Kongō was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Sealion II while transiting the Formosa Strait on 21 November 1944.
 * HMS Liverpool (C11) (SoLando) : HMS Liverpool (C11), named after the port city of Liverpool in north-west England, was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy in service from 1938 to 1952. During the Second World War, Liverpool gained four battle honours, operating with the East Indies and China naval stations, and with the Mediterranean and Home fleets. Badly damaged during Operation Harpoon in June 1942, she spent the rest of the war at Rosyth Dockyard, Scotland for refitting. Liverpool returned to service in 1945 and was decommissioned in 1952.
 * Lam Van Phat (YellowMonkey) : Major General Lâm Văn Phát was an officer in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). He is best known for leading two coup attempts against General Nguyen Khanh in September 1964 and February 1965. Although both failed, the latter caused enough instability that Khanh was forced to resign and go into exile. Phat went into hiding and was sentenced to death in absentia although he evaded capture for three years until surrendering. By this time, the political landscape had changed and Phat was allowed to go free.
 * Lindsay Hassett (YellowMonkey) : Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE (28 August 1913 – 16 June 1993) was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a simple matter". However, the eruption of World War II interrupted Hassett's progress. He enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force, serving in the Middle East and New Guinea before being chosen to captain the Australian Services cricket team that played the "Victory Tests" in England during the months immediately following Victory in Europe Day. A cheerful character with a poker face, Hassett was for his sense of humour and diplomatic skills.
 * List of battleships of the Ottoman Empire (White Shadows) :Following defeats by Greece and its modern navy during the First Balkan War, Ottoman Navy Foundation sought to improve its poor quality battleships by buying new ships from the West. They purchased several from the United Kingdom but these were confiscated at the outbreak of World War I, outraging Ottoman public opinion. In response, the German Empire gave two modern vessels to the Ottoman Navy, influencing the Ottoman decision to join the war on the side of the Central Powers. During World War I, because of their poor state, many of the Ottoman battleships remained in port and saw little or no action.
 * List of breastwork monitors of the Royal Navy (Sturmvogel 66) : The breastwork monitor was developed during the 1860s by the Royal Navy, as an improvement of the basic monitor design developed during the American Civil War. Conceived primarily for harbour defence, they needed no masts, sails or rigging to supplement their engines and mounted one twin-gun turret at bow and stern, each with a 270° arc. Described by Admiral George Alexander Ballard as being like "full-armoured knights riding on donkeys, easy to avoid but bad to close with", most were scrapped during the first decade of the 20th century.
 * Order of battle of the Battle of Long Island (Magicpiano) : The Battle of Long Island was a decisive British victory early in the American Revolutionary War and the opening battle in a successful British campaign to gain control of New York City in 1776. The American forces were commanded by Major General George Washington and the British forces by Lieutenant General William Howe. On August 27, 1776, Howe made a successful flanking maneuver around the American left while occupying the American right with diversionary battle. As a result, a significant portion of the American army became entrapped and surrendered after its retreat to the entrenched position was cut off. With a siege of the position looming, General Washington successfully withdrew his remaining army to Manhattan in the early morning hours of August 29.
 * SMS Kronprinz (1914) (Parsecboy) : SMS Kronprinz ("His Majesty's Ship Crown Prince") was the last battleship of the four-ship König-class battleship. She served in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The battleship was laid down in November 1911 and launched on 21 February 1914. She was formally commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 8 November 1914, just over 4 months after the start of World War I. In June 1918, the ship was renamed Kronprinz Wilhelm in honor of Crown Prince Wilhelm. The battleship was armed with ten 30.5 cm guns in five twin turrets and could steam at a top speed of 21 kn.
 * Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria (Constantine) : Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria refers to a conflict in the eastern Balkans beginning in 967/968 and ending in 971. It involved the Kievan Rus', Bulgaria, and the Byzantine Empire, and led to the collapse of the Bulgarian state and the occupation of much of the country by the Rus'. An ensuing direct military confrontation between the Rus' and Byzantium ended with a Byzantine victory. The Rus' withdrew and eastern Bulgaria became part of the Byzantine Empire. However, territory in the central and western Balkans remained outside imperial control, leading to a Bulgarian revival under the Cometopuli dynasty.
 * Thomas C. Kinkaid (Hawkeye7) : Thomas Cassin Kinkaid (1888 – 1972) was an admiral during World War II. He built a reputation in the aircraft carrier battles of 1942 and commanded the allied forces in the Aleutian Islands Campaign. He was Commander Allied Naval Forces and the Seventh Fleet under General of the Army Douglas MacArthur in the Southwest Pacific Area, where he conducted numerous amphibious operations, and the last naval battle between battleships in history. Later he became a member of the National Security Training Commission and served with the American Battle Monuments Commission.