MIKE GRACIA

During World War II on this day in 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began in
Belgium. It was the final major German counteroffensive in the war.

The Germans achieved a total surprise attack due to a combination of
Allied overconfidence, preoccupation with Allied offensive plans, and
poor aerial reconnaissance due to bad weather. American forces bore
the brunt of the attack and incurred their highest casualties of any
operation during the war. The battle also severely depleted Germany’s
armored forces, and they were largely unable to replace them.

The "Bulge" was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the
United States in World War II and the third deadliest campaign in
American history.

Inspired by the spirited leadership of Benjamin Rush Milam, the newly
created Texan Army takes possession of the city of San Antonio, an
important victory for the Republic of Texas in its war for independence
from Mexico. 

Benjamin Rush Milam (1788 – 1835)

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Roosevelt to a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress on December 8,
1941, one day after the Empire of Japan’s attack on the U.S. naval
base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Japanese declaration of war
on the United States and the British Empire.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Declaration of
War against Japan on December 8, 1941.

John Winston Lennon (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963)

President John F. Kennedy decided to increase military aid to South Vietnam without committing U.S. combat troops.

Kennedy was concerned at the advances being made by the communist Viet
Cong, but did not want to become involved in a land war in Vietnam. He
hoped that the military aid would be sufficient to strengthen the Saigon
government and its armed forces against the Viet Cong. Ultimately it was
not, and Kennedy ended up sending additional support in the form of U.S.
military advisors and American helicopter units. By the time of his
assassination in 1963, there were 16,000 U.S. soldiers in South
Vietnam.

U.S. adviser training Montagnard’s at a fortified camp near Buon Me Thout in central Vietnam.