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Picture of the Day

Emperor Hirohito and General MacArthur

Emperor Hirohito and General MacArthur meeting for the first time, 1945. Many Japanese were extremely offended by this picture because of how casual MacArthur is looking and standing while next to the Emperor, who was revered as a god.

On September 27, 1945, Emperor Hirohito paid a visit to General Douglas MacArthur at the United States Embassy in Tokyo.

MacArthur then took Hirohito into a private room with just the Imperial translator, Okumura Katsuzo. The Supreme Commander and the Emperor, through his translator, spent forty minutes together and swore to keep the contents of their conversation secret. Although over the years some details leaked out.

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Picture of the Day

Simo Hayha, The White Death in his winter camouflage, 1940

Simo Häyhä, also known as “The White Death,” was a Finnish sniper who is credited with killing 505 enemy troops within 100 days during the Winter War against the Soviet Union from 1939 to 1940.

Simo Häyhä’s involvement in the Winter War was very extraordinary. With his Mosin-Nagant M91 rifle, he would dress in white winter camouflage, and carry with him only a day’s worth of supplies and ammunition. While hiding out in the snow, he would then take out any Russian who entered his killing zone.

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Picture of the Day

children's playground 1912

Children’s playground in 1912

If it seems like today’s kids have gotten “softer” compared to the kids decades ago, perhaps it’s because playgrounds have gotten softer as well. Thanks to state laws and personal injury lawyers, the landscape of the typical playground has changed a lot over the years, making it a safer and more “educationally interactive” environment. On the other hand, maybe those rough-and-tumble recreation areas of yesteryear served as an early life lesson that the world was a harsh and unforgiving place.

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Picture of the Day

WW1 French trench raider, 1915

These soldiers would sneak out of their own trenches at night, often covering themselves in burn cork to darken their uniforms and exposed skin, silently creeping towards the enemy trench so that they could slit the throats or bash in the heads of the enemy whilst they slept. They would wreak havoc throughout the enemy position, using knives and clubs to maintain minimal noise, and carrying grenades which they would throw into sleeping quarters when they left. The fear factor of that no one could sleep safe, knowing that the enemy sent men like this.

Picture of the Day

In medieval Germany, husbands and wives could fight in a marital duel in order to legally settle their disputes.

According to the manuscript, the husband was placed in a hole that came up to his waist, and he was armed with a club. The wife would stand at the edge of the hole, and she would be given a cloth with a four or five pound stone in one end of it. His club and her sling were both the same length. Presumably, the man was in the hole in an attempt to even the playing field.

The duel would only take place if they could not compromise and make peace with each other. If the husband lost the duel, he would have his head cut off. If the wife lost the duel, she would be buried alive.

Medieval trial by combat

Picture of the Day

Leaflet Dropped on Japanese Cities Right Before Atomic Bomb Was Dropped

Through much of World War II, Allied bombers would sometimes drop leaflets warning of impending bombing of a city. The leaflets often told civilians to evacuate, and sometimes encouraged them to push their leaders to surrender.

In August 1945, leaflets were dropped on several Japanese cities (including, supposedly, Hiroshima and Nagasaki). The first round, known as the “LeMay leaflets,” were distributed before the bombing of Hiroshima.

These leaflets did not directly reference the atomic bomb, and it is unclear whether they were used to warn citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki specifically.

The second round features a picture of a mushroom cloud and a message about the Soviet invasion (which commenced on August 9).

The historical record is unclear, but it seems as though these leaflets did not make it to Nagasaki until after it, too, had been hit by an atomic bomb. Later leaflets informed the Japanese populace about their government’s surrender before the emperor’s official announcement. 

Leaflet dropped on Nagasaki

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Picture of the Day

Lewis Nixon

Captain Lewis Nixon, a member of the “Band of Brothers” in the 101st Airborne Division’s Easy Company, is pictured here nursing a hangover after his company celebrated the capture of Hitler’s personal mountaintop retreat known as the Eagle’s Nest on May 8, 1945.

Nixon was given the honor of first pick when Easy Company raided the Führer’s prized wine and liquor collection — then the others followed suit and a raucous party ensued. ⁠

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Picture of the Day

The Baltic Way or Baltic Chain (also "Chain of Freedom") was a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on 23 August 1989.

Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning 690 kilometres (430 mi) across the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which at the time were occupied and annexed by the USSR.

The central government in Moscow considered the three Baltic countries constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

Picture of the Day

Adelaide Springett in all her best clothes. Its said she was so ashamed at the state of her boots, she took them off for the photographs, London 1901.

Around 1900 Photographer and Sunday School Teacher Horace Warner took portraits of children in Quaker St, who were some of the poorest in London at that time.

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Picture of the Day

Union and Confederate veterans shake hands at Gettysburg in 1913

The 1913 Gettysburg reunion was a Gettysburg Battlefield encampment of American Civil War veterans for the Battle of Gettysburg’s 50th anniversary.

The June 29–July 4 gathering of 53,407 veterans (~8,750 Confederate) was the largest ever Civil War veteran reunion.

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