Tag: 20th century | Batalie.pl

8 interesting facts about the “Whispering Death” – M1 Abrams tank

March 5, 2021 No Comments

1. In service for over 40 years

The Abrams entered service in the 1980s, replacing the then already ageing M60. Since then, M1s have fought in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, among other places, each time performing well in battle and being indispensable infantry support. As of 2016, the Abrams remains the primary tank used by the US Army and Marines, as well as the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

2. Production cost

To date, more than 10,000 tanks have been built in three main equipment versions: M1, M1A1 and M1A2. Abrams are still being developed and new armor, weapons and other equipment have been added to them over nearly 40 years. The 60-ton tank is equipped with a 1,500-horsepower engine that is capable of accelerating it to speeds of 70 km/h. In 1999, the cost of manufacturing one M1 was more than $5 million.

An M1 Abrams fires from its 120mm cannon — **M1 Abrams fires its 120 mm cannon**
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

3. First combat test

For Abrams, the first major test was Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The U.S. tanks proved to be extremely effective under combat conditions and caused massive losses among Iraqi machines. The Iraqis lost some 2,000 tanks, while M1 Abrams were destroyed only 9 – with 7 by mistakenly opening fire on their own vehicles, and 2 destroyed by their own crews to prevent a possible Iraqi takeover of the tanks. It could be said that the only threat to the Abrams on the battlefield came from the other Abrams, or any other American machine.

4. Advantage through range

During the Gulf War, M1 Abrams tanks scored hits from a range of more than 2,500 meters, leaving no chance for enemy Soviet-designed tanks, whose range did not exceed 2,000 meters. They were destroyed before they themselves could open fire on the enemy.

5. Whispering Death

The gas turbine engine with which the Abrams are equipped is relatively quiet, which has translated into giving these colossi the nickname “Whispering Death.”

6. Targets not only on the ground

The M1 tank’s primary cannon is the M68A1 105mm gun, while the M1A1 and M1A2 versions use the M256 120mm smoothbore(see Abrams shooting exercises in Lithuania). The M256 cannon theoretically has the ability to shoot down aircraft flying at low altitude, but this has not been tested in combat conditions. It is worth mentioning a useful offensive capability of Abrams tanks, which is the ability to shoot on the move thanks to the built-in target stabilizer.

7. Tank armor

The tank is protected by multi-layer composite armor, a combination of steel plates and ceramic blocks. The M1A1HA and M1A2 were equipped with depleted uranium armor. This combination can stop almost any missile fired at an Abrams (the American Hellfire has the ability to penetrate this armor). However, one thing is worth mentioning. After Hussein’s overthrow, the US gave Iraq 140 M1A1-SA tanks, a version without the aforementioned uranium-enriched armor. Currently (early 2016), 30 of them have already been destroyed by Islamic militias, most of them by firing an anti-tank guided missile.

8. Vehicle protection during urban combat

The M1 Abrams (or rather, its crew) can survive a biological or chemical attack and has the ability to release a smoke screen, making it harder to locate on the battlefield. The experience of fighting in built-up terrain forced the retrofitting of Abrams with additional protection for the sides of the tank and its undercarriage. The TUSK system (Tank Urban Survivability System) was created, which provided better protection for the vehicle against hand grenade launchers and mines. TUSK is all about reactive armor, a remote-controlled rifle, a 360-degree camera for the commander, providing communications for the tank commander and nearby infantry, and much more. By 2008, all Abrams stationed in Iraq were equipped with TUSK. An improved built-up area defense system, TUSK-2, is currently being installed on the units.

On their combat route, M1 Abrams tanks have proven their effectiveness and so far there are no plans to replace them with a newer unit, but existing units are constantly being upgraded. I invite you to take a peek at the video excerpts:

A demonstration of the speed and mobility of tanks:

Excerpts from shooting training:

Abrams drives over the bomb to detonate it:

The story of the famous Times Square kiss photo

March 3, 2021 No Comments

The two main characters in the photo are Greta Friedman, who was a dentistry student at the time, and sailor George Mendonsa. At first glance, the scene depicts their romantic kiss. Well, nothing could be further from the truth – Greta did not know George until that moment. When the surrender of Japan was announced, the sailor was in Times Square on a date with his future wife Rita.

**Kiss in Times Square**
Source: wikimedia.org, Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Happy about the end of the war and having already had a few drinks, George grabbed a stranger student standing close to him and stole a long kiss from her. As the head of the photo later recalled, she was actually not too happy about the whole situation and did not reciprocate the kiss (she reportedly even slapped the sailor).

George Mendosa and Greta Friedman in Rhode Island, 2009 — **George Mendonca and Greta Friedman in Rhode Island, 2009**
Source: Josh23, Wikimedia Commons

For decades, the identity of Greta and George remained undetermined, and in addition, many people falsely identified themselves as one of the people in the photo. It was not until the 1980s that the names of the kissing couple were confirmed with the help of scientific analysis of the photograph. Similarly, attempts were made to determine the exact time the photo was taken, as Eisenstaedt could not remember when exactly he captured it. Scientist Donald W. Olson, based on the alignment of the sun’s rays in the frame, determined the moment the photograph was taken to be 5:51 pm.

**Unconditional Surrender**
Source: Prayitno, flickr.com

George and Greta later met many times, mostly at parades and other celebrations to which they were invited. 67 years after the memorable photo was taken, they reappeared in Times Square. A series of memorials, called Unconditional Surrender, were created in their honor. Greta Friedman died on September 8, 2016 in Richmond, Virginia. George Mendonsa died on February 17, 2019, two days before his 96th birthday.

On August 14, 2015, the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, the famous kiss was repeated in Times Square:

Wojtek – the bear who became a soldier

January 31, 2021 No Comments

Wojtek’s story begins in 1942, when a local boy found a tiny bear in the Hamadan mountains of Iran. Shortly thereafter, on the road to Kandawar, he came across Polish soldiers of 2nd Polish Corps under the command of General Władysław Anders, who, wanting to help the poor child, bought back a mysterious package from him for a few cans of food. The Poles were very surprised to see the contents of the moving and squeaking bundle, but quickly decided to adopt the bear. Corporal Piotr Prendyn decided to name him “Wojtek.”

Polish soldiers took the task of caring for their new comrade seriously. They immediately found a vodka bottle for him, from which he drank condensed milk. In addition, he ate fruit, marmalade and honey, but what he liked best was beer, which members of the 2nd Corps did not fail to treat him with.

The Poles quickly became close friends with the curious bear. Wojtek often cuddled up to sleeping soldiers, played with them, and when he grew older – he practiced wrestling with them. The defeated bear’s opponent had to wait patiently for the bear to get off his back and stop licking him. The bear became friendlier and friendlier, and happened to playfully tease random people to play with them (but mostly they were too scared to do so). For the Polish soldiers, their furry best friend became a kind of respite from the everyday life of war and a companion for their wandering through the Middle East.

**Wrestling with soldiers of the II Corps**
Source: Imperial War Museum, Public Domain

When Wojtek grew so big that the soldiers could no longer feed him from their rations, he was drafted with the rank of private, so he received a daily load of fruit, marmalade and sweet syrups. Thus began the military career of our heroic bear – Wojtek walked the entire combat route of the 2nd Corps, from Iran, through Egypt to Italy. He often stood guard with the soldiers, or guarded the Corps’ cars – preferably sitting inside, but he soon stopped fitting in there. It is said that Wojtek once even caught an Arab spy he found in a bathhouse.

**Emblem showing Wojtek carrying an artillery shell**
Source: Cassubia1238, Wikimedia Commons

He was particularly famous during the famous Battle of Monte Cassino, where he sacrificially carried heavy crates of ammunition despite the turmoil of battle and the danger to his life – and is said to have never dropped one. The image of Wojtek carrying an artillery shell was immortalized on the banner of the 22nd Transport Company of the Second Polish Corps, where he himself served. This badge was worn on uniforms and painted on the Corps’ trucks. Our brave bear still took part in capturing the port of Ancona, breaking through the Apennine fortifications and entering Bologna. For his dedicated service, Wojtek received the rank of corporal.

When World War II came to an end, the 22nd Company was relocated to Glasgow, Scotland. The local population immediately went crazy for Wojtek, who quickly became the hero of many press publications across the country. The bear even became a member of the local Polish-Scottish Society, where he was gifted with his favorite beer during a reception ceremony. It’s safe to say that the heroic bear had celebrity status in the Islands.

**Wojtek statue in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh**
Photo: M J Richardson

Unfortunately for the army, it was the time of demobilization and Wojtek’s unit was disbanded. He was quickly found refuge at the Edinburgh Zoo, whose director agreed not to give Wojtek to anyone without the knowledge of company commander Major Antoni Chełkowski. His former army colleagues often came there to visit him, and not infrequently (despite the protests of Zoo staff) jumped the fence to wrestle with Wojtek again.

Wojtek the bear died at the zoo in December 1963, at the age of 21. His remarkable life became part of the history of the Polish soldier, and he made a major contribution to promoting our history in the West. In honor of the heroic bear, more than a dozen monuments have been erected in Europe, several musical pieces have been written, and this film, among others, has been made:

20th century