German soldier describes fierce fighting at grain elevator in Stalingrad 70 years ago today (1942)

1940s, World War II


Video: Sept. 18, 1942 (at 6:14)

(Friday, September 18, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Wilhelm Hoffman, a soldier in the 267th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division of the German 6th Army who chronicled the Battle of Stalingrad in his journal, wrote today:

“Fighting is going on inside the elevator. The Russians inside are condemned men. The battalion commander says, ‘The commissars have ordered those men to die in the elevator.’ If all the buildings of Stalingrad are defended like this, then none of our soldiers will get back to Germany.”

Lee’s Confederate forces begin withdrawing to Virginia 150 years ago today (1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: Sept. 18, 1862 (at 56:42)

(Thursday, September 18, 1862, part of the Maryland Campaign during the American Civil War) — On the day after the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle day in U.S. history, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s army prepared to defend against a Federal assault that never came.

After an improvised truce for both sides to recover and exchange their wounded, Lee’s forces began withdrawing across the Potomac in the evening to return to Virginia.

Confederate, Union soldiers clash in final part of bloodiest one-day battle in American history 150 years ago this hour (1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: Sept. 17, 1862 (part three at 52:20)

(Wednesday, September 17, 1862, 12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., local time, part of the Maryland Campaign during the American Civil War) — The third of three battles in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle day in U.S. history (located near Maryland’s Antietam Creek at Sharpsburg), began this afternoon as Union Gen. Ambrose Burnside attacked Gen. James Longstreet’s troops across a stone bridge that came to bear Burnside’s name. Continue reading Confederate, Union soldiers clash in final part of bloodiest one-day battle in American history 150 years ago this hour (1862) →

Second part of Battle of Antietam begins 150 years ago this hour (1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: Sept. 17, 1862 (second part at 49:00)

(Wednesday, September 17, 1862, 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time, part of the Maryland Campaign during the American Civil War) — The second of three battles in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle day in U.S. history (located near Maryland’s Antietam Creek at Sharpsburg), began this morning as Union troops under Gen. Edwin Sumner inflicted devastating casualties on the Confederates along a sunken road that became known as “Bloody Lane.”

This fighting alone left about 5,600 casualties (killed/wounded/captured/missing) out of 22,717 for the entire day.

‘Archie and the Editorial’ episode airs tonight on ‘All In The Family’ 40 years ago this hour (1972)

1970s, Television 1970s

(Saturday, September 16, 1972, 8:00 p.m. EDT) — Archie gets fed up with a television editorial when this week’s issue concerns gun control on tonight’s season three premiere episode of the CBS-TV sitcom All In The Family.

Germans attack Russian grain elevator near Stalingrad 70 years ago today (1942)

1940s, World War II


Video: Sept. 16, 1942 (at 5:59)

(Wednesday, September 16, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Wilhelm Hoffman, a soldier in the 267th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division of the German 6th Army who chronicled the Battle of Stalingrad in his journal, wrote today:

Our battalion, plus tanks, is attacking the [grain] elevator, from which smoke is pouring – the grain in it is burning, the Russians seem to have set it light themselves. Barbarism . . . The elevator is occupied not by men, but by devils that no flames or bullets can destroy . . .

Union captain describes conditions on the eve of the Battle of Antietam 150 years ago today (1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: Sept. 16, 1862 (at 43:40)

(Tuesday, September 16, 1862, during the American Civil War) — On the eve of the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, Union Capt. Edward Hastings Ripley wrote about conditions near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Lee deploys Confederate forces near Sharpsburg 150 years ago today (1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: Sept. 15, 1862 (at 42:35)

(Monday, September 15, 1862, during Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War) — Confederate General Robert E. Lee started to deploy his available forces today behind Antietam Creek, along a low ridge near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

USS Wasp torpedoed by Japanese submarine 70 years ago this hour (1942)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'USS WASP (CV-7) sinking movies'

(Tuesday, September 15, 1942, at about 2:44 p.m. local time, during World War II) — The aircraft carrier USS Wasp was torpedoed today by a Japanese submarine some 170 miles southeast of San Cristobal Island. The U.S. Navy ended up sinking the badly damaged aircraft carrier.

‘The Waltons’ debuts on CBS-TV 40 years ago this hour (1972)

1970s, Television 1970s


Video: 'The Waltons s01e01 - The Foundling'

(Thursday, September 14, 1972, 8:00 p.m. EDT) — The Waltons, a drama about a family in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II, debuted as a regular series tonight on CBS-TV (it first aired as a TV movie entitled The Homecoming: A Christmas Story on Dec. 19, 1971). It starred Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned, Ellen Corby and Will Geer.