From Gerald Swick MidSouth's resident punster and newspaper columnist. Congratulations Gerald. Major Bill, A blow has been struck for history. (And there was much rejoicing.) My weekly history column, "Once, Long Ago," received second place, Lifestyles column division in the West Virginia Press Association's 1999 judging. Normally, history columns don't even get nominated. Even better, a lot of my readers tell me they normally won't read history, but they check out this column every week. Rack one up for history outreach. And another from Gerald Gents, The Sept. 1999 issue of Smithsonian magazine (now at newsstands and libraries near you) has a 3-page article on historical miniatures wargaming, with color photos. It's a pretty good piece, very positive about the hobby. I heard about it from a woman I was interviewing today regarding her doll house miniatures. Trust me, guys, the people who make those dollhouse itsy-bitsies could teach us a few things about ingenous uses for found items. I was verily amazed. Major, I've been writing a regional history column for the local newspaper since March. Occasionally, I find something while doing research that may be of interest to my far-flung buddies in the HMGS. Here are two odd little bits that surfaced recently. Item 1. On Dec. 10, 1914 (Remember that date as you read, guys & gals), the Clarksburg (WV) Exponent-American ran the following prediction on its editorial page. It is quite probable that the present great war in Europe will but close to witness the advent of another. While at this time the Allies are apparently well satisfied with the state of affairs, and willing to go on indefinitely aiding and abetting each other in the titanic effort to overthrow the Kaiser, still there is an undercurrent of facts which have not been fully aired. If the German Empire meets with disaster and if forced to surrender territory as a war indemnity, then without a doubt trouble will arise. Russia, ever desirous of forcing the great Slavish wedge straight across Europe to the sea on the south, will demand some of the Ottoman holdings, including Constantinople. France will, without a doubt insist on annexing all of that portion of Germany lying between the present boundary and the Rhine. England will strenuously object to any such arrangement. Japan, a firm and faithful ally of Great Britain, will support any policy which may be adopted and this will no doubt incur the enmity of Russia, the feeling between these two nations being already somewhat strained. France is and will remain true to Russia. Thus it can readily be seen how the present Allied powers will most likely become involved in an even greater struggle than the current one, a war which England and Japan will be forced to combat the rest of Europe. Item 2. For Mustangs & Messerschmidts and other WWII air combat games, here is a strange scenario I came across while researching a column on the Tuskegee Airmen. (A commander of the 99th Fighter Squadron was George S. "Spanky" Roberts from my neighboring county.) Intially, the Tuskegee Airmen were given hand-me-down planes. One fine day in the Mediterranean Theater, a group of them, flying P-40s, encountered a large group of FW 190s. Historically, they shot down 6 FWs and damaged 4 others. How about this for a funky air scenario--P-40s vs. FW 190s? Back to Dispatch Oct. 99 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com