PETER HANSEN (251-LIFE-1987) has a comment regarding some items of little-known history.

"One should point out that from all the Lend-Lease shipments, the largest percentage traveled to Vladivostok and then by the Trans Siberian railroad to Moscow and the European Russia. The Japanese observed their neutrality treaty with Soviet Russia METICULOUSLY and left all American flag steamers proceed unmolested to Vladivostok and the very few Soviet flag ships too with cargo. The L-16 sinking was the ONLY accidental sinking and attack made, much to the aggravation of Admiral Paul Wenneker in Tokyo and both Raeder and Donitz.

The second largest shipping route and the second highest freight volume used the Persian ports, now Iranian ports. These were not really accessible for Axis attacks due to geography. Both the British and later Americans and the Russians occupied Persia, dividing that country in two halves.

The railroads were modernized too, to make more shipments possible. The father of the Shah was kicked out as being too friendly to Germany. His son, whom Chomeni in turn threw out, was just a minor boy then.

BUT the Murmansk convoy run got the big publicity for political and public relations reasons, all Communists everywhere demonstrated for more ship to Murmansk - but when the war finished in Europe by June 1945, Murmansk and Archangesk had handled only 22.7% of all shipments and could not have handled more anyway for onward transport bottlenecks. Many goods rotted away on the piers in Murmansk. Politicians and governments stink and lie, as we all know!"

EDITOR NOTE - I think we all agree with PETER on his last comment. One must wonder how many Allied sailors lost their lives needlessly bringing goods to Murmansk and Archangelsk that were not needed by troops, but only by politicians. By the same token, how many German U-Bootfahrer were also lost intercepting ships with goods that weren't needed there as well?

As we have said all along, war is a terrible waste of people, not to mention cities, homes etc. An old friend, Professor HENRY HEALD (147-+-1985) frequently said:

"Wars never solve any problems; they only decide which side gets to tackle the problems, and who puts the loot in their pockets."

Rest in peace, old friend. Current events prove out your words.