June 27

1709 - The Battle of Poltava:  The Great Northern War - Russia v. Sweden.

Modern people have little understanding of how weak Russia was prior to Peter the Great...Nor how powerful Sweden was during this same time.

Russia was a land of semi-barbarians, who were much closer to their Asian neighbors than the Euros...Sweden was one of the great European powers of the age, just behind France, Britain and the Habsburgs.

Poltava didn't end the Great Northern War, but it was the beginning of the end for the Swedes...It was also the beginning of greatness for the Russians - who were lucky to have a genius at the helm in Peter the Great; even if he was brutal.

1776 - Thomas Hickey, one of George Washington's guards, was convicted of plotting to deliver George Washington to the British, becoming the first person to be executed by the U.S. Army:  American Revolutionary War.

I’m sure Hickey thought himself an honorable Brit, but thankfully he didn’t succeed...Obviously, the Brits knew the value of the 'Irreplaceable Man.'

1844 - Mormon leader Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.

This act convinced the Mormons they needed to find a ‘land of their own’...Soon after, they elected another strong leader (Brigham Young), who set them out to find their ‘Zion.’

1929 - German President von Hindenburg refused to pay Germany's war debt for World War I.

The French should have let this go, instead they created the perfect conditions for a strongman to arise in Germany...That strongman - Hitler - took control four years later and was soon knocking on France’s door for a little payback.

1950 - President Truman ordered the U.S. Navy and Air Force into the Korean conflict following a call from the United Nations Security Council for member nations to help South Korea repel an invasion from the North.

With this order, Truman committed to involvement in the Korean War, which was the right thing to do for America and the world...Unfortunately, he wasn’t as wise in his handling of the war.

Truman should have treated this as a war, the natural outgrowth of WWII (the Cold War), and destroyed the North Koreans, Chinese and any other third party who chose to enter the fray. Fighting a 'holding war' or a 'police action' was tragic, and a trap we should never have fallen into.

Sadly, we repeated this act of stupidity in Vietnam. And are doing so again at this very time in Afghanistan and 'SyRaq.'

1986 - The World Court ruled the U.S. broke international law by aiding Nicaraguan rebels.

Screw 'The Hague,' and all its Leftist, America haters...If the world wants the U.S. to be its policeman, it better damn well expect it to also be the judge and jury.

2000 - President Robert Mugabe's ruling party was assured a majority in Zimbabwe's new parliament despite historic gains by the opposition.

Congratulations to the people of Zimbabwe! Nothing could be finer for them than another period of rule by 'The Beast'...Not that there was any chance in Hell he was going to relinquish power if he lost the election.