July 31

1917 - The Third battle of Ypres began (ended November 10):  WWI.

This battle is properly known as the Battle of Passchendalele, and is one of the major battles of World War I, with over 700,000 casualties between the two sides...Ypres was also the last great trench warfare battle in history.

"...I died in Hell (they called it Passchendaele) my wound was slight and I was hobbling back; and then a shell burst slick upon the duckboards; so I fell into the bottomless mud, and lost the light." - Siegfried Sassoon

1291 - Egyptian Mamelukes conquered Beirut, ending the European presence in Palestine and Syria.

It was only a matter of time before the Muslims conquered the area...This should also be seen as an end of relative peace in the region as well, because Muslims have been more brutal on each other than the Christians ever were.

1777 - The Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, was made a major-general in the American Continental Army:  American Revolutionary War.

Lafayette is one of only six people to be given the title of 'honorary citizen of the U.S,' and played a huge role in the victory of the Colonials over the Brits...His role was as an adviser to Washington, but more important was his influence on the French to join the battle against the Brits.

A quote from the Continental Congress: "that his services be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States."

1919 - Germany's Wiemar Constitution was adopted.

The Germans couldn't have devised a worse system to succeed the Kaiser, and created a paper-tiger for a government in a nation in desperate need of strong leadership...Unfortunately, a strong leader is exactly what they eventually got. It took 14-years, but he surely arrived.

1932 - German Election: Nazis received 37.3% of the vote.

THIS IS WHAT THE WIEMAR CONSTITUTION CREATED!!!

Hitler and the Nazi's received just over 1/3 of the vote in 1932, but took over the nation in 1933...Huh!!

A stupid system, with the perfect conditions for a takeover, and a brilliant (though demented) politician to perform the taking.

And never forget, Der Fuhrer and his maniacal followers were ELECTED!!!! Voting matters, but democracies aren't the most important factor in a peaceful nation - freedom and liberty are.

1987 - Iranian pilgrims and riot police clashed in Mecca, resulting in some 400 deaths, according to the Saudi government which blamed Iranians for the violence.

Go back to my comment from the 1291 event above.

1994 - The U.N. Security Council authorized member states to use "all necessary means" to oust the military leadership in Haiti.

Question: Why on Earth would the U.N. 'authorize' the Haitian leadership to be removed, but not Saddam in Iraq? Nor the dozens of equally brutal regimes on the planet?  Hmmmm...Could it be many of the nations on the Security Council had no financial interests in Haiti, but definitely did in Iraq and elsewhere? Of course that's why.

1996 - The White House won agreement with key Republican lawmakers on a package of anti-terrorism measures.

I thought Muslims loved the U.S. when Bill Clinton was in office?? Come on now, the Muslim world only hated George W. Bush.

Seriously, the media and Leftist Dems have been telling us this since 9/11/11...So it must be true.

Oh, and they loved Obama, too...And hate Trump, too.

It must be true.

2006 - The U.N. passed Resolution 1696, demanding that Iran suspend uranium enrichment by the end of August.

What a sad joke...Both the resolution and the U.N., that is.

1997 - In Brooklyn, New York, police seized five bombs believed bound for terrorist attacks on New York City subways.

Go back to my comment from the 1996 event above.