August 17

1945 - Korea was divided at the 38th parallel with the U.S. occupying the southern area.

This is a terrible day for Koreans (North and South), and a turning-point in the history of the world because it set the stage for the Cold War becoming very 'hot' within a couple years...It is also exactly what would have happened in Japan had the war continued much past the Atom Bombs.

1590 - John White, leader of 117 colonists sent in 1587 to Roanoke Island (North Carolina) to establish a colony, returned from a trip to England to find the settlement deserted. No trace of the settlers was ever found.

It's reasonable to assume they were devoured by the Indians, who were smart enough at this time to annihilate the invaders before they could do likewise to them.

Unfortunately for the Indians, they weren’t as staunch with every European landing in the New World, and were overrun by a stronger people...Such is the true history of the world.

1812 - The Battle of Smolensk: Napoleon's army defeated the Russians during their retreat to Moscow.

Smolensk was a victory for Napoleon, but it was also a reality check...The reality was the Emperor was seeing the beginning of the destruction of his supply lines, which ultimately lead to a complete debacle and elimination of his Grand Armee.

1896 - A prospecting party discovered gold in Alaska, a finding which started the Klondike gold rush.

The Russians have to be kicking themselves for selling Alaska to the U.S....So much for the 'folly' of Seward’s Folly, which has paid for itself over and over not only in gold but also in oil.

Also, the Canadians can’t be too pleased the Brits didn’t make this purchase instead of the Americans.

1917 - Italy declared war on Germany and Turkey:  WWI

Gotta love the Italians; waiting till the war was more or less decided to take a side...I guess it's better than the route they took in WWII.

1962 - East German border guards shot and mortally wounded Peter Fechter, who was attempting to cross the Berlin Wall into the western sector.

Peter wasn't the first or last shot at this wall, but this event does give a good opportunity to ask a question: How many West Germans tried to cross to the East?

The answer to this question is the ultimate tell-tale sign of the failure of Communism.

1982 - The U.S. and China signed the 'U.S.-PRC Joint Communique': The U.S. agreed it "recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China."

It’s unfortunate, but the truth of the situation is in this part of the text: 'Taiwan is part of China'...Look at a map and tell me how this island can possibly be anything but part of China.

1987 - Rudolf Hess, last surviving member of Adolf Hitler's inner circle, died at a Berlin hospital near Spandau Prison at age 93, having apparently committed suicide by strangling himself with an electrical cord.

Hess lived 42-years too long...It’s disgusting Hitler’s Henchmen weren’t all executed after the war, and were allowed to live any longer than their leader.