The tournament was a much-anticipated event, and Sir Oliver had been training diligently for this day. He was determined to prove his worth as a knight and make his family and kingdom proud. With the sun’s first rays peeking over the horizon, he awoke, ready to embark on a journey that would test his courage, skill, and chivalry.

Sir Oliver donned his gleaming armor, which was adorned with a fierce lion emblem, symbolizing his family’s valor and strength. As he strapped on his trusty sword, he could feel the weight of responsibility and honor resting on his shoulders. With a deep breath, he headed to the village square, where a cheering crowd awaited his arrival.

The tournament grounds were gloriously decorated, with colorful banners fluttering in the breeze and the sounds of fun and laughter filling the air. Knights from far and wide had gathered to prove their strength and skill. The jousting field was marked with a long wooden tilt, a wooden barrier, where the knights would charge at each other on their powerful horses.

Sir Oliver’s heart raced with excitement as he climbed on his warhorse. Thunderstrike was a magnificent beast with a jet-black coat and a fiery spirit. The crowd roared with anticipation, knowing that this young knight was determined to make a name for himself.

A trumpet signaled the start of the joust, and Sir Oliver and his opponent prepared to face each other. They charged towards one another at an incredible speed, their lances held high. Then the two knights collided with a clash, but Sir Oliver’s lance found its mark, shattering his opponent’s shield.

The crowd erupted into cheers at Sir Oliver first victory. He nodded humbly, showing respect for his fallen opponent, a true knightly quality.

As the tournament continued, Sir Oliver faced more challengers, each battle testing his mettle and courage. The day wore on, and the sun’s rays began to cast long shadows over the field. Sweat dripped down his brow as he battled knights of all ages and backgrounds.

In the final round, Sir Oliver faced a skilled and honorable opponenent. The joust was a thrilling contest of skill and valor, but in the end, Sir Oliver’s lance hit true, knocking his opponent from his horse. He had won the tournament and the crowd’s adoration.

The people of the village cheered and applauded as they hailed their new champion, Sir Oliver. He was presented with a magnificent trophy, a golden chalice that shone as brightly as his armor. With humility and gratitude, he accepted his prize, but it was not the trophy that filled his heart with the greatest joy. It was the knowledge that he had upheld the code of chivalry throughout the tournament, treating his fellow knights with respect, bravery, and honor.

Knighthood first began to take shape and gain popularity in the early Middle Ages, particularly during the 9th and 10th centuries in Europe. Knights were more common in the Western and Northern parts of Europe, including what are now modern-day France, England, and Germany. 

**Chapter 1: The Birth of Knights**

Knights were like the superheroes of their era. Just as you might admire your favorite movie characters, people in medieval Europe looked up to knights. These brave men started their journey as young squires, like you, who learned the art of combat, chivalry, and honor. They trained hard, and when they became skilled and noble, they were finally knighted.

**Chapter 2: Suiting Up in Shiny Armor**

One of the most exciting things about knights was their armor. Imagine wearing cool, shiny armor like Iron Man! Well, knights had their own amazing suits of armor. There were two main types: plate armor and chainmail.

– *Plate Armor*: This was like a medieval Iron Man suit. It was made of metal plates that covered a knight’s body from head to toe, giving them excellent protection. But, it was also very heavy!

– *Chainmail*: This was like a super-strong, flexible, and lightweight shirt made of tiny metal rings. Knights wore this beneath their plate armor to stay safe in battle.

Knights’ armor wasn’t just for protection; it also had a unique design on the shield, banner, or helmet, representing their family or country. It’s like wearing your favorite superhero’s emblem on your shirt!

Knights didn’t spend all their time just looking awesome in their armor; they had a noble duty to protect their kingdom. They went on exciting adventures. These adventures were often battles, but we won’t get into the scary details. Instead, think of knights as the brave defenders of their kingdoms, fighting to keep their people safe. 

Imagine a grand sports event where knights would show off their skills, not in battle, but in friendly competitions. These were called jousting tournaments like Sir Oliver’s. Just like how you might compete in soccer or basketball, knights competed in these thrilling events.

The main event was the joust, where two knights on horseback charged at each other with long, pointy spears, trying to knock each other off their horses. It was like a medieval game of chicken!

Knights also participated in melees, where they fought with blunted weapons in mock battles. It was all in good fun and showed off their strength and skill. These tournaments were like the medieval version of your favorite sports, and people would gather from far and wide to cheer for their favorite knights.

Knights were not just strong and brave; they had a special code of conduct called chivalry. Chivalry was like a knight’s rulebook for being a true hero.

These are a few of the virtues:

– *Honor*: Knights had to be honest and fair, and they would never cheat or lie.

– *Respect*: They treated others with kindness and respect, especially those who were weaker or in need.

– *Courage*: Knights had to be brave in the face of danger, just like your favorite action heroes.

– *Loyalty*: They were loyal to their king, their country, and their fellow knights.

– *Helping Others*: Knights helped those in need, just like how you might help a friend or family member.

So, how does learning about knights relate to your life today? Well, the lessons of chivalry can be applied even now. You might not have a suit of armor or a sword, but you can be a modern-day knight in your own way.

– *Honor*: Always be honest and fair. Never cheat or lie to win.

– *Respect*: Treat everyone with kindness and respect, just like the knights did.

– *Courage*: Stand up for what’s right, even when it’s tough.

– *Loyalty*: Be loyal to your friends, family, and the people you care about.

– *Helping Others*: Always be ready to help those in need, just like a true hero.

You see, being a knight isn’t just about fighting battles; it’s about being a hero in everyday life. The code of chivalry can guide you in making the world a better place.

And so, our journey through the thrilling history of knights in medieval Europe comes to an end. Knights were the heroes of their time, protecting their kingdoms and living by the code of chivalry. They inspire us to be brave, kind, and honorable in our own lives.

You may not have a suit of armor or a trusty steed, but you have the heart of a modern-day knight. Just remember the lessons of chivalry and let them guide you in your adventures, big and small. You can be a hero in your own way, making the world a better place with your kindness, courage, and honor, just like the knights of yore.

So, young squire, go forth with the spirit of a knight in your heart and make your own heroic mark on the world!

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Pearl Harbor, a bustling harbor and home to the United States Pacific Fleet, was suddenly the center of something huge. This harbor was like a floating city with battleships, airplanes, and brave sailors. That morning, when many people were still in their pajamas, the sky echoed with loud noises and thick smoke, and the sea was in chaos. The heroes of Pearl Harbor, the sailors and soldiers, were faced with a huge challenge.

The attackers came from far-off Japan, and they wanted to surprise America and stop it from getting in their way. They thought it would be easier to do this when nobody was expecting it.

But why did Japan attack? It all began with a long and complicated history. Japan was a country that wanted to grow and be powerful. They felt that they needed more land and resources to do that. So, they started a war with China, called the Second Sino-Japanese War, in 1937. They wanted to take over parts of China to get more of what they needed.

Japanese planes swooped down from the sky like a flock of angry birds. They dropped bombs and torpedoes on the ships and the harbor. It was very loud, and the explosions made the water splash high into the air. The ships in the harbor suffered greatly.

One of the most famous ships that was hit was the USS Arizona. This mighty battleship was almost like a floating fortress, and it was named after the state of Arizona. When it was struck, a huge explosion occurred, and the ship sank beneath the waves. The heroes on board, many of whom were trapped, became a symbol of bravery and sacrifice.

Another ship, the USS Oklahoma, also faced a terrible fate. It was capsized by the torpedoes and turned upside down. Brave sailors worked tirelessly to rescue their friends trapped inside the ship.

The USS California and the USS West Virginia were also damaged, but they would eventually be repaired and returned to the fight.

The USS Nevada, though heavily damaged, managed to get underway. It was the only battleship that could move during the attack. Its heroic crew fought hard to prevent the ship from falling into enemy hands.

The heroes of Pearl Harbor didn’t back down in the face of this unexpected and devastating attack. They were brave, just like superheroes in a comic book.

American fighter planes, like the P-40 Warhawks, took to the air to engage the incoming Japanese attackers. In this epic dogfight, American pilots displayed incredible courage and determination as they fiercely defended their homeland. These brave men engaged the enemy, maneuvering through the sky with great skill, attempting to protect their ships and harbor from further destruction. While they faced overwhelming odds, their unwavering commitment and heroism left a lasting mark in the history of the attack on Pearl Harbor, as they fought valiantly in the face of adversity.

Many heroes displayed great courage during and after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

First, there were the brave men who were on the ships and in the airplanes. They had to be quick and smart to defend their country. They didn’t give up, even when things looked tough.

Then there were the amazing nurses. These were kind and caring women who worked in the hospitals. When the attack happened, they didn’t run away; they stayed to help the wounded soldiers and sailors. They worked tirelessly to make sure everyone was okay.

One of these nurses was named Annie. She said, “I’m here to take care of you. Everything will be okay.” She smiled and gave comfort to those who were hurt. Annie and many other nurses showed incredible kindness.

The President at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke these famous words on the radio, 

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy… the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” In his speech, Roosevelt expressed the shock and anger felt by the entire nation. He went on to say, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.” With these words, he assured the American people that they would stand strong and united against this unexpected attack, and they would eventually prevail. Roosevelt’s speech became a rallying cry, inspiring Americans to come together and work toward victory in World War II.

After the attack, people from all over America heard about what happened at Pearl Harbor. They wanted to help too. Many young men joined the army and the navy to protect their country. They were devastated by the attack on Pearl Harbor, especially those who lost loved ones. But it also made them very determined. The people of America decided they would work together and become even stronger. They remembered the heroes of Pearl Harbor, and they were inspired to do their best for their country.

In the years that followed, America and its allies joined together to fight Japan and the Axis Powers in what became World War II. It was a tough time, but the brave spirit of the heroes at Pearl Harbor lived on. Men and women across the country built airplanes, ships, and tanks. They planted victory gardens to grow food and were careful how they spent their money. Some donated their money to help the war effort. Everyone did their part to help their country.

With time, the heroes of Pearl Harbor became a symbol of courage and unity. They showed the world what it meant to be brave and never give up, even when times are tough.

In the end, America and its allies won the war, and they celebrated their victory. The heroes of Pearl Harbor, the men, women, and nurses, were remembered as true American heroes. They showed that when people work together, they can overcome even the biggest challenges.

Today, people still remember Pearl Harbor every year on December 7. They gather to honor the heroes and remember the day that changed America. It’s a day to think about the importance of peace and working together.

If you visit Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii today, you can still see the battleship, USS Arizona sunken just below the surface of the water. I’ve visited there multiple times and am always shocked to think of what happened there, but also spend the time honoring those who gave their lives in service to their country. And now the USS Arizona Memorial, floating solemnly above the sunken battleship, is a powerful symbol of remembrance and honor in the heart of Pearl Harbor. The memorial, which stands as a graceful white structure, is designed to gently straddle the ship’s sunken remains. Visitors from all over the world come to pay their respects and remember the heroes who perished in this historic tragedy.

As you step onto the USS Arizona Memorial, a hushed reverence fills the air. You can see the clear waters through the openings on the floor, a solemn window into the past. Inside, a wall bears the names of the brave men who lost their lives on the ship, a poignant reminder of their sacrifice. The memorial serves as a place of reflection and contemplation, reminding us of the importance of peace and unity. It’s a place where we honor the heroes of the USS Arizona and all those who came together during and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, illustrating the enduring spirit of resilience and togetherness.

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Imagine you are walking through the forest…

Imagine you are walking along a path in the forest.  Around you are beautiful mountains covered with lush green trees.  You see tall bamboo trees and birds in the sky. Nearby is a small mountain village where families are cooking dinner and playing in common areas.  As you walk further along the path toward the mountain range, you suddenly look up and see a gigantic stone wall cutting through the forest. You place your hands on it and look up. It is incredibly high. When you look left and right you see that it stretches in both directions as far as your eye can see.  You are at one of the most famous structures in the world: the Great Wall of China! 

The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago and runs more than 13,000 miles across northern China.  But why was this wall built?  And how has it lasted so long?

Emperor Chin Shi Huang

The Great Wall of China was constructed by Emperor Chin Shi Huang in the 3rd century B.C.  Well actually, parts of the wall were built earlier than that and it is doubtful that Emperor Chin did any of the actual construction work himself.  

Emperor Chin united a number of different independent states in China and was the first emperor to unite all of these different communities together as one Chinese country.  This happened around 220 B.C.  Before that, there were many different kingdoms throughout China and different groups of people living on their own.  The land that the Chinese people lived on was very fertile. Fertile means the land is good for growing lots of food. Over time, the people that lived in the area started to farm and grow crops.  As more people farmed the land, they needed to create systems of order and government to help manage the land and how it was used.  

Warring States Period

At this time, Chinese people developed and irrigated fields and grew crops near the Yellow River valley. Farming large areas of land required people to work together and form a government to work the land peacefully.  That is why the Chinese formed one empire and also built walls around them to protect their communities against attacks by the nomads.  Nomads mean someone who doesn’t live in one place but moves from place to place. The nomads didn’t farm, but instead moved around and herded animals. They used the food from these animals to survive. They also hunted instead of staying in one place and farming. 

Since the nomads needed to move with the animals, they had a completely different type of society and order. They needed to hunt animals or trade for them.  This led to the nomads trading with the Chinese or in many cases attacking them. 

The nomadic tribes often came into contact with the Chinese farmers.  Sometimes it was friendly and they would trade with each other.  But often, they did not get along.  The nomadic people wanted to use the farmland to hunt and move around, but the farm people wanted more land to farm. This led to battles between the farmers and the nomads.  The farming kingdoms also often fought each other for control of different territories. This is why this period of history in China is known as the “Warring States Period.”

To help avoid attacks, many of the kingdoms built walls to defend themselves.  The walls were made out of rocks and compacted dirt that was tamped very tightly to form the structure.  These walls were shorter versions of the Great Wall of China that were later built.  They stretched between the border of different regions and often included towers, block houses for soldiers, and beacons to send smoke signals.

When Emperor Chin became emperor, he wanted to put a stop to the fighting between different farming kingdoms.  He declared that all of these kingdoms were now part of one country called China.  But the nomadic people that lived outside the area didn’t care about this.  They continued to attack the farming areas. 

Imperial Order

To help stop these attacks and to continue to unite the new country, the Emperor ordered that the walls between different states be removed and that the shorter walls that existed along the northern border of China be joined together to form one long wall.  Emperor Qin thought that this would also help protect them against attacks from the north where China’s biggest enemy lived — Mongolia. The Mongolians were fierce fighters and very dangerous to the Chinese.

Construction

The project of building the Great Wall was a huge task requiring a lot of work.  Emperor Qin ordered his army to work on the wall, so much of it was constructed by soldiers.  But they needed even more workers to get the job done.  So Emperor Qin ordered that prisoners work on the wall as well.  This is called “forced labor,” which is when someone is forced to do a job without getting paid. It was hard work and estimated that around 400,000 workers died while building the wall.  

Conditions were probably very difficult due to the long stretches of mountains and desert where the Wall was built.  Today, there are some areas of the Great Wall where no one lives because the conditions are so difficult and there are some parts where the winters are so cold that no one goes there in the winter.  Can you imagine having to work on building a large wall in those conditions?

Manual Labor

Because much of the wall is built with rammed earth, most of the materials that they used to build the wall could be found right where they were building it.  However, some additional supplies and workers had to travel a far way to get to the wall. This made construction even more difficult. Sometimes the young men that were forced to build the wall had to haul boats loaded with baggage upstream in rivers in order to bring food to the workers.  The work was so hard that many people tried to escape and sneak away back to the city or to their hometowns.  Many individuals died in the wilderness trying to escape because the conditions were hard to survive and the journey home was so long. 

Eventually, people living in the newly united China started to revolt against the Qin dynasty.  To revolt means to fight against and overthrow.  Emperor Qin was a strict ruler and not everyone agreed with his rules. As Emperor Qin lost the support of the Chinese people over time, there were fewer and fewer soldiers that were willing to go out to work on the wall.  They stopped listening to his orders and as a result, the construction of the wall slowed down. 

Construction Continues

Later Chinese rulers carried on the construction and eventually the wall was finished.  This included the Han, Sui, Northern, Jin, and Ming Dynasties.  Each repaired, rebuilt or expanded the wall.  During the Ming Dynasty, major rebuilding work took place and sections of the wall that were originally built with dirt were replaced with bricks and stone instead.  These new materials helped the wall to last longer in good shape. 

One of the first mentions of a wall built against northern invaders is found in a poem, dated the seventh century BC.  It is recorded in the ancient Chinese book of Classic Poetry. 

In 221 BC, when Qin Shi Huang united the Chinese states, the walls were known as “Changcheng” which literally means “long walls”.  The walls were mostly constructed of tamped earth, which some parts built with stones. Where natural barriers, like ravines and rivers, worked enough for defense, the walls were erected sparingly.  Often in addition to the wall, defensive systems like garrisons and beacon towers were built inside the wall, and watchtowers were on the outside at regular intervals. 

Unfortunately the Great Wall never totally prevented invaders from coming into China.  It was a useful way to stop raids.  But at several points throughout its history, the Great Wall failed to stop enemies.  This included in 1644 when the Manchu Qing marched through the gates of Shanhai Pass and replaced the Ming dynasty as the new rulers of China.  But the Great Wall came to be seen as a symbol of the ongoing power and strength of the Chinese civilization. 

Genghis Khan

Eventually, the Chinese were forced to move back from the northern part of China when the Mongolian people attacked the north and conquered and took control of China.  The Mongols were led by Genghis Khan, a famous, violent leader. The Mongols didn’t need the Great Wall as much as the Chinese had in the past, but they assigned soldiers to man the wall in order to protect merchants and travelers traveling along the Silk Road trade routes. 

Eventually, the Ming Dynasty took control of the area again.  During the Ming Dynasty, the Ming rules were very strong leaders, and Chinese culture grew stronger. They built a lot of additional parts of the Great Wall including bridges, temples, and pagodas.  Pagodas are like western gazebos or covered areas that people can sit under.

Conclusion

Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the Great Wall became the most common symbol of China for the Western world. Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive building feats in human history. In 1987, UNESCO, an international heritage organization, designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site.  At the time, it was the only man-made structure that could be visible from space!

In modern times, thousands of tourists visit the Great Wall of China.  The most popular part of the wall and the most famous is called Badaling.  It runs 43 miles northwest of Beijing.  Would you like to see the Great Wall of China one day?  If you do, think of all of the people that worked to build and maintain the wall throughout time.  Walking along the Great Wall of China, you will surely be walking along part of history!

Check out these great books!

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Do you like to play board games?  Maybe you know of some popular games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Battleship, or Trouble.  Maybe you even have your own favorite board game that you play with your family.  One of my favorite board games is called “Clue.”  This game was created a long time ago, in 1944 by an Englishman, for people to play while they were huddled in underground shelters during bombing raids.  It was originally called “Cluedo” which means “I play” in Latin! It is a mystery game full of twists and turns, where players find clues and try to figure out who committed a daring deed with a household item, such as a fireplace poker, knife, or a walking stick, inside a spooky gothic house.  It is a game of cunning and conniving – of trying to figure out who is the villain and how to use clues to solve the mystery.  The characters have funny names like Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, and Mrs. Peacock and you need to follow and remember their hijinks and clues during the game.  You need to be a super sleuth – or spy!    

Real Spies

During the time Clue was created, there were a lot of real spies.  But instead of playing a make-believe game, they were engaged in actual spycraft!  During WW II, US spies worked tirelessly and covertly – meaning secretly – to obtain enemy information, such as where the enemy was headed, where they would attack, how many planes, ships, or men they had, and other useful information.  And not all of these spies were men!  Women were also used as spies across Europe and Asia because they were so unexpected.  At that time, people did not think that women could be involved in the war, either fighting or spying.  So, women had the perfect spy cover!  They could act like a society lady, attending parties, and listening to war talk between men.  Or they could ride their bikes around town, stopping in shops and cafes to listen for war secrets.  And some even created news by writing fake radio announcements, newspaper articles, or postcards to confuse the enemy.  

Betty McIntosh – Spy

One such spy was Elizabeth “Betty” McIntosh who was born on March 1, 1915, in Washington, DC.  She was very brave and smart.  She knew how to speak Japanese and was working as a news reporter during the start of WWII.  Betty was stationed in Hawaii when Japanese planes bombed US ships docked at Pearl Harbor.  

The bombing of Pearl Harbor brought the US into the war and Betty moved to Washington, DC.  She kept busy writing articles about Eleanor Roosevelt, the President’s wife, and her war efforts.  She then interviewed a man working at the OSS – the Office of Strategic Services.  This was the US spy agency during WWII.  During the interview, she was asked if she would “like to do something more interesting.”  She was not told it would be spying – which was very sneaky of them!  She said, “I would like to do it if it involves going overseas.”  And they granted her wish!  

Betty reported for her first day of work and was fingerprinted – meaning they covered her fingers in ink and pushed her fingers onto a piece of paper, leaving fingerprints on the paper.  She was then told that she had to keep everything top secret and swear an oath – which she thought was strange because she didn’t even know what she would be doing yet.

Betty was then sent to a group called MO – Morale Operations.  Their entire job was to spread rumors.  Can you imagine that?  I’m sure all of us have been told by our parents and teachers not to tell lies or spread rumors.  But that was her new job!  She was taught how to start rumors and make them believable by mixing in bits of truth with lies.   She worked with other “spy craft” people, like radio announcers, artists, newspaper editors, cartoonists, and writers – people who had skills in writing and creating convincing stories and pictures.  Some of these spycraft people were captured Japanese soldiers who were artists and agreed to work with the allies.

Betty McIntosh Heads to India

Once Betty finished training in 1943, she was sent to India to spread false radio and news reports to Japanese soldiers who were getting very tired of fighting.  The Japanese government had told their soldiers that if they stopped fighting – or if they surrendered – they could never go home and they would lose their houses and savings.  This made the Japanese continue to fight very hard.  The US needed to find a way to let the Japanese soldiers stop fighting while keeping their honor.  So, Betty and the OSS created false Japanese military orders to surrender in one particular battle!  They had another spy capture a Japanese courier – a mailman – and put the false order in his mailbag.  This order was later read and believed by the Japanese officers!

Betty McIntosh in China

Betty then flew to China, where she started writing fake radio scripts and stories for the OSS.  One OSS radio worker acted as a fortune teller.  This fortune teller pretended to look at the stars and make predictions over the radio.  The Japanese loved to listen to these radio stories!  Betty was told she had to write a very scary, but believable story to scare the Japanese.  “What about an earthquake?” she said.  No, that happens all the time in Japan,” said her boss.  “Well, what about a Tsunami,” she replied.  “Nope, they have those, too,” he said.  “Well, I’ll think of something scary” replied Betty.  

She thought and thought, but couldn’t think of something truly scary.  So, she finally wrote the following announcement, “Something terrible is going to happen to Japan. We have checked the stars and there is something we can’t even mention because it is so dreadful and it is going to eradicate one whole area of Japan.” That same day, the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.  Betty didn’t even know this was going to happen and she was shocked – as well as everyone else who listened to her radio announcement!  She was asked, “How did you know about the bomb because it was top secret?”  She said, “I just made the story up!”

Betty McIntosh Returns to the US

After the war ended, Betty returned to the US and started writing for Glamour magazine.  But it was very boring writing about clothes and makeup after being a spy!  So, Betty returned to government work, assisting the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the State Department, and the United Nations.  She also wrote several spy books, including “Undercover Girl” and “Sisterhood of Spies” as well as several children’s books.

Still, Betty missed the thrill and excitement of working as a spy, so she asked for a job with the new US spy agency, the CIA, or Central Intelligence Agency.  She worked there for many years until retiring.  She signed an oath to never talk about her work at the CIA, so we will never know about her other spy exploits, but I’m sure they were exciting!  

Betty passed away at the age of 100 in 2015 after 40 years of working as a spy.  Before she died, she stated that her work as a spy was the most exciting time in her life.  

In 1982, the US started an annual celebration called Women’s History Month, which starts on March 1^st in honor of Betty’s birthday.  

Life as a Spy

What do you think of Betty’s life as a spy?  Would you like to be a spy?  What would be your spy name?  What kind of spy would you be?  Would you write stories, sneak behind enemy lines gathering information, or smuggle people to safety?  Or maybe you would do something else, like crack codes or decipher messages.

I think Betty’s story reminds us that women can do courageous, patriotic, and amazing things.  Betty traveled overseas and did important work for her nation during a time of great crisis to save US lives and shorten the war.  Maybe you can continue to honor Betty and other brave women by participating in Women’s History Month and learning more about courageous women who changed the course of history. 

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Today we’re going to learn about a few of the people who were born in the Navajo Nation and their adventures that started back in 1942, around 80 years ago.

At this time in Europe, World War II has been raging for two years, but in the United States, people are still going about their daily activities – attending school, working in stores, tending family farms, and raising children.  But suddenly, on December 7, 1941, the US state of Hawaii is attacked by enemy planes.  Big battleships are sunk.  Many lives are lost.  The US must respond and save their nation – but how?

A Military Plan

Military leaders get together to discuss a battle plan.  They gather soldiers, ships, tanks, and planes.  Next, they need to find a battle language – a secret code – to relay messages back and forth.  Their enemies are good at cracking codes – they did it in World War I and they are currently doing it in Europe during World War II.  So, what kind of code can they use?  They need a language that is unknown, and very difficult to speak and understand.  During the first World War, the US used Native American languages like Choctaw for their codes. Nineteen Choctaw warriors were sent into battle to relay secret messages.  The enemy couldn’t understand this Choctaw language; they thought the US had created some type of machine to record voices underwater!  However, after WWI, the enemy learned about this code and sent students to the US to learn Choctaw, plus other Native American languages such as Hopi, Comanche, and Cherokee.  The US military leaders need to find a new language – something unknown to most people.  An article about this search is printed in the papers.

The Navajo Code

Philip Johnston reads about this search in the paper and has an idea.  As a child, he was raised on a Navajo reservation with missionary parents, meaning religious people, who helped the Navajo.  He knows how to speak Navajo – a language that is not written has no alphabet and is very difficult to understand.  The same Navajo word can mean different things based on the tone of voice used or if the word is spoken in a high voice, a low voice, or even a rising or falling voice.  This would make a perfect code! 

Philip contacts the US military and, after a lot of convincing, they agree to use Navajo as their code!  They find 29 young Navajo men who are bilingual – meaning they speak Navajo and English – from the Navajo Nation spread across the US states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.  The men are sent to Camp Elliott in San Diego, California, for boot camp and training.  There is so much to learn:  they need to learn how to jump over high walls, crawl quietly through jungles with huge backpacks, shoot rifles, and hone survival skills like reading maps, building fires, and bandaging wounds.  But these Navajo soldiers have to learn even more.  They have to create and memorize a secret code – plus use a special radio to transmit these codes!

Writing the Code

These young men are smart.  They know that the enemy might understand certain Navajo words, so they turn their language into a secret code!  Sometimes they will use their original Navajo words and sometimes they will change words.  For instance, in English, the word “cat” starts with the letter “C”.  The Navajo word for “cat” is “mosi” (mo-see).  So, now they will use the word “mo-see” to mean the letter C!  They do this trick with all the letters of the English alphabet.  And then they do something even more amazing!  They think of military words like “Captain” or “Patrol Plane” or “Mine Sweeper” and think of animals or objects that look or act like those military objects.  For example, a captain wears a pin with two metal stripes on his uniform.  This striped pin reminds the Navajo of railroad tracks.  So, the code for captain is now “two tracks.”  A patrol plane soars through the sky looking for things below, like troops, or tanks, or ships.  This reminds the Navajo of a bird that likes to fly and look for things on the ground.  Thus, they call a patrol plane a “crow!” And a mine sweeper ship cruises through the water looking for things in its way.  The Navajo code talkers say that’s a “beaver.”  And that is how they build their code – by turning military words into Navajo words with a secret meaning.  Now even a Navajo speaker will not know what they are talking about!  

Implementing the Navajo Code

The Code is ready.  Now it needs to be tested in battle!  Four hundred trained Navajo code talkers are sent to the Pacific islands of Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Guadalcanal, and Bougainville.  The fighting is fierce.  The noise of guns and grenades is deafening at times.  The code talkers work in pairs with no code books; everything is memorized.  They can’t risk the enemy finding the books and learning the code.  They can hardly think, speak, or hear each other with all the noise during intense battles.  And other times they have to be very quiet when speaking on the radio, especially at night, so their voices or the squawk of the radio will not give them away. 

They relay messages day and night – such as where US planes and ships should land or fire, where the enemy is located, where to send more troops, or where to pick up injured soldiers.  This is incredibly important work and is very stressful and tiring – plus they have to stay safe themselves through all this action.  They are always the first to land and the last to leave in battle. They are on the front lines of battles learning important information to pass back to their commanders. It is very hard for them to stay alive and send accurate messages every day; however, they successfully send over 800 messages during the battle of Iwo Jima alone without one mistake! Due to their heroic actions and their secret code, the US wins the famous battle at Iwo Jima.

The Navajo Code Talkers serve for three years in battles all across the Pacific Islands, relaying thousands of messages, saving countless lives, and securing victory in the Pacific with the US Marines.  The enemy never cracks their code.  

Finally, the war ends and the Navajo code breakers return to their homes and families in the Navajo Nation.  Some have died bravely in battle, but many have miraculously survived.  Their code and mission remain secret and confidential for more than 20 years, until details are released in 1968.  That is because the US military continued to use their Navajo code in other battles, such as Vietnam and Korea.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan honored the code talkers and declared August 14 “Navajo Code Talkers Day.”  In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Congressional medals of honor to 29 of the original code talkers, followed by additional award ceremonies in 2001 by President George W. Bush and 2017 by President Donald Trump.  

Code Talker Peter MacDonald states, “What a privilege God had given to us to do that job, for selecting the Navajo!”  He opens his old, faded code book. With a gnarled finger, he traces across the page and lands on the word “America.”  Beside it is the Navajo code: “Our Mother.”  His weathered face breaks into a grin – the Navajo have helped save America, their nation’s mother.

Our Debt to the Navajo Code Talkers

I think we owe a large debt of gratitude to the Navajo Nation and the brave young men who fought so valiantly in the Pacific relaying thousands of messages swiftly and accurately while under extreme battle conditions.  They offer us many important life lessons about duty, honor, service to others bravery, courage, and so much more.  Each of us in our own way has something to offer to the world: a skill, a talent, a helping spirit, or a language!  Just think what amazing things we can accomplish if we work together and help one another.  What is your special gift and what could you do to better your community?

The post History of the Navajo Code Talkers for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Have you ever seen fish in a tank, aquarium, or in the ocean and wondered how they swim? And what would it feel like to be a fish, gliding through the water, seeing all of the interesting and exotic things a fish sees. The ocean covers around 70% of the earth’s surface and is extremely deep in some places. There are parts of the ocean we’ve still yet to explore. For a very long time, the size and depth of the ocean have fascinated people who have watched fish and wondered what it would be like to swim deep into the ocean and move about it freely. But humans can’t explore the ocean as freely as a fish. Can you think of a few things we need and don’t have naturally? To be able to breathe underwater like a fish is one. And a way to move around. Also, the deeper you go the more pressure surrounds you and human bodies can only take so much pressure. For a very long time, people have wondered if they could invent a way to move through the water and for longer periods of time like a fish. 

One of the early people to ask questions like this was William Bourne. Bourne was a British mathematician who in 1578 shared his idea for an enclosed boat that could go underwater, be submerged, and also be rowed underwater. This first idea for a submarine would be built of wood and covered in leather which is waterproof. It was a great idea and Bourne shared it with others but it wasn’t until around 50 years later that a dutch inventor named Cornelius von Drebel decided to take Bourne’s plans and build the underwater boat. When it was completed, Drebel’s submarine could go 12 to 15 underwater and was powered using oars that stuck out of the holes in its side. You can imagine how fascinating it would have been to see the first submarine at the time! It made several trials in the Thames River in England and it is believed that King James got to ride in it.

Once others saw Drebel’s idea, they were inspired to create their own submarines and as many as 14 different versions are known to have been created within a hundred years after Drebel’s. With each invention, new ideas were shared about how a submarine could function. Inventions typically work this way. Someone has an idea, others try it out, make changes, and continue to try new things and make changes and share their ideas, working towards the more advanced, modern versions of inventions we have today. This was the same with the airplane and computers, among all of the other technologies we have today.

During the American Revolution, an engineer had the idea to use a submarine to try and disable enemy ships. His name was David Bushnell and he constructed a very basic submarine made of wood and named it the Turtle. Only one person could fit inside it and after submerging it was designed to sneak up beside an enemy ship and then place a bomb on it. When the bomb went off, it would damage the ship’s hull and it would no longer be useful. It was an ingenious idea and the Turtle was able to float under the water and sneakily approach the ship, but once it got next to the ship the bomb attaching device didn’t work. This is the first known example of someone trying to use a submarine during war.

Another famous submarine inventor was American Robert Fulton, who later would go on to create some of the well-known steamships. But before steamships, Fulton was living in France and built a submarine which he called The Nautilus. Napoleon Bonaparte was the leader of France at the time and he paid Fulton to design and build the Nautilus. Unlike earlier submarines, the Nautilus was made of metal: an iron structure covered with copper sheets. The propellers were still hand-powered but it could move above and below water, since above water a mast and sail could be stood up. The Nautilus used a technology called ballast tanks. These tanks would take in water to go down and then push the water out when it needed to go up and float to the surface. It also had a rudder to steer the submarine and four people could fit inside. But this was still an early design, so for light, the sailors still had to use candles!

During the 1800s, updates and new innovations continued to make submarines faster and better at navigating underwater. Eventually, steam and diesel-electric power, and gasoline was used to move the submarines. Engineers also experimented with new ways the submarines could be used in war by firing torpedoes, which are underwater missiles. They also became bigger and could hold more people. The French navy built a submarine called the Narval which was propelled by a steam engine and was 111 feet long!

 By the time World War 1, also called The Great War, took place in the 1900s, technology had reached a point that very dangerous submarines sailed the ocean. Germany was known for its powerful submarines called U-boats, which were 300 feet long and could move at 13 knots on the surface and 7 when submerged. It was also armed with torpedoes and guns and was feared by its enemies. 

U-boats became even more powerful and dangerous by World War II. Germany built over a thousand U-boats. They were very advanced and moved in groups called “Wolf Packs” which attacked enemy ships moving supplies across the Atlantic Ocean. The United States Navy and others had to find ways to fight back against the German U-boats and eventually succeeded. During the Battle of the Atlantic 41 U-Boats were sunk so for a time they stopped attacking in the Atlantic. During World War 2 785 of the 1,000 German U-boats were eventually sunk.

Later, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union began building nuclear-powered submarines, which were powered using nuclear fission, the same process used to power an atomic bomb. They sailed much faster, dove deeper, and used advanced sonar radar that could detect other submarines and ships above water. The Permit-class attack submarine was almost 300 feet in length, the size of a football field if you can imagine that! It could hold around 130 sailors who each had different jobs from captain to radarman, to cook or weapons specialist. They spent many days underwater patrolling the oceans. Can you imagine living underwater in a submarine for that long? These submarines were equipped with powerful weapons, some of them ballistic missiles which could fire up out of the water and enemy targets. 

Since that time, submarines designed for warfare have only improved. But today not all submarines are used by the military. Have you heard of a submersible? A submersible is a smaller submarine that is used to explore the ocean and its life. It’s designed to be carried on a ship out to sea and then lowered into the water where it can dive deep and learn more about the depths of the ocean. If you think about it, so much of the ocean is undiscovered which makes it a little like an alien planet, because there are species we haven’t found yet and places we haven’t visited. 

One of the most well-known submersible operators was a marine scientist named Robert Ballard. He grew up in San Diego, California, and living near the ocean was fascinated by it. He wanted more than anything to explore it and learned to scuba dive the first chance he got. As he got older, he went to school to learn more about the ocean and also became interested in submersibles. In the 1970s, Ballard helped build a three-person submersible that they named Alvin. Using Alvin, Ballard and his crew dove 9,000 feet to explore an underwater mountain range in the Atlantic Ocean. Did you know there are mountains under the ocean? They used Alvin to explore other places like thermal vents, which had plant and animal life in them, an entirely new discovery for scientists.

The next submersible Ballard and his team designed was called the Argo. But the Argo was special because it was unmanned and could go deeper and longer than a submersible with humans could. It could also send pictures up to the boat of what it was seeing. Ballard decided the main goal of the Argo would be to find the Titanic. If you’ve listened to our episode about the Titanic, you’ll know that the Titanic was a huge ocean liner that was sunk in 1911 after hitting an iceberg. For seventy years no one had yet to find the Titanic. It was in a very deep area of the ocean and they weren’t sure exactly where it lay to rest. It took many days of searching, but on an exciting day in 1985, Ballard and his crew saw images of the Titanic Argo sent to them deep from the bottom of the ocean. It was broken into two pieces and covered with coral and other sea life. But you can imagine how excited they were when they finally discovered the Titanic and were able to share their findings with the world. 

Later, Ballard returned to the Titanic in his submersible, the Alvin, so he could see it in person for himself. 

If you had a chance to take a voyage in a submersible or submarine would you? Are you interested in learning more about submarines and the ocean? If so, have your parents help you find some books about submarines at the library or find some good videos on the Internet. I loved learning about submarines because it just amazes me what people can do when they put their mind to accomplishing a goal and then get to work. Designing something takes time learning about the science behind it, and then experimenting and making changes until you get it right. This is the engineering process! And like the great inventors and engineers of the past you can start small with your own inventions, too!

The post History of Submarines and Submersibles for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Today we’re going to learn about a place that has been a mystery to people all over the world. Places like this one become mysterious because not much is known about what goes on there, so people start to imagine what might happen there and share their ideas until the place becomes more and more intriguing to those who don’t know about it. This particular place is called Area 51. Area 51 is one section in a large territory of land located in the deserts of Nevada in the United States, which is now officially called the Nevada National Security Site. Area 51 is owned by the government and only the people who work there are allowed to know what happens on the base. For a very long time, no one outside of the base knew what was going on there, but in recent years more of its history has become known. So in this episode we’re going to talk about some of the histories we do know about Area 51 and also the things we don’t know and for that reason have become mysterious.

After World War 2 ended, the Cold War began. The Cold War was a conflict between the United States and its allies and the Soviet Union (not Russia). It was called a Cold War because there was very little fighting and instead lots of spying. Both countries were worried the other country would use nuclear bombs, which were invented during World War 2, on each other. The United States needed an area for testing nuclear bombs that were far from humans, so they used the land in Nevada and called it the Nevada Testing Site. Some of these bombs were tested above ground but many of them were tested below ground. They drilled holes deep into the earth and dug tunnels to place the bombs into before detonating them. They did this because the fallout from nuclear bombs above ground can be very harmful when it moves through the air. I did a little research using Google Maps and today you can still see the craters created by the testing of these bombs at the Nevada Testing Site.

So to keep an eye on each other’s nuclear bombs, the United States and Russia trained spies to live in each other’s countries, trying to figure out what their enemy would do next. Another word for spying is espionage. The agency in the United States for gathering intelligence was called the Central Intelligence Agency or CIA. Intelligence is information about other countries, such as Russia at the time. Besides just sending out agents, the CIA had the idea to use jets to photograph possible nuclear weapons in Russia. These jets would need to fly VERY high to avoid enemy radar and have very powerful cameras to take photos of the land below. And the program to develop the spy plane would have to be TOP SECRET. This means no one could know about it besides the people working on the spy plane. 

The new spy plane was called the U-2 and once the work started on it, the designers needed a place to test it out. The chief designer of the U-2, named Kelly Johnson, was flying over Nevada one day when he saw the flat desert and mountains of Area 51 and thought it would be perfect for testing out his new spy plane. Soon, work started on the airfield and runways around Groom Lake at the section of the Nevada Test Site named Area 51. Airplane hangers to keep the spy plane out of view. Fences were added all around Area 51 so no one but those working on the U-2 spy plane could see what was being done. Guards were posted at all of the entrances to make sure no one entered the base. Anyone who worked at Area 51 had to swear an oath of secrecy to promise that they’d never speak about the work they were doing. Houses were built for the people who would live there. Soon, the area around Groom Lake was a small city where engineers and pilots could live and work and test the spy plane. A gym, movie theater, and baseball diamond were even built to make life more enjoyable at Area 51. Kelly Johnson even called it “Paradise Ranch” to attract people to work on the top secret projects.

During the day, engineers worked on the aircraft. Then at night, highly trained pilots flew the advanced aircraft high around the Nevada desert to test them and make sure they were working well. The U-2 spy plane was black, had long slender wings and could fly up to 70,000 feet, which was extremely high for a jet at the time. Testing the U-2 was very dangerous and the pilots who flew it had to be very skilled and brave to take it up again and again until it was ready to use. Many talented engineers also had to work long hours to make sure the U-2 could fly high, take photos, and not be detected by enemy radar.

Before the U-2 was put into service, the next top-secret project began on a new spy plane that would be designed to fly even higher and faster than the U-2. It was called the A-12 Oxcart. It was long, black, sleek, and eventually able to fly Mach 3, which is 2,000 miles per hour and faster than the speed of sound. It still holds the record of flying at 85,000 feet, which is incredibly high for a jet. The A-12 was also the precursor to the SR-71 Blackbird, which looked very similar.

So as you can imagine, when jets like the U-2, the A-12, and other top-secret aircraft flew at night, they moved at incredible speeds; and when their fuel burned it created bright streaks across the sky. This made people living nearby Area 51 very suspicious about what was going on. They saw objects that were moving higher and faster than anything they’d ever seen. Also, when passenger jet pilots flew nearby, they saw objects moving high above them and very fast. Stories started to emerge from people on the ground and in the air who saw these objects. Science Fiction was becoming popular in comic books, movies, and TV. Could the objects people were seeing be spacecraft from another world? They started calling these “Unidentified Flying Objects” or UFOs. Another word they used to describe beings from other planets was “extraterrestrials.” They wondered if Area 51 had UFOs.

Of course, it didn’t help that Area 51 was so top secret. Everything was classified, which means not public knowledge, and everyone working there was flown in by plane and had to receive top-secret clearance. You can imagine what kind of rumors started!

All the while, new projects continued at Area 51 and the surrounding test site in the deserts of Nevada which included the D-21 Tagboard, one of the first aircraft flown without a human pilot. You might know these as drones but officially called UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Later, UAVs like the Predator, Sentinel, and Reaper drones were tested at Area 51. These are now in use by the military today and used in places like the Middle East. A pilot on a base in Nevada flies these drones remotely in place all over the world using satellite communication. There has also been debate about whether aircraft like this should be used in other countries and when they should be used.

Over time, the history of the aircraft tested at Area 51 and nearby became public knowledge. In 2013, the CIA even shared documents about the work done there. The documents about the U-2, the A-12, and F-117 became declassified. Later, it became known that astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin who completed the first Apollo Moon mission trained there. They put on their spacesuits and walked around the desert as if they were on the moon.

Of course, today whatever is being tested and created at Area 51 is once again top secret, so we can only guess what is happening there. Because it’s unknown it becomes mysterious to those who don’t know and people like to use their imaginations to think about what might be going on there. Like we said before, the base is guarded by fences and soldiers on patrol so currently only people with top-secret permission can go in. It’s likely that the most advanced aircraft is being tested there and things we won’t know about until they are revealed at a future date.  That said, you can look at Area 51 on Google Maps, and my kids and I had fun looking at the different airfields, mountains, roads, and testing sites. And we do admit it’s fun to guess at what might be going on there today.

So, back to UFOs and extraterrestrials since it can be such an intriguing topic. Many people wonder with our universe being so big, there should be other life out there in the galaxy. And if so, why haven’t we made contact with this other intelligent life yet. There are a lot of questions here which are fun to explore. The SETI Institute is one organization with the goal to find extraterrestrial life in the universe. SETI stands for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. They use powerful radio telescopes to observe faraway places in the galaxy that might contain intelligent life. They search for planets that might be habitable, which means be the right temperature and have water. 

At times, the government and military have also done studies on UFOs and intelligent life that may have visited earth. Project Blue Book was the name of one of these studies. They interviewed witnesses and researched what might explain what people were seeing. In most cases, what people saw corresponded to aircraft flying in the area or other explainable things. 

One of the most famous UFO stories in the United States happened in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 when something crashed in the desert there. With all of the talk of UFOs familiar with Science Fiction, the newspaper was quick to report it was a UFO. Did they do this just to get people to buy their newspapers? Or did someone see something that made them think it was a spacecraft from another planet? The military quickly came to the scene to clean up the crashed aircraft and this led to people speculating that whatever did crash in Roswell was top secret. Stories about what happened at Roswell then began to spread and ever since it has been a topic of much debate. Later, the military said it was in fact a top-secret project, a high-flying weather balloon used to spy on enemies far below. During World War 2 they hoped to use it to listen for bombs exploding to know where the enemy might be testing nuclear bombs. But as you can imagine the rumors still abound about what happened at Roswell, New Mexico. Later, people wondered if what was being tested at Area 51 was connected to the crash at Roswell. Did the government know something about UFOs that the general public didn’t? Were they testing their own UFOs? We do know they were testing top-secret aircraft like the U-2 and A-12. It can be fun to speculate and wonder but the fact remains that there is still much that we don’t know about Area 51 and the surrounding Nevada Test Site. 

What is being tested at Area 51 today? The best guess is the same work of advanced aircraft that can fly fast and is stealthy, which means avoiding being detected by enemy radar. There may also be advanced weapons systems being tested which the military is always developing. If you try and visit Area 51 today you’ll only see lots of “No Trespassing” signs and surveillance cameras, but interestingly, people interested in UFOs like to drive down the road now called the Extraterrestrial Highway and all of the shops, hotels, and other businesses which are UFO and Extraterrestrial themed and which sell t-shirts, books, and other souvenirs.

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Saturday will be 20 years since the attacks that took place on September 11th, also known as 9/11. We call it 9/11 because 9 represents the 9th month of September and it happened on the 11th day of September in the year 2001. If you are younger, many of you may have not been born yet, but you may have heard about 9/11 from your parents or others who were alive during that time. I was alive during that time and it’s a day I know I will never forget.

Each year that September 11th or 9/11 has come around, maybe you’ve wondered why your parents, teachers, the news and so many people talk about that day. On 9/11 an attack took place in the United States in New York City against the Twin Towers. As you may know, New York City has very tall buildings called skyscrapers. It’s one of the many things that make New York City a famous place. I’ve seen the skyscrapers there and been to the top of two of them and they are amazing! The Twin Towers were two identical-looking towers that for a time were the tallest buildings in the world at 1,776 feet with 110 floors each! 

On the morning of September 11, 2001, the attack was carried out by a terrorist group called Al Qaida who was angry at the United States and wanted to Americans harm. These terrorists had been planning the attack for a while and their plan was to hijack (which means takeover) two passenger jets and then fly them into the sides of the Twin Towers. Al Qaida is an Islamic extremist group, which means they have strong beliefs attached to their religion and often behave in violent ways to protect and spread their religion. They were led by a man named Osama Bin Laden, who had been planning the attacks from the country of Afghanistan.

During the morning of September 11th, many people were working at the Twin Towers, but no one expected the attacks when they happened. After the planes crashed into the buildings and started fires, firefighters and police rushed to the towers and climbed the stairs to help people get out. Fortunately, many people were able to get out of the towers thanks to the help of the many brave firefighters who risked their lives to save others. 

As you can imagine, the fires inside the towers made them very hot. Towers are made with steel beams and steel is very strong but when it gets too hot it melts. Tragically, this caused both towers to collapse, which means fall down. Many of the firefighters who had rushed into the building were still inside, along with people who were working in the buildings. It was a very sad day for the United States and for people all around the world who had family members and loved ones inside the buildings and on the passenger jets. The Twin Towers, also known as the World Trade Center, was a place where people from all over the world worked and visited.

During the morning, two other passenger jets were taken over and also crashed. Flight 77 went down into the Pentagon, a military building in Virginia. Flight 99 went down in the countryside of Pennsylvania. Many believe this passenger jet was headed to the White House or the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. but the brave passengers were able to stop the terrorists before it made it all the way.

Do you know where the President of the United States was on the morning of 9/11? He was in Florida visiting an elementary school. President George W. Bush was reading the classroom a story when he found out about the attacks. Immediately, he rushed off to meet with his advisors and help deal with the attacks. It was hard to know at the time how many planes there were and where they were attacking, so it was a distressing time for everyone trying to help. The President ended up speaking to the news and to the world from the elementary school before leaving.

The rest of the day of 9/11 and the days following were very sad and difficult for everyone affected by the attacks. There was also a great feeling of patriotism and an outpouring of love for the city of New York and those who had been affected. New York started cleaning up the fallen towers and people visited the sites to leave pictures and flowers and other objects that reminded them of the loved ones they had lost.

In response to the attacks, the United States military sent soldiers into Afghanistan to seek out the terrorists and groups allowing terrorists to live there. Many battles took place between the American troops and extremist groups such as the Taliban and Al Qaida. Eventually, more soldiers were sent into Afghanistan to fight these groups and money was spent to try and create a stable government to avoid more terrorist groups who might threaten the United States again. If you’ve heard of the War in Afghanistan this is that war and one of the reasons it took place. There was also a war in the nearby country of Iraq which is some ways was related to the attacks on 9/11. As you can tell, the aftershocks of September 11 lasted far into the future and even today if you consider the number of people affected. 

Back in New York City, it took 9 months to clean up the fallen Trade Towers. In their place, they built a memorial to honor those who had died. Two years ago my wife, daughter, and I had the chance to visit New York City and go to the site where the Twin Towers once stood. Visiting the 9/11 Memorial is a very emotional experience. The design of the memorial is two large pools low in the ground where the towers once stood with waterfalls pouring down into them. The names of those who were lost are inscribed around the pools. There are many green trees and it is a peaceful place but also a very sad place. The pools in the ground represent the holes left in the hearts and lives of those who lost loved ones on 9/11. Nearby is a 9/11 museum now worth visiting and not far from the former towers is a huge new tower called the One World Trade Center. Some people said we shouldn’t build a new skyscraper because it might just become the target of another attack. But most people wanted to build a new tower to show that even when they are attacked they will start over, rebuild, and not be intimidated by those who would do them harm. This is what the new One World Trade Center represents, the resolve and determination of a city and nation that will continue moving forward even when tragedy strikes.

At the site of the destroyed towers President George W. Bush spoke to a crowd of rescue workers and said: “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”

Take some time to think about what it means to continue on even when things in life are hard. 9/11 is a time to remember people who were lost in the attacks. Take some time to learn more about what happened on 9/11 and the people who were lost or affected. With the help of your parents, you can watch videos and look at pictures that may help give you a better understanding of what happened and of things like the memorials and the new Trade Tower. If you click on the link in the episode’s notes I’ll include some pictures of our visit to the memorial and New York.

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Egypt was home to one of the most powerful civilizations of all time. They built the gigantic pyramids that are still standing today. They were led by a king, who they called a pharoah. They believed he was a god and worshipped him. They used advanced math, astronomy, created a system of writing, their own paper and were able to farm the land and build on a massive scale. Their armies were powerful and dangerous and controlled all the land in Northeast Africa for thousands of years! It can be hard to imagine just how long Egypt was in power compared to countries today, but it was much, much longer than British Empire was in power or the United States has been a global power, for example. 

But over time other civilizations became powerful. Eventually, it was the Greeks under Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great was a skilled military hero, who conquered lands all across the Medeterranean and eventually took Egypt. From this time forward Egypt was controlled by the Greeks. When Alexander the Great died, one of his captains named Ptolemy became the new King of Egypt or Pharoah. Ptolemy and his children ruled Egypt from the city of Alexandria for many, many years. And this is where our story about Cleopatra begins. 

Cleopatra was born 69 BCE in the city of Alexandra, Egypt as a princess to the current pharoah, Ptolemy the 7th. Like Alexander the Great, who had conquered Egypt, Cleopatra and her family were Greek, even though they ruled the Egyptian people. She had an older sister named Berenice, a younger sister named Arsinoe and two younger brothers who also had their father’s name of Ptolemy. 

Cleopatra had a good and safe childhood as a princess of Egypt. She probably played dice games popular in Egypt and with carved wooden dolls. Because she might be the pharoah herself someday, she was given a very good education. She had very good teachers and was able to study in the grand library of Alexandria, one of the best libraries in the history of the ancient world. Smart people from all over the world gathered at Alexandria and her library to study and learn from each other. 

At school she memorized long poems and lists of gods, goddesses and heroes. She was taught to speak in front of other people, an important skill as a queen. Cleopatra dressed in beautiful silk robes, wore lots of jewelry and makeup, and made to look like a goddess, since that’s what the people believed she was, as the daughter of a god.  

Unfortunate for Cleopatra, she was born during a time when there were many problems going on in her family and in Egypt. Her father and the pharaohs before him had been poor leaders, so the Egyptian people no longer wanted him as their ruler. When Cleopatra was 11, the people finally made her father, Ptolemy, leave Egypt. 

After Ptolemy left, Cleopatra’s older sister, Berenice became the new pharoah. In order to take power, Berenice had to do some horrible things and Cleopatra watched as all of this happened. The struggles going on her family made her want to stay out of the fighting, but she also watched carefully knowing that someday she may be the one having to take control and rule Egypt. She was very smart and probably already started thinking about what the right moves might be when she was in the same position as her older sister. She also learned that the best rulers were the ones who had the support of their people, unlike her father. She decided the best way to do this was to find ways for the Egyptian people to like her. Cleopatra learned everything she could about the Egyptian people and learned their language. She started dressing like their goddess Isis to gain their support. 

Another great civilization that rose to power after the Greeks was the Roman Empire. They were the most powerful empire during the lifetime of Cleopatra. Cleopatra’s father, Ptolemy, after being run out of Egypt, fled to Rome and convinced the Romans to join him and retake control of Egypt. A battle broke out between the fearsome Roman Army and the Egyptians of Alexandria. The Roman Army won the battle and Ptolemy once again became the pharaoh of Egypt. But even though her father was in control again, Cleopatra knew if she made the right moves, she could become the next ruler once he was gone.

And by 51 BCE, Ptolemy died and Cleopatra became the new queen, the Pharoah of Egypt. She was only 18 at the time, but had been preparing for her entire life for the job. She knew she’d have to be very careful and win over the people if she wanted to stay in power. One of her first moves was to take a trip to the city of Thebes by boat in a grand ceremony and declare herself the goddess Isis. Isis was worshipped by the Egyptian people, so she hoped in turn they would worship and honor her.

Sadly, luck turned against Cleopatra though and the Nile River didn’t flood for the first two years she was pharaoh. The Nile River was how the Egyptian people survived when once a year it flooded and watered their farmlands. The people wondered why if Cleopatra was a goddess she wasn’t able to control the Nile. Soon the people were going hungry, because their crops weren’t growing. Guess who they blamed? Yes, Cleopatra. Seeing that the people were growing angry, she decided to leave before they forced her out. But did Cleopatra give up easily? No. Right away she started plans for how she would return to power. In the desert she used her mastery of language to start making allies, which means friends with those who she could join with, warriors who could help her become pharaoh again.

Around this time a war was going on in Rome between two generals, Pompey and Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar won and after beating Pompey and taking control over the entire Roman Empire as its first emperor, he headed to Egypt to make sure it was also under his control. When he arrived, Cleopatra’s younger brother, Ptolemy, was the pharaoh. Caesar wanted Ptolemy and Cleopatra to work together to figure out who should rule Egypt, but Cleopatra was afraid her brother might try to harm her when she returned from the desert. So she came up with a very cunning plan. Cunning means to be very tricky and smart. With the help of her friend, Apollodorus, Cleopatra put on a disguise and rowed up the Nile River to Alexandria in a small boat. After reaching the palace, she climbed into a big sack and had Apollodorus carry her over his shoulder. No one knew he was carrying Cleopatra as he walked across the grounds of the palace and right into the room where Julius Caesar was waiting. Next, Cleopatra climbed out of the bag to Caesar’s great surprise! 

Cleopatra then used her great skills of talking and persuasion to convince Julius Caesar to let her be the Pharaoh of Egypt in place of her brother. Caesar agreed to let her rule with her brother, who was angry with the decision. Her brother, Ptolemy’s army later attacked too, but Ceasar’s army was more powerful and won The Alexandrian War and Ptolemy did not survive, leaving Cleopatra once again in control of Egypt. After the war Julius Caesar stayed in Egypt and Cleopatra became his wife. They travelled up and down the Nile and had a child together and named him Caesarion, which means “Little Caesar.” Eventually, they returned to Rome together. 

The Roman people liked Caesar, but the other leaders did not. They did not like that he had become an emperor and also did not like that he had married a woman who was not Roman. While in Rome, one of Julius Caesar’s friends, Brutus, and the other leaders turned against him and Caesar did not survive their attacks. The reign of Emperor Caesar was over, so Cleopatra left Rome and returned to Egypt.

While Cleopatra was in Egypt, a new war in Rome began over who would lead the empire. The battle was fought between one of Caesar’s generals, Mark Antony and Brutus and Cassius. This was called the Roman Civil War. Mark Antony eventually sailed to Rome to gain Cleopatra’s support. At first she was unsure if she should befriend him, because she wasn’t sure which side would win the war. Eventually, she met him on the Nile in one of her huge, decorated boats. She was dressed as the goddesses Isis, the boat was covered in flowers, small torches, and purple sails making it a beautiful sight to behold. When Mark Antony met Cleopatra he was stunned by her beauty and her power of speech and persuasion. Soon, he and Cleopatra were a couple and spent the next several months sailing together along the Nile and throwing huge parties together at Cleopatra’s palace. They paid for huge feasts and dancers and acrobats. These were some of the biggest parties Egypt had ever seen!

While Mark Antony was away from Rome, Julius Caesar’s nephew, Octavian had risen to power. Mark Antony knew it was time for him to give up the parties and his time with Cleopatra and return to battle to conquer his own lands. He left Egypt and fought far away while Octavian won the Civil War and now wanted to make sure Mark Antony wasn’t a threat. He sailed to Egypt to finish him off. In Egypt, Cleopatra and Mark Antony joined forces to fight Octavian. Their ships and soldiers battled on the ocean, but Octavian’s navy was stronger and he beat Cleopatra and Mark Antony. They retreated to the big city of Alexandria and waited for Octavian to come after them. Cleopatra and Mark Antony loved each other and refused to be separated during their final days. They passed away in Alexandria together, where a funeral was also held in honor of them. The Egyptian people were sad to see their goddess queen, their pharaoh go.

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Close your eyes and imagine you are cold and sitting in the back of the boat. The sky is cloudy and many airplanes are flying overhead. The water from the chilly ocean is splashing into your boat and as you look ahead you see a beach which you and your team of soldiers must invade. Bombs explode in the water around you. Your boat tries to navigate through spikes and landmines that are guarding the water leading up to the beach. A boat nearby you is sinking from an explosion. “Out of the boat! Out of the boat!” someone shouts. The ramp to the front of the boat goes down and you rush out with the other soldiers. You are very scared, but you know in order to win the war this beach must be taken back! It is D-Day and you are one of the Allied soldiers preparing to take Normandy Beach in France.

For many years Hitler and the German Army controlled France and many other countries in Europe. The main goal of the Allies was to kick Hitler and his army out of France and take the fight to Germany. The Allies were made up of many countries, but the main ones were the United States, England, France, Russia, and Canada. D-Day was one of the most important missions of the war because it would take place on the beaches of France where the Allies would start taking back Europe from Hitler. 

The United States General Eisenhower was made command of the D-Day operation in January 1944. The Allies knew they wanted to attack, but weren’t sure where. And part of the plan was to trick Hitler into believing the attack would be from somewhere else, so he wouldn’t be able to concentrate all of his forces in one place. The Allies used many tricks to go about this such as spies, secret agents, fake tanks, and fake radio messages. They even put one of their best generals, George Patton, in different area to confused Hitler. Over 3,200 reconnaissance missions were used to prepare for D-Day. Reconnaissance means to to spy on the enemy and do research to decide how to act next. The original name of the mission was Operation Overlord, and only later referred to as D-Day.

The plan was to attack the Germans on Normandy Beach. 5,000 ships and 11,000 airplanes were used during the attack. After the ships brought in the soldiers, the plan was to put them all on amphibious vehicles, move them to the beach, then the soldiers would attack the Germans guarding the beach.

But the morning before they started the attack the Allie’s planes dropped bombs on the Germans guarding the beach. French people living in a town nearby were awoken to the sound of bombs. A French villager lived near a house overlooking the beaches. He said: “I saw light coming from two bombs that exploded at the ridge of the cliff.” The Allies were doing everything they could to make sure the soldiers coming in on the beach would be safe.

The night before the invasion 24,000 soldiers also parachuted out of planes and landed behind the German army to help the troops who would be landing on the beach. These soldiers were called “paratroopers.”

One of the paratroopers was named Bob Nobles. He and his 16-man team flew in a plane across the English Channel. Just after midnight the light inside their plane told them it was time to jump out. They all lined up and one after another jumped out of the back of the plane. He said “By the time my parachute opened, I was on the ground!” He landed in a farmer’s field all by himself and took off his parachute. Then he hurried off on foot until he came across another paratrooper. “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” the other paratrooper shouted. “I’m from Indiana! But I forgot the password!” They were supposed to have a password to know who was on their side and who was the enemy. Bob laughed as they looked for the rest of the teammates. But most of the other paratroopers had missed the drop zone, the place they were supposed to land.

These paratrooper missions proved to be very dangerous and a challenge in some cases where the soldiers landed in the wrong place or were captured or shot as soon as they landed. But in other cases the soldiers were able to regroup and take bridges and help the soldiers who would be landing on the beach the next day. 

The original plan was to attack on June 5th, but the weather was very bad, so it was put off until June 6th. In a message to troops before they left, General Eisenhower told them, “The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory…. We will accept nothing less than full victory!”

On June 6th 1944 starting at 6:30 a.m. the amphibious vehicles took the Allied troops from the ships to the beach. Amphibious means something that works in water and on land. These vehicles were designed to float like a boat and drive like a car!

Over 100,000 Allied soldiers attacked the beach at the same time! They were from many different countries like the United States, England, and Canada. The invasion was the largest amphibious landing and assault in history!

For many months the German Army had prepared for an attack on the beach. They had built many defenses armed with machine guns, barbed wire, land mines, so attacking the beach was extremely dangerous. 

One of the soldiers, Colonel Moulton, was on the amphibious landing craft with his soldiers. He told them to fire smoke bombs into the sky so they would be hidden from the enemy machine guns. It helped some, but their landing craft was still smashed up and some of the soldiers died when they hit the beach. Telling his story many years later, he said that the “Germans built concrete strong points in the villages and we landed right in front of one,” which caused much harm to his fellow soldiers.

Another soldier, Harry Timmins, said that when their landing craft came on the beach “the noise was more than you could possibly imagine. There were explosions all around us in the sea and the shells and mortars were kicking up sand all over the beach. A couple of buildings were on fire and the guns on our boat also joined in the barrage and deafened us.”

Many soldiers lost their lives as they came out of the landing vehicles. In some places the water was too high, so sadly they sank with all their heavy gear on. 

Another soldier, Robert Watson remembered that nothing went quite as planned. Everything took longer than expected and his landing craft was taking on a lot of water. “Landing craft were exploding all around me,” he remembered and got very sick in his boat. He remembered someone yelling “Get to the beach!” Then their craft hit a floating mine and they had to climb onto another craft to get the rest of the way to the beach. After he finally got to the beach he said, “I was scared my ammunition wouldn’t work” because it was wet. But he was able to fire shots without any problem and started firing at the enemy. The company of soldiers he started with had 62 soldiers. Only 36 of them were left after the attack. Many of his friends never made it to the beach. 

The beaches were given different codenames. Omaha Beach and Juno Beach had the most casualties. A casualty is when someone is hurt or dies in battle. By the end of the morning over 4,000 soldiers had died during the intense battle! 

By the time the battle was done the Allies had taken the beach and started moving into France. It was one of the most dangerous battles of World War II, but also one of the most important as well. Now that the Allies were in France they had shown the world and Hitler that they were very strong and would be able to win the war. The war continued on for many more days, but because of the sacrifices made on D-Day there was hope for the people of France and people all around the world that the war would come to an end.

Do you know anyone who has served in the military? Take some time to think about their bravery in deciding to serve and what courage it must take to decide to put your life on the line for your country. Think about those who gave their life on D-Day and how many of the freedoms you have exist, because someone else has given up their own time and sometimes even their life. There is a quote that says “Freedom isn’t free.” Freedom is often something that has to be fought for. Because of this, we shouldn’t take our own freedom for granted. Think about what you might do to keep freedom strong wherever you live. This might mean learning more about government and your local leaders. This might mean learning about different laws and voting when you are the right age. It might also mean serving in the military as well. Whatever you do to help, remember that freedom is a wonderful thing that not everyone has; and something we should never take for granted.

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