History Education Review & The Peacekeeping Myth Broken

In light of the federal government's current panel reviewing the history curriculum across the country, I feel it is my part to weigh in on the debate. While education is a provincial power, the federal government is not looking to claw back, but it is looking to discuss what it considers requirements for today's youth. 

In Canada's largest province, Ontario, History is only mandatory in Grade 10, and optional in Grade 11 and 12. Once a student reaches grade 10, the last time they have taken history is in Grade 8. The Grade 7 curriculum is supposed to teach students about British North America, the Fall of New France and the American Revolution, while Grade 8 history is supposed to teach Confederation and the Development of Western Canada. Lets be completely honest, as a history teacher, teaching Grade 11 and 12 students about New France and the American Revolution is difficult, good luck teaching it to Grade 7 students. By Grade 10, the curriculum is supposed to begin in 1914 and end at the present, so today teachers are expected to get to at least 9/11. It is a struggle, as most students have forgotten what happened between 1867 to 1914, let alone anything from British North America. Understanding our past, and the past of the world is extremal important. As it is always said, those who do not know the past are doomed to repeat it. 

The current debate revolves around the Conservative governments focus on Canada's military past, and opposition are raising red flags highlighting that this will hurt Canada's peacekeeping past and tradition. It should be noted these are the same people who have opposed the War in Afghanistan and Canada's participation in the intervention in Libya. 

The Truth is, Canada was never a Peacekeeper to just keep the peace, we have stepped into Peacekeeping roles in order to protect our own interests and the interests of out Allies. Our Peacekeeping missions have been strategic warfare strategy that developed during the Cold War, and has died down since, because the Cold War has ended. This is why we are no longer a "Peacekeeping" nation. Canada's participation has always been in some way to bolster the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 

The best place to start a review of Canada's so called Peacekeeping Past is with Dr. Sean M. Maloney's “Canada and UN Peacekeeping—Cold War by Other Means, 1945-1970” This book is not an operation history of each mission, but was put together in order to clearly outline that Canada was peacekeeping in order to win the Cold War, and not peacekeeping in order to keep the peace. 

The Canadian Military Journal has also debated this subject, while the current page has been archived, because this debate is (believe it or not) that old. http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo7/no4/wagner-eng.asp
The Article, entitled "The Peaceable Kingdom?" used Maloney's work as a basis, as well as one of the greatest Canadian Historians, J.L. Granatstein's work “Canada and Peacekeeping: Image and Reality.” 

Personally, I was went through the current education program, however I choose to study history in Grade 11 and 12, as well as receiving a H.BA with a Specialization in History. I was taught this Peacekeeping Myth, and continued to believe it until I took the Grade 12 World Issues Course, which just happened to coincide with one of the deadliest years Canada faced in Afghanistan. Anyone could see, we were fighting a War, and not peacekeeping, so I learned to face it, we were not peacekeeper's any more, and  I began to realise we never really were. 

The Current curriculum continues to teach this Myth, and if it wants to teach it accurately  point out that it has been taught as a myth for years.  This review should entail ensuring History is taught more in school. I was forced to take Geography in Grade 9. What use was this too me? I have never ever used anything from that course. Make Geography optional for those who want to study it later in life. Grade 7 & 8 students split their time between Geography and History, this will allow those who enjoy the course to look to take it later. Because students are not required to take history, many get the idea that history is boring, and it is not. History, if taught properly is a story telling class. 

If we are going to teach tomorrows leaders, we need to teach them properly, and teach them the reality and not national myths. I will not even get started on History teachers that are teaching Canadian History without ever having studied Canadian history - perhaps this is what leads to the misconceptions of history being boring as it is taught out of textbooks, and the myths continuing to be taught, as every textbook is outdated. I will point you to the new discovery of the Dieppe Raid in 1942, in which the textbooks still teach it as a raid with no meaning. Which has most recently been proven false. 

I appreciate any comments any educators have on this opinion and any other comments out there. 

Remembering History - History Education Review & The Peacekeeping Myth Broken 

Operation Tiger - The Practice Run for D-Day

When history classes discuss World War Two, very little time is given to the operational planning of all the great battles that shaped the outcome of the war. Therefore, in today's Remembering History, we are going to explore Operation Tiger, the practice landings for the largest amphibious assault landing in human history.

As the war on the Eastern Front continued to go south, and with Stalin begging the Allies to open a second front in Europe, the British government set up a training ground at Slapton Beach, Devon to be used by the American "U" Force. These would later be the Americans who would land on Utah Beach in June of 1944.

Slapton beach was selected as it was an almost perfect twin beach for Utah Beach. The 3,000 local residents were evacuated so that during the live-fire exercises no civilians were injured.

The planned landing would take place in April-May of 1944, just prior to the actual D-Day landings in June. On April 22,  Nine large tank-landing crafts and 30,000 American troops prepared to land on Slapton Beach.

Due to poor weather, the practice landings we delayed until April 27th, but the practice did not go as planned. It was doomed by a friendly fire incident. To make the exercise more real, live rounds were to be used so that troops were prepared for what June 6th would bring. Due to a miss-communication, a number of the destroyers did not receive the change in fire-orders, and began to bombard the beach. The beaches were lined with white tape, where troops were supposed to stop until the live-fire ended, but many missed the tape and continued forward.

Making matters even worse, troop convoys waiting in the English Channel were attached by German E-Boats. This attack, has become known to Historians as the Battle of Lyme Bay. Two British corvettes were leading the Tank carriers and troop carriers towards Slapton beach when Nine German E-Boats attacked.
The attack lasted a couple hours, and in the end 2 of the Tank transporters were sunk, and 2 more were damaged. 946 Americans were dead, most who drowned, and another 200 left injured from Friendly Fire. There were no German casualties.

The aftermath of the landing where a number of operational changes to the D-Day planning:
Radio Frequencies were standardized
Better Life Vest Training for troops - as lack of training caused most of the drowning cases
Better plans for rescuing troops floating in the Channel

This Sherman DD Tank was located in 1974 and lifted out of the water near Slapton Beach in 1984. It stands as the memorial to the Americans who died practising for the D-Day invasion which turned the tides of the war in the Allies favour. They did not die in vain.

 Remembering History - Operation Tiger

The Anglo-Zanzibar War 1896 - The 40 Minute War

When it comes to the length of a war, none takes the title of a Shorter War than the Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896, which was part of the greater Scramble for Africa by the European Empires , it lasted all of 38 minutes.

Zanzibar is an Island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanganyika, today it forms part of the Tanzania. The main Island, Zanzibar, is under the nominal control of the Sultans of Oman since 1698. Prior to this, Zanzibar was a Portuguese colony from 1499.

The Island of Zanzibar and the United Kingdom, were allies in the Scramble of Africa, as the British had recognized the sovereignty  of the Island state in 1886, and were using it as a refuelling depot. The main challenger for East Africa to Britain was Germany. Sultan Khalifah granted the British land rights in Kenya and granted the Germans land rights in Tanganyika. This resulted in some unrest between Britain and Zanzibar. The Germans who did not show their respect of the Zanzibar Sultanate, refused to fly the Sultanate flag over their territory leading to armed unrest between German troops and local populations.

In 1890, Sultan Ali declared Zanzibar a British protectorate and appointed a British first minister to lead his cabinet.  This position gave the British a veto vote over any future appointments of sultans. The same year, a spheres of interest in East Africa, causing more unrest between the British and Germans. In 1893, Ali's reign as Sultan was over and Sultan Hamad was appointed Sultan, and was very pro-British.

On August 25th 1896, Sultan Hamad died suddenly, and his nephew Khalid bin Bargash, was pro-German and was suspected by some as assassinating Hamad. Barhash moved into the palace complex in Zanzibar, without British approval. The British preferred Hamud bin Muhammed over Barhash. The British issued an ultimatum to Barhash to leave the palace and respect the Treaty of Ali. At the same time the HMS Thrush anchored itself off the coast of Zanzibar to show British force in the area.

On August 26th, to increase the British presence off the island, the HMS Racoon, St. George, and Philomel anchored  with the HMS Thrush. The Sultan took posession of the HHS Glasgow and sent it out to sea to attempt and show his power, but just became surrounded when the HMS Sparrow arrived and the British increased their ultimatum to war if Barhash did not leave the Royal Palace.



On August 27th, the Ultimatum expired at 9am local time and General Lloyd Mathews ordered the British ships begin their bombardment of the island. At 9:02, HMS Racoon, Thursh and Sparrow opened fire at the Royal Palace.  At 9:05, the Glasgow engaged the St. George which was futile, and once the St. George retaliated, the Glasgow sank.

38-Minutes after the battle began the British with 1000 troops  controlled the town and had installed Muhammed as Sultan. The British removed many of the powers the Sultan had prior to this conflict.

In the end more than 500 Zanzibarians were killed, 1 Royal Yacht was sunk, 2 other boats were sunk, and 1 shore battery gun was destroyed. The British casualty list included 1 wounded. This odd conflict was over as quickly as it started.

Remembering History - The Anglo-Zanzibar War 1896 - The 40 Minute War

Killing from a Distance - The Best Snipers

With the death of Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history earlier this month, and after watching "Enemy at the Gates" yet again, I decided to put together a list of the deadliest snipers in history.

Robert Furlong



Currently a Police Officer, Furlong, a former Canadian Forces sniper, as a member of the Princess Patricia's Light Infantry.  Furlong is known for his record breaking sniper kill in 2002 during Operation Anaconda, during the War in Afghanistan. Furlong, armed with a .50 Caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 Sniper Riffle. He killed a Taliban fighter at a distance of 2,430 meters.  Furlong held the record for the longest confirmed kill, from 2002 to 2009.

Craig Harrison 



Harrison, a Corporal of Horse (CoH) for the Blues and Royals of the British Army holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat history. In November 2009, Harrison killed 2 Taliban fighters in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan at a distance of 2,475 meters. Harrison was armed with a L115A# Long Range Riffle.



Charles "Chuck" Mawhinney

Mawhinney in action during the Vietnam War 

Charles Mawhinney joined the U.S. Marines in 1967 and served the Corps during the Vietnam War. He holds the record for number of confirmed kills, at 103, for Marine Snipers. His kill rate, exceeds that of legendary Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock. In his 16 month deployment he killed 103 enemies, and another 216 kills were never confirmed.  The average sniper kill was 300-800 yards during the war, Mawhinney have several confirmed kills over 1000 yards, making him one of the most accurate snipers in the Vietnam War.


Adelbert F. Waldron 




Waldron is on this list as he held the highest number of conformed kills for any American Sniper in history until the deployment of Chris Kyle. With a 109 Confirmed Kills, Waldron is also one of the most accurate Snipers ever deployed. Waldron served during the Vietnam War in and around the Mekong River. His most impressive kill came while aboard a Tango Boat where he killed a Vietcong Soldier hiding in a coconut tree with one shot over 900 meters away while in motion.

Carlos Norman Hathcock II ("White Feather")



With 93 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War, Hathcock was hated by the Vietnamese. The Vietnam Army put out a $30,000 bounty on his life for killing so many of their men, and officers. Compared to other bounty's for other U.S. snipers offered by the Vietnamese, were typically around $8. Hathcock was known for his extremal accurate shot, known for rarely missing and requiring a second shot.  He is most famously known for his kill where he killed an enemy sniper, where his bullet went through the scope of the enemy sniper.  Hathcock also spent 4 days crawling through a meadow to kill a Vietnamese General who was commanding officer of the Vietnamese Army.

Francis Pegahmagabow 



Although virtually forgotten once he returned to Canada after World War I, Pegahmagabow had 378 confirmed kills and lead to the capture of at least 300 Germany soldiers. He was an Ojibwa Warrior fighting for Canada during various battles including the Second Battle of Ypres, Battle of the Somme, Second Battle of Passchendaele, and the Battle of Scarpe. Pegahmagabow was awarded the Military Medal three times and seriously wounded twice during the war. He also volunteered to run through enemy fire to get more ammunition when his unit was running low. After the war Pegahmagabow served a political life.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko 



Pavlichenko was 24 years old when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. She was one of the first volunteers when Russia asked for women to join the infantry. She was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. With her shooting accuracy, she became one of 2000 female snipers in the Soviet Union. With 309 confirmed kills, she is the most successful female sniper in combat history. Her first deployment was during the conflict in Odessa, and after 2 months in combat, she had killed 187 Germans.  She spent another 8 months in the Crimean Peninsula, where she recorded another 257 kills. Of her 309 kills, 36 were enemy snipers.


Chris Kyle 



Kyle was a U.S Navy SEAL and was the most lethal sniper in American Military history. He had 160 confirmed kills, with another 95 unconfirmed. Kyle was deployed during the Iraq War, specifically the Second Battle of Fullujah. He was awarded 2 Silver Star Medals, 5 Bronze Star Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, 2 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, A Purple Heart, and other operational medals.  After leaving the military Kyle was helping former soldiers who were struggling with PTSD, and was killed in a Shooting Range shoot-out in February 2013.


Vasily Zaytsev 



Probably one of the best known snipers in history thanks to Hollywood and the film, "Enemy At the Gates." Although it is a fantastic film it is not entirely true, or at least cannot be confirmed. With 242 confirmed kills Zaytsev became a Russian hero and sign of hope during the Battle of Stalingrad. In his memoir, Zaytsev claimed to have spent 3 days hunting, and being hunted by German sniper Erwin Konig (also thought to be Heinz Thorvald). There is no official record of either existing or being present during the Battle of Stalingrad. The book "War of the Rats" by David L. Robbins portrays the battle between Zaytsev and Thorvald, while the film chooses Konig. It is most likely that the event was Zaytsev hunting multiple snipers, not one elite sniper. However, Zaytsev remained firm that he was it was Konig he fought with. Zaytsev was responsible for training numerous other Soviet snipers, who where responsible for more than 3,000 kills.  Zaytsev's kills came between October 1942 and January 1943. As many as 250 kills went unconfirmed, making him one of the deadliest snipers in history.

Simo Hayha 




Hayha was nicknamed "White Dead" as he was responsible for 705 confirmed kills, 505 of which came from his sniper riffle. He was armed with an Iron Sighted Bolt Action Riffle...no fancy scope like all the others on this list. Hayha was active during the Winter War 1939-1940 between Finland and Russia, where Hayha lived outdoors with temperatures dropping to -40 degrees Celsius. In less than 100 days, he had 505 confirmed kills, and another 542 unconfirmed kills. He was later credited with 200 kills using a Suomi KP/31 Sub-machine gun. Hayha was a master of winter camouflage, doing various things to hide his location, including keeping snow in his mouth so that his breath would not reveal his position. He was shot in the face in March of 1940 but survived, and was in hospital when peace was declared.

Remembering History - The Best Snipers

The Pig War - 1859 to 1874

The Blue line follows the Haro Straight, followed by the Americas.
The Red Line follows the Rosario Straight, followed by the British.
The Green Line was the San Juan Channel, was a compromise proposal.
In the end, the Americans won, and the Haro Straight became the official boarder.

In today's post, we will explore the explosive Pig War of 1859, also known as the Pig Episode, Pig and Potato War, San Juan Boundary Dispute, and finally, Northwestern Boundary Dispute.

 The British and United States where not the best of friends during the late nineteenth century, and have had their fare share of clashes. The West Coast of North America has always been a touchy issue. Despite the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War, which established the boarders of the United States, and British North America at the 49th Parallel. This did not settle Vancouver and the islands in-between the mainland of what is modern Washington State and British Columbia.  

In 1859, The U.S. and the British Empire began to fight over the San Juan Island. After the Oregon Treaty of June 15, 1846, which ended the Oregon Boundary Dispute, which divided Oregon Country and the Columbia District along the 49th parallel, further cementing the Treaty of Paris. However, it caused uncertainty about the geographic location of the San Juan Islands. Most people believed the border was through the Haro Strait, whole others believed it was on the Rosario Strait. 

To help solve the problem, the British established a Boundary Commission, despite the commission, progress was extremely slow in finding a solution. On June 15th, thirteen years after the Oregon Treaty, the confusion left to a conflict. Lyman Cutlar, an American Farmer moved onto one of the islands claiming the right to live there under the Donation Land Claim Act. On the 15th, he found a pig eating in his garden, and Cutlar, upset at the destruction caused by the pig, he shot it, killing it.

The pig in question was owned by Irishman Charles Griffin who was an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, running a sheep ranch on the islands. To solve the problem, Cutler offered to pay $10 for the pig, an offer Griffin took as an insult and demanded $100.  As the conflict continued into a War of Words, the British authorities threatened to arrest Cutlar, the American settlers on the island called for military protection. 

Immediatly Brigadier General William S. Henry was dispatched with 66 American soldiers, with Captain George Pickett. Their intention was to prevent the British authorities from landing on the island. To counter the American deployment, the British sent three Warships under the command of Captain Geoffrey Hornby. Captain Pickett viewed the British Warships as a direct threat to American sovereignty  and threatened to fortify the island, putting the small issue on centre stage for the entire nation. By August more than 400 Americans and 14 cannons were stationed on the island under the command of Colonel Silas Casey, who were opposed by 5 British Warships, housing 70 guns, and more than 2000 troops. During the coming weeks, no shots were fired. 

At the end of August, the governor of Vancouver Island, James Douglas, demanded that the British land its marines on the island and engage the American soldiers.  Rear Admiral Robert L. Baynes of the British Navy  decided that the two great nations starting a war over a dead pig was foolish, and called for a resolution.  

While negotiations were ongoing, both the British and Americans agreed to jointly occupy the islands. Both sides agreed to leave no more than 100 troops. The British took the north end, while the Americans took the south end.  For the next 12 years, joint military occupation occurred.  In 1871, Britain and the U.S signed the Treaty of Washington, which dealt with a number of differences between the two countries, but not specifically with the Islands of San Juan. As the Americans we busy with their Civil War, the issue was sent to international arbitration. Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany was to act as the arbitrator. Wilhelm referred the case to Geneva, and a year later on October 21, 1872 favoured the U.S. claim on the islands.  The boundary was set at the Haro Straight. 

On November 25, 1872 the British withdrew their Royal Marines from the camp. The Americans removed their military presence in July of 1874. Canadians were offended by the British lack of interest in Canada's best interest and sought more international autonomy. 

Today the Union Jack still flies where the British Camp was located. It is raised and lowered daily by park rangers. It is one of few places in the U.S. without diplomatic status where the U.S. employees regularly hoist the flag of another country. 

The Pig War ended with the only casualty being a pig. 

Remembering History - The Pig War - 1859 to 1874.