World War I began in Europe in 1914, however, the United States remained neutral until 6 April 1917 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the joint resolution declaring that a state of war now existed between the United States of America and Imperial Germany. Three months later, in August 1917, U. S. National Guard units from twenty-six states and the District of Columbia united to form the 42nd Division of the United States Army. Douglas MacArthur, serving as Chief of Staff for the Division, commented that it “would stretch over the whole country like a rainbow.” In this manner, the 42nd became known as the “Rainbow Division.” It comprised four infantry regiments from New York, Ohio, Alabama, and Iowa. Men from many other states, among them New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Indiana, Michigan, Rhode Island, Maryland, California, South Carolina, Missouri, Connecticutt, Tennessee, New Jersey, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oregon, and Pennsylvania also joined the division and became machine gunners, ambulance drivers, worked in field hospitals, or served in the military police.

The Southeastern Department commander recommended that the 4th Alabama Infantry be assigned to the 42nd. The commander of the 4th was Colonel William P. Screws, a former regular army officer who had served from 1910 to 1915 as the inspector-instructor for the Alabama National Guard. Screws was widely regarded as one of the major assets of the Alabama National Guard, and his reputation was likely a prominent factor in the selection of the 4th to join the 42nd. To upgrade the 4th Infantry to war strength, the transfer of the necessary numbers of enlisted men from other Alabama Guard units, including the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments and the 1st Alabama Cavalry.

On August 15 the War Department officially redesignated the 4th Alabama Infantry as the 167th Infantry Regiment, 84th Brigade, 42nd Division. The regiment comprised 3,622 enlisted troops and 55 enlisted medical staff for a total of 3,677men. The 1st Alabama Infantry had contributed 880 enlisted men to join the new 167th, the 2nd Alabama Infantry and the 1st Alabama Cavalry had provided enlisted men to bring the 167th to war strength, which was nominally 3,700 officers and men.

The Rainbow Division became one of the first sent to Europe in 1917 to support French troops in battles at Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, the Verdun front, and Argonne. On 15 July 1918 the Division, acting as part of the 4th French Army, assisted in containing the final German offensive at the Battle of Champagne.

Let us set the scenario for the matter of alleged American battlefield atrocities on the part of the ‘Rainbow’ Division. On 15 July 1918, the Germans, in their final bid to end the war in their favor, launched a massive attack southward in the Champagne country of France. Although most of the defending troops were French, there were some units of the U.S. 42nd Division also involved in the defense and in the counter-attacks that ensued.

Concerning the battle participation of the U. S. 42nd (‘Rainbow’) Division in the Champagne-Marne Defensive battle of 15 July 1918, we read as follows in Donovan, America’s Master Spy, by Richard Dunlop:

“The regimental commanders [of the U. S. 42nd Division] were instructed to post only a few men in the first trench line, which would easily fall. Most were to be positioned in the second line, from which they were also expected to withdraw as the Germans swept ahead.”

“On July 15 at 12:04 a.m., the German artillery commenced one of the war’s most tremendous barrages. When at 4:30 a.m. the artillery stopped firing as suddenly as it had started, the silence over no-man’s-land was dreadful. The first Germans appeared wraithlike, running toward the American lines through the morning mist. Minenwerfers [large caliber German mortars] suddenly rained down on the defending Americana, and machine guns chattered death. The Americans who escaped the first charge scrambled back to the second line.”

“The Germans found themselves in full possession of the American first trenches; they thought they had won. They shouted, cheered and broke into song. Then the American barrage opened on the trenches. Since each piece of artillery had been carefully zeroed in on the trenches when they were still in American hands, the accuracy of the gunfire was uncanny. Some of the crack Prussian Guards still managed to reach the second line of trenches, but they too were repulsed, after bloody hand-to-hand encounters. The Germans broke off the attack.”

“To Donovan’s [Colonel William J. Donovan, commanding officer of the 165th Infantry Regiment, from New York] disgust, the Germans resorted to subterfuge. Four Germans, each with a Red Cross emblazoned on his arm, carried a stretcher up to the lines held by the 165th. When they were close, they yanked a blanket from the stretcher to reveal a machine gun, with which they opened fire. The Americans shot them dead. Still another group tried to infiltrate the American lines one night wearing French uniforms. They too were shot. All told, some breakthroughs were made, but the Germans had been halted by the Americans. The Americans had not been defeated as the French battle plans had expected they would be. After three days of battle, the Germans began

to pull back.” 1

On 18 August 1918 the following cablegram was received at American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) headquarters, Chaumont, France:

“”A F August 18, 1918.

Commanding General, 42nd Division, Bourmont.

Following received from Washington:

“For Nolan. Condemned Associated Press Dispatch from London received by Cable Censor ‘0055 Monday Baumans Amsterdam accusation that soldier[s’] of 42nd American line Division enraged at losses suffered 15/7 near Rheims killed same evening 150 German prisoners is made by Wolff Bureau on “Creditable authority” and accordingly displayed in Saturday’s German papers’. Dispatch held for assumed inaccuracy. Investigate and report.” Make immediate investigation and report by wire this office. By direction.

Nolan

4.55 P.M. “” 2

A “Condemned Associated Press Dispatch…” is assumed to be an AP dispatch which was intercepted by the “Cable Censor” and deemed unfit for forwarding (if sent from F&F) or transmission (if originating in London) and thus was condemned. This action would also presumably be taken if the origin of the telegram or cablegram was thought to be spurious or even sent under false pretenses. The original copy of this message was most probably burned with the “Confidential waste” at AEF HQ Chaumont.

Pershing and his staff at Chaumont did everything possible to control the press and the AEF staff would quickly ‘condemn’ sources from reporters and reports that were not run through General Pershing’s staff.

Regarding the day the telegram was received by AEF HQ on August 18, 1918, this would have been on a Sunday. “0055 Monday” in the telegram would refer to 12 August 1918. The telegram was received shortly after the Champagne-Marne Defensive Campaign, and while the U. S. 42nd Division was fighting in the Marne Salient during July and August of 1918. The “Wolff Bureau” was the Wolff Telegraph Agency in Berlin, a semi-official German new agency in 1918.

The G-2 (Intelligence Officer) of AEF Headquarters, Brigadier General Dennis E. Nolan took prompt action to investigate the alleged murder of German prisoners of war on 15 July 1918 during the Champagne-Marne Defensive Campaign. Nolan directed Major General Charles T. Menoher, commander of the U. S. 42nd Division to undertake an immediate investigation of the charge. The investigation was made on 20 August 1918 at the station of the U. S. 42nd Division, AEF, Bourmont, France.

The U.S. 42nd Division was composed of troops from Alabama, Ohio, Iowa, and New York. The troops that had contact with the German Army on 15 July 1918 were:

2nd Battalion, 165th Infantry Regiment (New York); 3rd Battalion, 166th Infantry Regiment (Ohio); 2nd Battalion, 167th Infantry Regiment (formerly 4th Alabama), and Companies E and F of the 168th Infantry Regiment (Iowa).

The force of the investigation fell on the 2nd Battalion, 165th Infantry, the 3rd Battalion of the 168th, 2nd Battalion, 167th, and Companies E and F of the 168th.

According to the “Report of investigation of reported killing of German prisoners of war,” from the Division Inspector and to the Commanding General, 42nd Division, AEF, sworn testimony was taken from a total of thirty-eight officers of the 42nd Division, and particularly from officers whose troops were so stationed as to come into contact with the Germans in the Champagne battle of 15 July 1918. Twenty-three officers gave sworn testimony and fifteen company-grade officers were required to give depositions. The testimony was uniformly a denial that any atrocities were committed during the fighting that day of 15 July 1918.

According to the same report, “All the officers state that no German prisoners were killed by American troops nor were any mistreated; not did any officer hear anything to that effect. On the contrary the prisoners were treated well, the wounded cared for and carefully transported to the rear and the prisoners given food, drink and cigarettes. In at least one case a wounded prisoner was carried while one of our wounded officers walked.” 3

The “CONCLUSION” of the report states: “That the statements contained in the telegram set forth in Paragraph II of this report are false and without any foundation in fact. That all prisoners taken by troops of the 42nd Division were turned over immediately to the French military authorities, and that, therefore, no troops of the 42nd Division had access to them other than those whose statements are covered by this report.” 4

The “RECOMMENDATION” of the report states: “That no further action be taken.” The findings were forwarded to AEF Headquarters and there the matter was dropped. 5

An unknown German newspaper purportedly published in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, 17 August 1918 allegedly printed an article alleging that 150 wounded and captured German soldiers were summarily killed by soldiers of the U. S. 42nd Division on 15 July 1918. There were five newspapers published in Berlin on the date of Saturday, 17 August 1918: Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Deutsche Tageszeitung Germania, Neues Preussische Zeitung, Nordeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Vossiche Zeitung. Searches of the mentioned German newspapers have been made by several historians. No atrocity articles have ever been located in these German papers.

In James J. Cooke’s book, The Rainbow Division in the Great War, we read:

“”The Rainbows also had developed a very real hatred for the Germans. During the German bombardment on 15 July 1918, the doctors and nurses moved what wounded they could to a dugout, and the once callow Lieutenant van Dolsen recoiled in horror at what he saw”:

“Well we got down into the dug out and my dear mother such a shamble I never hope to see again. A long black tunnel lighted just a little by candles, our poor wounded shocked boys there on litters in the dark, eight of them half under ether just as they had come off the tables their legs only half amputated, surgeons trying to finish and check blood in the dark, the floor soaked with blood, the hospital above us a wreck, three patients killed and one blown out of bed with his head off. Believe me I will never forgive the bastards as long as I live.”

Editor’s note: Lt. van Dolsen, being an officer, was able to ‘censor’ his own letters, otherwise this type of comment would never have reached the home front. Van Dolsen’s letter to his aunt, Occupation Forces, Germany, 19 February 1919, MHIA. See also Stewart, Rainbow Bright, 70-71.

“One Alabama private who was in the thickest of the fighting on 15 July wrote to his mother, “All of you can cheer up and wear a smile for I’m a little hero now. I got two of the rascals and finished killing a wounded with my bayonet that might have gotten well had I not finished him…I couldn’t be satisfied at killing them, how could I have mercy on such low life rascals as they are?”

“A good bit of this hatred resulted from the Germans approaching American lines dressed in French uniforms taken from the dead in the first line sacrifice trench.”

“The hand-to-hand fighting was especially severe for the Alabamians and New Yorkers, and many of their comrades were killed or wounded in the fighting for the second defense line and in the counter-attacks that followed. Adding to the confusion was the occasional round of friendly artillery fire that fell short and hit the Americans as they repulsed the enemy.”

“The Alabama defense and decisive counter-attacks on 15 July was praised by all, and established the 167th Regiment as the best fighting regiment within the division.”

“There had always been rumors of units of the 42nd Division taking no prisoners. Major William J. Donovan, in May of 1918, described to his wife the possibility of the Alabamians’ of the 167th Infantry Regiment capturing and killing two Germans, and he ended his letter stating, “They [the 167th] wander all over the landscape shooting at everything.”

“Elmer Sherwood, the Hoosier gunner, reported the story that the Alabamians attacked a German trench with Bowie knives. “They cleaned up on the enemy,

Sherwood recalled, “but it is no surprise to any of us, because they are a wild bunch, not knowing what fear is.”

While in Germany on occupation duty with the Rainbow, Lieutenant van Dolsen wrote to his aunt back in Washington, DC, that the Alabams “did not take many prisoners, but I do not blame them for that.”

“The New York regiment was also known for fierce fighting and taking few prisoners on the battlefield. This issue of battlefield atrocities by the U. S. 42nd Division would again surface after the severe fighting at Croix Rouge Farm, in the Marne Salient, where the soldiers from Alabama and Iowa were heavily engaged at close quarters with a determined enemy.” 6

J. Phelps Harding, 2nd Lt., 165th Regiment, U. S. 42nd Division, AEF, wrote a letter home to his folks on 22 September 1918. His letter states, in part:

“I’m glad I had a chance to join the 165th-it’s a man’s outfit, and it has done fine work over here. One of the German prisoners, who met us here and at Chateau-Thierry, but did not realize we were at both places, said that America had only two good divisions – the 42nd and the Rainbow. He didn’t know they were one and the same. I won’t ask for any better men than the Irish in the 69th (165th). They are a hard hitting, dare devil bunch, very religious, afraid of nothing, and sworn enemies of the Boche. The regiment lost heavily at Chateau-Thierry – my company alone had 110 wounded and 36 killed outright – and every man has a ‘buddy’ to avenge. Lord help the Boche who gets in the way of the ‘old 69th.’ We are told to treat prisoners as approved by the war-that-was, when soldiers were less barbarous than they are now. After every action we see or hear of mutilation of our men – and there’s many a German who suffers for every one American so treated. I don’t mean he is mutilated – no American stoops that low – but I do mean that he grows daisies where, if his colleagues had been a bit more human, he might have been getting a good rest in an American prison camp.

Now I’ll really stop – perhaps I should have stopped before writing this last paragraph, but it’s said, so it stands.” 7

Editor’s note: As an officer Phelps was privileged to censor his own writing. An enlisted man, however, concerned about censorship, might have hesitated to write that ‘after every action’ soldiers found ‘mutilation of our men’ or to suggest that American soldiers killed German prisoners in reprisal. Boche is the French derogatory slang term for German soldiers during World War I.

In defense of the ‘Rainbow’ Division’s behavior on the battlefield, here is a letter I received in 1997 from Clark Jarrett, grandson of Paul Jarrett, a lieutenant in the 166th Infantry Regiment. Clark Jarrett telephoned his grandfather (at his age of 101 years) and transcribed his father’s conversation:

“”I appreciated your letter very much. I did as you requested…I called my grandfather the night after I received your letter. We had a very good phone call. I read him your exact words and took notes during our conversation. Here is what he had to say:

“I never saw or heard of anything about atrocities in the Rainbow. I can say that the 165th (New York) was not prepared to go to the front when the entire division was ready. I heard personally that the “165th was not fit for service.” They were considered playboys, not soldiers. My regiment, the 166th, served with the 165th as the 83rd Brigade. At the Second Battle of the Marne (Battle of the Champagne) I was informed by messenger that I should be aware of my left flank, as the Germans had entered the trenches of the 165th. I put my binoculars to my eyes and I saw that there was trench fighting going on down to my left. Thank God that the Germans did not break through. But I was aware that they might at any moment. After that, the 165th performed as well as any other unit in the Rainbow.

As for the 167th Alabama…the only time I every saw or heard of anything unusual was at Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, when we were in training to go to Europe. One night, we were called out to separate the 167th from a Negro unit. Apparently the white soldiers really got upset that black soldiers were in the division. Anyway, we had to part the two units…but I didn’t see any specific violence. I heard that there was a pretty good fight going before we got there. It was the 167th I was going to help when I got my knee fractured during the fighting at the Ourcq River.””

I hope this will give you another piece of the puzzle, David. I quizzed him really hard about the facts. He, as you know, has a wonderful memory, and will not [I repeat] not, go along with anything, nor any memory of someone else just to satisfy that person. He will tell it just exactly the way it was.”” 8

“On the fourth day, when the 69th and the Alabama continued to hold, the French general [Gouraud] said, “Well, I guess there is nothing for me to do but fight the war out where the New York Irish want to fight it.” 9

Author of The Last Hero, Wild Bill Donovan, Anthony Cave Brown, tells us:

“And, Donovan was to admit, the Micks took no prisoners. “The men, “he wrote,” when they saw the Germans with red crosses on one sleeve and serving machine guns against us, firing until the last minute, then cowardly throwing up their hands and crying “Kamerad,” became just lustful for German blood. I do not blame them.” Later when WJD [William J. Donovan] was required to sit in judgement on the German officers’ corps for its conduct in World War II, he recalled this incident, realized that if World War I had gone the wrong way, he might have been arrested for having committed war crimes, and he refused to prosecute.” 10

It is interesting to note that, during the fighting along the Ourcq River, and after the Champagne-Marne Defensive Campaign, the U. S. 42nd Division evidently again became involved with the matter of battlefield atrocities. We read as follows in Anthony Cave Brown’s book entitled, The Last Hero, Wild Bill Donovan:

“In the fighting the Micks again began to kill their prisoners, and Donovan recorded: “Out of the 25 I was able to save only 2 prisoners, the men killed

all the rest.” 11

Editor’s comment: “Micks” is an ethnic slang expression for the Irish-Americans. Once again we have the situation where an officer in the AEF is able to write just about any comment at all to the home folks. One speculates as to what the average enlisted soldier would have written, had he been permitted to do so. Major General William J. Donovan, commander of the 165th (formerly 69th ) Infantry Regiment during World War I, was later to become the founder of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and “father” of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Going back to the 167th Infantry Regiment (formerly 4th Alabama), Professor James J. Cooke, author of The Rainbow Division in the Great War, informs the author that:

“The matter of the atrocities concerned mainly the 167th Infantry and I was very concerned with it because of the investigation conducted by the HQ, AEF. There had been problems with the 167th being very aggressive in combat. But, when I searched for references in German papers, like you, I found none. It appeared that HQ got their information from reporters who simply heard rumors, etc. I do believe, however, that HQ was well aware of the hard fighting tendencies of units like the 167th and wanted to investigate quickly. I included the investigation mainly because it was HQ that ordered it done rather than from any German or poor sources. That is as far as I got when doing the Rainbow book. I did indeed research AEF records in RG 120 at National Archives II, especially the JAG [Judge Advocate General] and G2 [Intelligence] records, but found, like you, a brick wall as far as the origins of the reported atrocities. By the way, when I ran across “condemned” sources it was usually for reporters and reports that were not run through Pershing’s staff. As you know Pershing and his staff at Chaumont did everything possible to control the press.” 12

The soldiers of the 4th Alabama National Guard Regiment (167th of the U. S. 42nd Division) seem to have been a rather different ‘breed of cat.’ Many of them were backwoodsmen, avid hunters and crack rifle shots. It is said that many of them brought their personal Bowie knives over to France and that they used them in battle. 13

In a letter to the home folks, Ambulance Corps driver George Ruckle wrote, in part: “The Germans call us barbarians, they don’t like the way we fight. When the boys go over the top or make raids they generally throw away their rifles and go to it with trench knives, sawed off shotguns, bare fists and hand grenades, and the Bosch doesn’t like that kind of fighting. The boys from Alabama are particularly expert with knives and they usually go over hollering like fiends-so I don’t blame the Germans for being afraid of them.” 14

A young officer in the 42nd Division, made the observation in a letter home in early 1918 that, “the Alabamans, a rough, quick-tempered lot, always spoiling for a fight, lost their tempers.” This comment was made in regards to an altercation between the men from Alabama and the French civilians.

Could the old adage that, “where there is smoke, there must be fire” apply here?

In placing all of these pieces of evidence of alleged battlefield atrocities committed by the U. S. 42nd Division on the scales of justice, how does it all weigh out? In the opinion of this historian, the ‘Rainbow’ Division probably stands guilty of some extremely aggressive battlefield behavior during World War I. It is also my distinct impression that the investigation conducted by AEF HQ was a total whitewash.

Americans are loathe to accept the idea that their soldiery, in any war, either enjoy killing their enemies or are capable of committing war crimes of any sort and specifically battlefield atrocities against enemy soldiers or civilians. Americans are always so shocked and horrified whenever their soldiers act (or react) like anyone else in the world, as if “our boys” occupy a moral high ground unique on the planet. But, if one is to be true to historical fact, one must accept the idea that American soldiers have not always behaved honorably on the battlefield. There is ample testimony to this effect from World War I, World War II, Korea, (e.g., the incident at the tunnel at No Gun Ri in 1950, where a number of civilians were allegedly massacred by American soldiers) Vietnam (e.g., the Mylai incident, where Vietnamese civilians were allegedly massacred under the command of Lt. William Calley), and from Iraq, where all too frequently some of our fighting forces are accused of having shot unarmed prisoners, or having tortured them in prison.

In coming down to the year of 2005, we have Marine Corps Lt. General James N. Mattis, known as “Mad Dog Mattis” to the troops he led in Afganistan and Iraq, publicly stating that “It’s a lot of fun to fight, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right up front with you. I like brawling.” The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Mike Hagee said, in part, “While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities of war.” 15

The murder of surrendering prisoners is not unique to World War I. That has been a barbarous practice in all wars. However, one aspect of World War I fighting has been perhaps neglected; perhaps the murder of surrendering prisoners was more common in that brutal war than we would like to believe.

While brave, kindly and charitable acts also characterized World War I, we should not forget that it also produced its share of battlefield atrocities. A certain de-sensitization about the value of human life may be necessary to cope in the stress of performing a job that requires killing, a cold mentality that must be kept on the battlefield.

Perhaps the best tribute to fighting ability of the Guardsmen of the Rainbow Division came from their enemies. In a study made in post-war days, the German High Command considered eight American divisions especially effective; six of those were those of the much maligned “militia” or National Guard! When the German soldiers were asked which American combat division they most feared and respected, the reply was always, “the 42nd”, and “the Rainbow.” For some reason the Germans never made the distinction. 16

Editor’s note: On German opinion of the 42nd Div., see e.g., The United States Army in the World War, XI, 410, 412-13; Thomas, History of the A.E.F., 221.

George Pattullo, a World War I correspondent for the periodical Saturday Evening Post, and accredited to American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France in 1918, wrote as follows in his article entitled, “The Inside Story of the A.E.F.,” May 6, 1921:

“Just as it is impossible for an individual to view his family’s relations with outsiders impartially, so it is beyond the capacity of nationals of one country to see anything except their own side in dealing with other nations. The tendency to attribute base motives and double dealing to a rival is universal; on the other hand, everything that one’s own country does is great and noble and of pure purpose. And of course an enemy is always a scoundrel.

The extremes to which this sort of thinking will drive people are often laughable. I remember two nice old ladies from New England stopping a returned war correspondent on Fifth Avenue to question him about certain stories they had heard of war prisoners in German hands.

“Was it true that the Germans prodded prisoners with bayonets and kicked them, too, to make them walk faster?”

“Well, war’s a tough game,” answered the correspondent who was a bit fed up with

the whole business.

“It’s dog eat dog, and every army has men in it who go in for rough stuff.

You have to, in a fight!”

“Oh!” gasped the ladies, all aflutter, “But not our boys!

They’re too noble.” 18

Howard V. O’Brien, an AEF officer stationed in Paris, wrote an illuminating statement in his 1918 diary:

“Acquaintance growing up among different regions of U.S. Oregon reg’t and

outfit from Boston on same ship. Mass. boys at first dubious of “wild” Westerners-which had highest percentage of college men and generally bien élevé of any outfit I’ve seen. Most refractory bunch yet encountered, from Alabama. Pistol toters. G.O. [general order] ruled rods out. After that, all scrapping Marquis of Queensberry, and several good lickings helped.” 19

Victor L. Hicken, in his book The American Fighting Man, states:

“As far as the fear of the German soldier for the American soldier in 1917

was concerned, there is some basis for this contention. A French officer, observing the Yanks, wrote: “He arrived a born soldier….I think the Germans are afraid of him.” Rumor spread behind the German lines that it didn’t pay to fight well against the Americans; for they seldom allowed the Germans to surrender after putting up a stiff fight. One American regimental history, that of the “Rainbow Division,” substantiates this possibility by claiming that its men “fought to kill,” and that few prisoners were usually taken. Indeed, the facts on the “Rainbow Division” show that, for the amount of fighting the division did, very few prisoners were taken.” 20

A German is reported to have said:

“I did not meet the Americans on the battlefields but I have talked with German soldiers who did. These soldiers were against the Rainbow Division near Verdun and said they don’t want such fighting as they encountered there. The Americans were always advancing and acted more like wild men than soldiers.” 21

In Americans in Battle, we read:

“An historian of the Rainbow Division admits that its men fought to kill, an admission borne out by the mere 1,317 prisoners taken by the division.” 22

Hot Desserts

When you have been exposed to a hard winter’s day, hot desserts are the ultimate comfort food. It is also the logical alternative to those who cannot quite handle the colder varieties of sweet treats. The aroma of hot desserts calls out to you from bakeries and homes and casts a spell that s hard to shake off. The experience of some chefs has revealed that men show marked partiality for entremets chauds. Beautiful as they are to the senses, at their most perfect, hot desserts are a labor of love and any pastry chef will tell you that the preparation of hot desserts is a delicate art.

We thought we might just mention that connoisseurs also recommend that many desserts that are normally eaten cold, should really be served fresh and warm, even re-heated!

Popular hot desserts include crusty apple pie, soufflés, puddings, pancakes, crepes, jalebis and gulab jamuns.

Cold Desserts

Nothing speaks to the summer-weary so clearly as cool relief. Since the start of culinary history, cold desserts were reserved for the privileged especially because mechanism of chilling desserts was labor intensive. In hot climates, ice would have to be transported from cooler regions where it was naturally found. We found Mughal Emperors would dispatch horses to the sub range of Himalayas to bring back ice to make fruit sorbets. In 17th Century Europe when the more fortunate took ice cream, they would have underground chambers dug on the ground of their estates in order to preserve ice in the summer months.

Cakes

Certainly no birthday is considered complete without a cake and even in Asian countries the tradition of serving cakes on weddings and anniversaries is setting in as custom. Derived from Norse work Kaka, this bakes dessert can range from Spartan bread-like babka to lavish architectural gateau with elaborate toppings. In fact the more rugged cakes of today are much like the very first cakes which were made from dried fruit and nuts. Baking powder and white flour came to be used in cakes only as recently as the 19th Century.

Pastries

The tradition of pastries such as pies and tarts goes back a long way in continental Europe where the term Pie was fairly popular as early as 1362 CE. Fruit filled pastries find the mention in the works of Greek playwright Aristophanes of the 5th Century BCE. It is said that the form of pies actually evolved from a need for containers to preserve the food contents within. Today pies, tarts and pastries area fixture in the world of desserts and macaroons (a coconut based sweet) are the very latest to stake a place among pastries.

Ice Cream – King of Frozen Desserts

Easily the king of cold desserts, the origins of ice-cream go back a long way. It was already quite popular in major Arab cities around the 10th Century and the Arabs are understood to be the first to use milk and sugar as major ingredients in its preparation. It is said that Kublai Khan relished his ice-cream to the extent that its preparation was a royal secret. However Marco Polo who became a favorite in his court tapped the technique on his visit to China and carried that knowledge back to Europe on his return.

Pudding

The very sound of the word pudding evokes a sense of homeliness. It takes us back to the world of childhood where our knowledge of pudding has foundations in the morning porridge and extended to the poly-poly and pease porridge hot of nursery rhymes. A peep into the history of puddings reveals a much larger picture. The first puddings were largely meat based and some of those have carried on to the present day – Haggis, the savory pudding that considered the national dish of Scotland, consists of offal minced with onion and suet and Yorkshire puddings is cooked with a layer of beef dripping. India’s own puddings traditions include South Indian Payasam – a sweet rice pudding traditionally made with coconut milk, and the aromatic Mughal bread pudding Shahi Tukra Asal.

Ever seen a meteorite before? A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives an impact with the earth’s surface. While in space it is called a meteoroid. When it enters the atmosphere, impact pressure causes the body to heat up and emit light, thus forming a fireball, also known as a meteor or shooting star.

Mbozi Meteorite is located at Marengi Hill in the Mbozi District of Southern Tanzania, its borders with Malawi and Zambia. The meteorite is three-meters-long and one-meter-wide object and weighs some 16 tonnes and consists of 90 per cent iron, about 9 per cent nickel, and small amount of cobalt, copper, sulfur, and phosphorus.

No one is sure when the meteorite fell, but it must have been long ago. W. H. Nolt, a land surveyor from Johannesburg reportedly found it in October 1930. The meteorite is presently standing on a stone altar, a product of a trench dug around it. The meteorite has remained in its original landing place.

Dr. D. R. Gratham of the Geological Society in 1930 used a hack-saw to cut out a specimen of about ten centimeters. This took ten hours. This piece is presently at the British Museum in London.

The Mbozi meteorite site has been arranged to accommodate visitors, with a little reception house and benches and tables. The warden lives in a small mud house about 50 meters from the meteorite, and will ask you to sign the visitor’s book.

It is a wonderful environment, good for picnicking. A visit would help you understand the primordial nature of the earth and our universe at large.

Few things can be as great of an inconvenience as the inability to use your running water and plumbing system in your own home. Even if you have running water, your plumbing must work perfectly in order for you to be able to turn on the tap in the first place. Don’t put yourself into a situation where you have to be inconvenienced and call in someone for emergency repairs. Make sure to keep your piping free and clear or else you may have some very time consuming and expensive repairs to tend to. Here are the five most common reasons for blocked drains and how you can try to avoid them.

1. Vegetation growth

Although not the most common, this factor could lead to some of the most expensive and extensive repairs you may have to deal with. Often times our piping systems have been installed when our homes were built long ago and new and different unforeseen blockages can occur by way of root systems from trees and other vegetation growth. The roots of a tree can slowly put pressure on plumbing lines causing them to break, bend, leak, or be blocked, all of which can create a worsening situation. Often times these repairs require expensive machinery, digging, and re-sodding of lawns.

2. Foreign objects

If your sink or tub was draining perfectly a few days ago and now suddenly seems to be clogged, you may be dealing with an object stuck inside of the pipes. This can occur when an object is left by a sink that does not have a drain filter or screen. Even if the object doesn’t completely block the pipes at first, it may still begin to accumulate debris leading to a clogged pipe in the near future. Many with kids are familiar with random objects dug out of the pipes- many times toys!

3. Grease

If you are noticing a clog in your kitchen sink it may be due to a build up of oils. Many types of greases and lard can clog up drains very quickly. Do not throw excess cooking grease down the disposal and drain. Hot grease in its liquefied form will get inside the plumbing and then later solidify while grabbing ahold of extra food particles and debris. This will create a strong and difficult clog and may damage the pipes.

4. Hair

If you are noticing clogs in the bathrooms, the most likely cause is build up of hair. Hair, especially long strands, have the ability to become tangled creating larger and larger balls of hair that eventually work like a net. The netting begins to trap other debris and smaller hair and before you know it the sink will not empty. Make sure to use a strainer in all bathroom tubs and sinks.

5. Non-flushables

You would think only children are to blame for attempting to flush random objects down the toilet, but you would be surprised how many adults do the same thing. It sure seems like we should be able to flush Q-tips and cotton swabs down the drain, however not all septic systems can handle it and the clogs that result can be some of the hardest to fix. Make sure you only flush items that have been deemed as septic system safe and completely flushable.

Avoid the common reasons for clogged plumbing and keep your system running smooth.

The 1970s saw an upsurge in premium foods, and all those foodies were happily upgrading their sweet tooths with expensive European treats. Let’s take designer chocolate, specifically Belgium-made Godiva, which opened up a whole new world, dominating the market with its gold boxes, sinful truffles and high prices. We willingly pushed aside old favorites, like Hershey and Mars, and went in search of a richer, fancier and more beautifully packaged chocolate. For the first time, many Americans no longer associated the word “truffles” with a fungus which pigs dug up in France. They were chocolate candies which produced almost a spiritual experience with one incredible bite. Even peanut brittle went upscale, as pricier nuts replaced the humble peanut, chocolate replaced the “brittle” and highfalutin almond or cashew bark took center stage.

So went the food culture, as Americans opted for a more sophisticated lifestyle, pricier restaurants and elegant eating experiences. Having a bad day? Treat yourself. Feeling depressed? Nothing satisfies like chocolate. Looking for a hostess gift? That gold box of truffles will impress. Importers jumped on this trend and more and more premium candies flooded the stores, while some even opened boutiques featuring their decadent fare. Young professionals were no longer satisfied with their childhood Butterfingers, Hershey bars or Snickers. They wanted more, and they got it. If you still preferred chocolate bars, Cadbury obliged with larger sizes filled with nuts, raisins or caramel. Ghiradelli introduced a bag of foil-wrapped milk or dark chocolate squares, filled with raspberry, caramel or mint.

So who are these upscale companies catering to our chi-chi palettes? European chocolatiers like Lindfors, Perugina, Ghiradelli, Toblerone, Ferrero Rocher, Neuhaus, Lindt and of course the grande dame of them all, Godiva. Not to be left behind, American chocolate manufacturers scrambled to compete, upgrading their packaging, expanding their repertoire and charging higher prices to meet the new demand. And just as Americans sought out better coffee rather than the standard grocery brands, so did they purchase better candies for baking. Even tried-and-true Toll House morsels met their first competitors in Ghiradelli and pricey regional brands. Cleverly marketed, they promised to produce a better-tasting chocolate chip cookie, and some bakers took notice.

So, have we back-pedaled and renewed our loyalty to more modest and far less expensive brands? Not anytime soon. In 2007, two brothers by the name of Mast dared to charge ten dollars for a “better” chocolate bar, and like moths to the flame, chocolate fans gobbled them up. Online, you can purchase their “collections” of different chocolate bars, nicely packaged. Six bars go for $45, but some are made with goat’s or sheep’s milk, which justifies the cost, according to them. A single bar will run you eight to ten dollars. (Eat very slowly.)

And we haven’t even started on organic or rainforest chocolates. Too daunting to even think about.

Sometimes our lives throw us a curve, and when they do it can destroy everything we’ve built, our families and cause utter chaos in our world. Still, we must persevere, and when we do we will indeed be show our American “can do” attitude in conquering our demons, tragedies and challenges. Americana is filled with interesting people, folks who help shape our time and those who go beyond the norm, those who truly capture our hearts. Let me tell you an inspirational story of Gary Kuhre, a father, a husband and a man on a mission to raise awareness.

Gary Kuhre discovered that the family’s health care insurance did not cover Autism and the family discovered how much financial burden an autistic child cost. Rather than quitting in defeat and out of the love for his son, he dug down deep and his strength of character emerged. He decided to do something about it, yes a father on a mission willing to do anything necessary to help his son, even laying down his own life if necessary, if he knew his son could lead a normal life.

It was out of this father’s dedication, that he was willing to endure the ultimate test of devotion. One, which he was quite certain would bring awareness to Autism, indeed it was “a test of will” like no other had ever dreamed. He would walk across America from Reno to Washington DC and as you know Reno is further West than Los Angeles, due to the shape of the United States and the curvature of the Earth.

His perseverance and commitment to the cause of Autism paid off. Not only did his walk invigorate the Autism Community, but it also made headlines and prompted two standing US Senators to contact him; Senator Harry Reid of his home State of Nevada, and Senator John McCain of Arizona, who is now a Presidential Candidate. The Governor of Nevada also got involved and opened up serious dialogue. Perhaps, it was Gary’s upbringing or will to press on and never give up that prompted him on such a journey, he refused to give up on his son and now has become one of the strongest advocates for Health Insurance reform for Autism.

In a modified customized cart he set off step-by-step towards Washington DC, an estimate distance of about 5 million human strides, and although in the end he was unable to complete the entire journey on the first go around due to unforeseen circumstance, he does dream of the opportunity to complete every single step. During his quest, step after step he became even more committed than the last, the power of love for his son and family and refusal to accept anything less, a dedicated father on a mission. The results of his quest and bold statement have created a never ending forward progression for Autism awareness.

Introduction

In the last few years, countless newspaper articles, magazines, Internet sources, and also books have celebrated the long term bull market that established in the year of Millennium.

I could be an informer that gives data for stock market. This is the trend for the year 2011. The market is, after all, driven by human beings, and that is what it makes endlessly fascinating.

I dug deeper and deeper into history for the answers. This research, which become the foundation of my article.

Body

The United States is not threatened in a major war because during the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, there was a parliamentary election system which were influence by Western Civilization. Taliban is another issue even it happens in Afghanistan.

The 1st mega market is occur between year 1877 and 1891, evolved after the Civil war ended in 1865, and soldiers on both sides flowed back to the farms and into the civilian workforce.

The 2nd mega market happens during World War I and also the stock market increased four and a half times in value in the space of just eight years.

The 3rd mega market was a big event because after the Second World War, America and Japan started on its journey to become a true economic super power, fueled by the resources that is no longer had to be devoted to the war effort.

The 4th mega market is the present market nowadays. If we can recall the signing agreement of former President Ronald Reagan of United states and former Soviet union President Mikhail Gorbachev to end the old war. Under the Obama Administration, the death of Osama Bin Laden which affects September 11,2001 attacks or known as 9/11.

During the end of cold war, many things happen and there were also changes such as the end of war and the dawn of peace, new technologies from United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and lastly low inflation.

After I mention the four mega-markets, this time I will mention all mega-markets evolve because of the following axioms:

War is inflationary

Peace is deflationary

War is unproductive

Peace is productive

War is a time of fear and despair

Peace is a time of hope and prosperity.

The global economy is at risk of stagnating due to the rapid increase of oil prices caused by political unrest in Africa and Middle East which considers a demand for political reforms that are expected to increase alongside government expenditures such as subsidies that are doled out to help combat high food prices and unemployment. There is a drop in tourism and capital flight that will likely deepen the unfavorable effect on the region’s balance of payments.

Supply chain disruptions due to the massive destruction which caused by the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan that happens in the month of March.

These incidents suddenly and surprisingly change to economic landscape and compel us to shift the outlook.

There is a change in government policy or an economic growth on the home front that could establish an interest rates in terms of financing. According to the article of Tenille Aho of GoArticles, he states that Gold is sort of kind of investment.

There is a turmoil in the financial markets because of concern about possible default by one or Euro zone governments.

There is a downgrade of the Credit rating of U. S. Government securities by Standard and Poor’s following protracted efforts to increased the debt ceiling.

Conclusion

After presenting my introductory part, the content, this time I will give my conclusion in this respective article.

I believe that history and the insights provided by serious technical analysis offer support for my view of the current stock market. We are in the middle of a true global market, and it could be a well promise much longer run.

They must remember that the stock market is not just dry statistics and hot money. Global markets are driven by human desires for profit and growth, and by emotions ranging from hope to fear.

Drug and alcohol intervention centers encompass well-qualified and skilled specialists who hold years of experience in the treatment of alcoholics. They have designed and use a particular approaches for making those dependent on drugs and alcohol recover from abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Substance Abuse intervention treatment programs are made specifically to aid drug or alcohol addicts to recover from numerous kinds of addictions.

There are various reasons to state that the alcohol intervention treatments are useful for drug addicts as well. Alcohol or dug intervention programs assist to pick the finest and specialized treatments according to one’s severity and addiction. Intervention is the non-judgmental and non-critical approach for systematically allowing the individuals to take the decision to commence the process of recovery devoid of resulting remorse and guilt, which is so usual in using ultimatum and tough love approaches.

Substance abuse facilities provide specialized treatments to alcohol and drug dependents. The professional intervention center designs the treatment program with the intention that the individuals who are addicted to alcohol participate in host of activities, which assist them in discussing their ideas and views with other individuals.

Alcohol intervention treatments are the best steps towards the life saving procedure, which make the addicts, recover from different kinds of addictions within a specialized environment. Usually, there are four forms of alcohol intervention programs like family intervention, teen intervention, workplace intervention and emergency intervention.

Attaining a life free of substance abuse is the prime purpose of the alcohol intervention programs accessible at the intervention center. The drug intervention center considers sobriety as the gateway or portal for initially building and then ultimately living a fulfilling and successful life. The center assists the individuals develop a life guided through their own inner desires and strengths, despite of how unconventional or different these talents might be. The reputed and offering fine alcohol intervention center greatly assists the drug addicts to come out of their addictions and lead a more meaningful life. Get more information on Interventions

Fireplaces, whichever form they came in, have been in use in every culture for over 1 million years. The first fire pits dug by cavemen were either simply holes in the ground, or strategically placed within their caves to provide heat and a way to cook raw meat. Later, when huts were used for shelter and accommodation, it was understood that the smoke had to be evacuated, something possible with straw roofs, as the smoke could rise and escape through tiny holes, but Indian Tipis for example had to open up their tops in order to allow smoke to evacuate if they did not want to risk asphyxiation.

A few thousands of years later, with the arrival of two story buildings, fires needed a system to expel their smoke out of the room they were placed in. the invention of the chimney presented a solution to this problem by allowing smoke to rise naturally through a conduct that led to the roof.

In 1678, Prince Ruppert came up with the idea of raising the iron frame used for holding the burning fuel. This allowed more air to circulate through and around the fire, and meant that hot gases had longer to travel before being burnt, thus producing more heat. This was for the time quite an impressive discovery into the physics of fire.

The 1740s saw Benjamin Franklin produce an innovative and unique stove. Although based on Ruppert’s design, the stove had some more advanced features which allowed the hot gasses to travel around it, thus heating the air inside. A vent at the top of the stove allowed the heated air to escape into the room, thus innovating and providing convected as well as radiated heat.

In the later 1700s, the Count Rumford designed the first fireplace with a tall and shallow firebox which provided a much better extraction of smoke. Rumford’s design was one that was to be imitated many times, and is considered to be the foundation of modern fireplaces.

Rumsford’s design was used by many (and is still today) in the fireplace industry. It then flourished by allowing many different styles of fireplaces to appear over time.

Fireplace style dates:

1260-1600: Renaissance fireplaces include Elizabethan, Jacobean, Tudor and Gothic styles.

1550-1750: Baroque fireplace styles include Mannerist, English Baroque, Intalian Baroque, French Baroque, Flemish and Bollection.

1740-1780: Antique Rococo fireplaces are made up of the Louis XV, English Rococo, French Rococo and Italian Rococo styles.

1700-1820: Neo Classical fireplaces include Georgian, Dam, Palladian, English, Scottish and Irish styles.

1790-1820: Regency fireplace styles include English Regency, Louis XVI, Directoire, French Empire and George IV.

1820-20th century fireplaces include the Victoria, William IV, George V, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Bijou chic styles.

There are many different names given by many different companies to the Sump Pump Basin. The simple fact is that it is the object that holds the sump pump under your basement floor.

Specially designed holes along a few sides will allow water into the basin. This helps to remove water under the floor slab and keep the pump actively touching moist soil. It’s your first line of defense against water rising from under your basement floor.

The sump pump basin is also the center of the system. All drainage pipes and tiles will be connected to this area. It is the final stop for the water before being removed through the sump pump discharge line that runs out of your home.

Things to be aware of about your sump pump basin:

1.) The total height of the basin cannot be dug further than 2 Feet under your basement floor. This is because digging further can interrupt and remove soil that supports the foundation called the Zone of Influence. Installing a basin this deep can cause water to carry with it the dirt needed in this area for support as well as to physically interrupt the soil.

2.) There should only be drain holes built into the basin on the inward facing sides of the basin. This, again, is to limit the amount of soil that gets moved from underneath your foundation. It also helps to specifically target any water seepage or build up under your basement floor that might have been causing floor cracks.

3.) The basin should have a sealed solid lid. This is a simple request, but many designs do not have this in mind. It closes off the unit, quiets the sump pump, limits the amount of water that can evaporate into your basement, and makes the unit safe to have. Having a cover keeps people from falling in, objects in your basement from falling and logging your pump, hurting children and if the pump ever has a cord issue, electrocution.

4.) There should be options to where and how to connect the drain system to the sump pump basin. This allows you to have more options on how and in what directions to pitch the drain to allow for the best water flow through the pipes.

5.) The pump stand which supports the sump pump should be built into the basin. If there is an option to get a stand installed into the basin it means 2 things: A.) They’re trying to sell you something else, and B.) The basin is too deep in the first place to be installed in the foundation. Newly designed sump pump basins will have the pump stand built into the unit.