* [From History.com, This Day In History, August 22, 2024.]

1776: The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming! On this date in the year of my country’s birth, British General William Howe came to Long Island, New York, with a reported “near twenty four thousand men ready to land in a moment,” hoping to capture New York City and gain control of the Hudson River. At Brooklyn Heights, the British Redcoats overcame the Americans and outflanked the entire Continental Army. The Americans suffered 1,000 casualties; the British only 400.

The British missed a couple of opportunities to finish the job, and finally, on September 11th, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and other congressional representatives reopened negotiations with General Howe and his brother, Admiral Richard Howe. But the British refused to accept the condition of American independence, and negotiations fell through.

Fighting resumed, and on September 15th, the British captured New York City, which remained in British hands for the duration of the war.

*. *. *

1968: The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

Same date, different country, nearly 200 years later.

Moscow was annoyed (to say the least) at reforms instituted by Czech Communist Party General Secretary Alexander Dubcek. When Dubcek refused to back down, Russia did what Russia always does: they invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20th with more than 200,000 troops. On August 22nd, thousands of Czechs gathered in and around Vaclav Namesti (Wenceslas Square) in the capital city of Prague in protest against the Soviet invasion. What began as a peaceful demonstration erupted in violence at times, and several protesters were killed that day and during the days that followed.

Despite international condemnation, the Soviet Union pushed Dubcek from power and replaced him with a hardliner. Czechoslovakia remained under the control of the Soviet Union until its “Velvet Revolution” of 1989 — a time when Eastern European nations were breaking free of communist control, the Berlin Wall came down in Germany (November 9th), and as a result — some two years later — the Soviet Union itself splintered and ceased to exist.

All in all, a big day for invasions. It would be best if history did not repeat itself this way again — at least not for another 200 years.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/22/24