Clear and Present History

See how U.S. Special Operations rescued Kurt Muse during the Panama invasion: https://youtu.be/SDRU52Q5sxM?si=BK-q5...

Several Americans have just been detained by Venezuelan security forces as tensions between the U.S. and the Maduro regime reach a breaking point.

This high-stakes standoff feels eerily familiar. In 1989, the U.S. faced a similar crisis in Panama with the detention of Kurt Muse, leading to one of the most daring hostage rescues in special ops history.

Are we seeing a modern-day parallel to the 1989 invasion?

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 19

Clear and Present History

The Original Miracle on Ice: Washington's Christmas Gamble of 1776.

While the world slept on Christmas night in 1776, George Washington was betting the entire Revolution on a single, desperate move.

By December of that year, the flame of the Revolution was flickering out. Following a string of defeats (loss of New York, Harlem Heights, Fort Washington, White Plains, and Fort Lee) and a brutal retreat through New Jersey, the Continental Army was dwindling toward nothing. Morale was at an all-time low, and with enlistments set to expire at the end of the month, Washington knew the cause was finished unless he could secure a miracle. He was so certain of the danger that he privately wrote to his brother, "I think the game is pretty nearly up."

He decided to gamble: a surprise midnight raid on the Hessian encampment at Trenton. To maintain total secrecy, his men weren't even told where they were going when they were ordered to assemble at the river’s edge. The password for the operation was simple and grim: “Victory or Death.”

But a severe winter storm began just as the men hit the water, jamming the river with ice and forcing two of the three planned crossings to be aborted. Washington considered calling off the assault, but ultimately decided that reversing course was more dangerous than proceeding.

Despite the bitter conditions, his main force of 2,400 men pushed through, making it over the river three hours behind schedule. At 4:00 AM, the army began the grueling march down the icy road to Trenton. The outcome was a tactical masterpiece: Washington’s forces captured nearly 900 Hessian prisoners and seized critical supplies without losing a single American soldier to enemy fire during the battle. However, two soldiers sadly froze to death from exposure during the grueling overnight march, and five were wounded in the battle—including an 18-year-old James Monroe, who would later become the 5th U.S. President. The victory they achieved that morning didn't just win a battle—it saved the American Revolution from total collapse.

This Christmas, we remember the grit of the men who decided that "Victory or Death" were the only two options left on the table. This wasn't just a crossing; it was the original "miracle on ice."

3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 41

Clear and Present History

Our film about the sinking of Japan's largest carrier, the Shinano, by US submarine Archerfish in 1944, has surpassed 1 million views on YouTube! Watch the full documentary on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/NOlfybWlqRA

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 24

Clear and Present History

Mach 6 Hypersonic Flight Over California – Today (Nov 23, 2025)

Stratolaunch's "Majestic Foxtrot" mission is planning to launch this Sunday, November 23rd at 12pm from Mojave Air & Space Port. This is the company's third hypersonic test flight.

The world's largest aircraft, Roc, will carry and release the Talon-A3—the first fully reusable, autonomous hypersonic test vehicle. It will reach Mach 6 (over 4,500 mph), then return and land conventionally.

Key Points:
- Hypersonic = Mach 5+ (3,836+ mph / 6,174+ kph)
- Talon-A3 can carry payloads at hypersonic speeds and land safely for reuse
- Technology could revolutionize global logistics and delivery
- The US pioneered hypersonic flight with the X-15 in the 1960s
- This test comes as rival nations accelerate their hypersonic programs

#HypersonicFlight #Stratolaunch #Aerospace #Mach6 #UnmannedAircraft #AviationHistory

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1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 18

Clear and Present History

Which 20th century mega-project significantly contributed to the U.S. emergence as a global superpower?

1 month ago | [YT] | 10

Clear and Present History

From Taverns to Trenches.

The U.S. Marine Corps was born on this day, November 10, 1775, at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and was immediately put to the test.

In March 1776, they executed their first-ever amphibious assault, sailing with the Continental Navy to successfully capture Fort Nassau in the Bahamas and secure vital supplies.

In 1776-1777, a detachment reinforced George Washington's army, fighting alongside them in the critical winter battles of Trenton and Princeton, proving their combat versatility on land.

Centuries later, their ferocious spirit earned a legendary name: The "Devil Dogs." During the intense fighting at Belleau Wood in World War I, the Marines' relentless, tenacious attacks shocked the German forces. According to legend, the Germans referred to the Marines as "Teufel Hunden" (or Teufelshunde), meaning "Devil Dogs" or "Hell Hounds," for their incredible ferocity in battle.

From the island hopping in the Pacific during World War II (like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima), to the bitter cold of the Chosin Reservoir in Korea, the urban warfare of Hue City in Vietnam, and the intense door-to-door fighting of Fallujah in the 21st century—Marines have consistently defined themselves in battle, always proving they are first to fight.


#USMC250 #SemperFi #HappyBirthdayMarines #MarineCorpsBirthday #FewTheProud

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2 months ago | [YT] | 18

Clear and Present History

This Day in History: The Battle for Unity  
In a letter to Joseph Reed, George Washington details the frustrating efforts to reorganize the army for 1776. Fierce regionalism among the colonies is stalling progress—Connecticut refuses to accept Massachusetts officers, and New Hampshire protests the loss of its experienced men. “We are nearly as we begun,” he writes wearily.

Added Fact:
The soldiers' biggest practical complaint was often about pay and clothing. By the winter of 1776, many enlistments expired, and a major reason men went home was simply a lack of clothes, shoes, and regular wages.

2 months ago | [YT] | 19