A tiny archipelago of three small islands in the middle of the Mediterranean‚ Malta seems an unassuming point of interest for any major role in world history. This‚ however‚ couldn’t be further from the truth. Malta was strategically placed and played a vital part in the British war effort in North Africa and as a base for disrupting Axis efforts in the Mediterranean.   As a result‚ Malta was a constant focus of British and Axis attention. Without this fortress island‚ the war would have taken a very different course. This is the story of Malta in World War II.   A Base of Operations in the Mediterranean Malta’s position in the Mediterranean. Map supplied by the author using Google Earth.   In the first few months of the war‚ it was unclear where the conflict would lead. The fighting was confined to Europe‚ but within a year‚ Italy had joined the war‚ along with its colonies of Somaliland and Libya.   Sitting in the Mediterranean Sea and wedged directly between Sicily and Libya‚ Malta was an obvious target for the Axis and an opportunity for the Allies. Originally assumed to be indefensible‚ the British began to put serious effort into turning Malta into a powerful stronghold that had a chance to withstand the Axis assault that was sure to come.   However‚ with the focus of Germany on Britain and the skies over the British Channel being in flames‚ the War Cabinet had few options for fortifying Malta. Only six Gloster Gladiator biplanes were stationed there. Most of the Royal Air Force was needed at home to fend off the German Luftwaffe.   The Italians Enter the War A Gloster Gladiator. Source: BAE Systems   On June 10‚ 1940‚ Italy entered the war on the side of the Axis. Almost immediately after‚ the first of many bombs would be dropped on Malta. A total of eight raids were conducted on the first day.   Opposing the Axis in the air were the six old Gladiators aircraft. Only three of these aircraft could be put in the sky at any point in time. Parts were cannibalized from each aircraft to service the others‚ and what was actually six aircraft was seen by the populace as three. They were named “Faith‚” “Hope‚” and “Charity.” They were slow but performed well and boosted the Maltese morale as their intrepid pilots gave all they got‚ scoring victory after victory against the Italians.   Malta suffered from intense bombing during the war. Source: Times of Malta   Within a few months‚ virtually all the land surrounding the Mediterranean would be in the hands of the Axis. If Malta fell‚ the British bases at Alexandria and Gibraltar would be cut off from one another.   Italian plans to invade the islands‚ however‚ were scuppered after the Battle of Taranto in November 1940 when the Royal Navy soundly defeated the Italian fleet and put much of the Italian Navy out of action. The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini realized that if he was going to suppress Malta and the Royal Navy operating out of the islands‚ the key to victory was air power. The Germans realized this too‚ and the Luftwaffe became heavily invested in bombing Malta into submission.   For the Italians‚ the situation was not great. Large naval operations were ruled out‚ as problems with fuel supply meant virtually all the oil available was being redirected to the Germans in their preparations and subsequent war against the Soviets. Erwin Rommel and his North Afrika Korps would suffer the same fate as the Italians in this regard. Despite the Royal Navy having the upper hand in this regard‚ the growing Axis air power meant the British ships were in constant danger whenever they ventured out‚ and so British morale was heavily affected.   Nevertheless‚ the British Navy’s continued presence emboldened Malta’s populace‚ and the Maltese people stood firmly in defiance of the Axis attacks‚ which turned their towns into rubble.   The Beginning of 1941 Italian troops in Cyrenaica advancing towards Egypt by Antonio Beltrame. Source: Meisterdrucke   With the failure of the Italians in North Africa and the Mediterranean‚ Hitler deemed it necessary for the Germans to intervene. The oilfields of the Middle East were the main targets‚ and securing the Mediterranean was a vital stepping stone in securing these vital resources.   With British and Commonwealth victories against the Italians in North Africa‚ the Germans launched Operation Sonnenblume and managed to drive the Allies all the way back to Egypt. The logistical complications of operating in Africa were a concern‚ and the Germans dispatched the Luftwaffe Fliegerkorps X to Sicily to strike at Malta and destroy the British ability to disrupt German supply lines in the Mediterranean.   Operating out of Malta‚ the British had a difficult time intercepting Axis supply ships. This was mainly due to the thousands of sea mines placed by the Italians around Malta‚ effectively blockading it. Malta also needed to be resupplied‚ and on January 6‚ 1941‚ the British launched Operation Excess‚ in which a series of convoys led by the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious were sent to break through the Axis blockade and get supplies to the beleaguered Malta.   The cruiser HMS Southampton which was sunk on January 11‚ 1941. Source: Boot Camp &; Military Fitness Institute   As the convoy sailed within range of the Luftwaffe bases‚ Stuka dive bombers took to the sky and swarmed in over the British ships. From the British perspective‚ the operation should not have been launched. It was far too risky‚ especially with the meager support that the RAF could offer. Through a breakdown in information channels‚ the British Admiralty had not been informed of the proximity of Luftwaffe bases near the convoy. Had they known‚ it is doubtful the operation would have been launched.   Losses were heavy. The Illustrious was severely damaged‚ and the light cruiser HMS Southampton was so badly damaged that it had to be scuttled. However‚ the convoy did get through to Malta. German losses were light‚ and the British realized that in the future‚ supplying Malta would have to be done piecemeal with light cruisers at best. Malta would have to make do with what they had.   Luftwaffe Superiority‚ Malta Digs in Ju-87 Stuka dive bombers over Malta. Source: Times of Malta   In the following months‚ the Luftwaffe held complete superiority in the air‚ and the RAF was losing Hurricane fighters faster than they could replace them. With air raids happening daily‚ morale was low on Malta‚ and all men between the ages of 16 and 56 were conscripted into the volunteer workforce. Food rationing caused the already flagging morale to drop even lower.   Allied forces did score a victory in April when the British Navy managed to intercept an Italian convoy headed for Libya. The Battle of the Tarigo Convoy saw several Italian vessels sunk along with their cargo headed for Libya.   The British also needed to supply their forces in North Africa‚ and a flotilla of ships was accumulated in Malta for this purpose‚ successfully managing to escort cargo ships across the Mediterranean to the strategically vital port of Alexandria in Egypt.   The Axis bombing of Malta continued‚ and the islands’ towns were severely hit as the British focused on defending military targets. As a result‚ most of the Maltese left the towns and cities for the countryside. Two-thirds of the population of the capital of Valletta fled their homes‚ and the city became the single most bombed place on Earth.   A damaged Hawker Hurricane making contact with the Maltese soil. Source: World War Photos   In April‚ the Germans invaded Yugoslavia‚ and in May‚ the Luftwaffe concentrated its power on the invasion of Crete‚ which‚ although a victory‚ was costly for the German Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers). The experiences during the invasion of Crete suggested the Germans would not try the same tactic on Malta‚ and the Maltese felt a bit safer knowing an airborne invasion was unlikely. The hardships‚ however‚ would continue.   In June‚ the bulk of the Luftwaffe forces left the Mediterranean in order to take part in Operation Barbarossa‚ the invasion of the Soviet Union. However‚ the Italian forces and the token German force that was left were still highly effective.   On June 1‚ Air Vice Marshal Keith Park took over operations on Malta and immediately set to work repairing the damage and getting Malta ready to be able to conduct offensive operations. Malta was the only base in the Mediterranean where air operations could be conducted against German forces in North Africa‚ and as such‚ Park took his job very seriously.   Despite losses‚ convoys continued to arrive in Malta. Stockpiles of supplies were built up‚ and aircraft continued to arrive‚ bolstering the RAF’s capability. Amid the buildup of forces‚ the Italians and Germans continued their raids‚ but the redeployment to the Eastern Front had sapped their ability to carry out round-the-clock bombings. Malta was able to weather the storm and build up a sizable force that could go on the offensive.   British submarine based out of Malta‚ HMS Urge. Source: Royal Navy   In the second half of 1941‚ the British started causing significant losses to Axis shipping with air attacks and naval operations‚ including the use of submarines. Fifty to sixty percent of the much-needed cargo headed to North Africa to reinforce the Afrika Korps and its allies was lost.   With the victory of the RAF in the Battle of Britain‚ aircraft were released for other theaters of the war‚ and by December‚ over 700 fighters had been brought to Malta‚ with 500 of them being shipped off again to take part in the Allied war effort in North Africa.   As a result‚ the British offensive in the North African desert‚ Operation Crusader‚ was a complete success‚ and the Allies managed to check Rommel’s potential for complete victory.   The Allies were not without losses‚ however. They also had to run the gauntlet of supplying their troops in North Africa‚ and many ships‚ including a battleship and a carrier‚ were lost to mines and U-boats. And by December‚ the Luftwaffe returned in significant numbers to the Mediterranean‚ taking advantage of the clear skies.   1942: Shifting Fortunes The aerial bombing on April 7‚ 1942‚ left the Royal Opera House (Teatru Rjal) in Valletta in complete ruins. Source: Times of Malta   With the return of Luftwaffe operations to the Mediterranean‚ the British successes were curtailed‚ and furious battles in the air saw hundreds of aircraft being shot down on both sides. By the end of January‚ however‚ only 28 RAF fighters remained on Malta‚ while the number of Axis raids increased‚ and the number of Luftwaffe aircraft rose to several hundred. The inferiority of the Hurricane fighters against the German Messerschmitt Bf 109s was a major factor‚ reducing the morale of the pilots‚ as well as the other defenders. Things would change in March‚ however‚ as Spitfires started arriving.   Axis successes continued for the next few months‚ including the destruction of Allied naval assets‚ most notably 19 submarines. Nearly 100% of the Axis supplies were getting through to their troops in North Africa.   It took considerable time to build up enough Spitfires and Hurricanes to challenge the Axis forces for air superiority‚ and many of the new arrivals were quickly dispatched as they were completely outnumbered. By May‚ however‚ the tide had turned‚ and the RAF wrested control of the skies from the Luftwaffe.   A ship subjected to an air raid off the coast of Malta. Source: Times of Malta   Despite regaining air superiority‚ Malta was still suffering. The Maltese people and the defending forces were facing starvation as supplies dwindled. A major supply operation in mid-June attempted to rectify the situation‚ but amid bombardments from the Italian Navy‚ the convoys suffered heavy losses‚ and only two of 17 ships made it through.   In August‚ another convoy was sent; this time‚ only five of 14 ships managed to get through. This last convoy‚ known as Operation Pedestal‚ was a turning point‚ and it saved Maltese morale from complete collapse. It was highly likely that without the supplies that got through‚ Malta would have capitulated.   With the resupply of Malta and the buildup of the RAF‚ Malta was again able to go on the offensive. Submarine and air operations crippled Axis shipping over the next few months.   Starved of fuel‚ Rommel’s Afrika Korps was forced into an impossible position and eventually defeated at El Alamein from October 23 to November 11. This battle‚ along with the Battle of Stalingrad‚ represented a turning point in the war.   With air and naval superiority‚ further Allied convoys were able to get through to Malta‚ and the “siege” was lifted. Malta was saved and would serve as an important staging point for Allied landing operations in North Africa‚ Sicily‚ and the Italian mainland.   There is no doubt that Malta served an incredibly important purpose in the Allied war effort. Without the stubborn resistance of the Maltese defense and the offensive operations that its vital location offered‚ it is probable the Axis would have won in North Africa.

"The Halfway To Heaven" singer typed over 200 words of praise and adulation for his wife. Continue reading…

The reds are in the red -- and they don't like it a bit. The Democratic Socialists of America -- political home of leftist luminaries like Reps. Andrea Ocasio-Cortez and her fellow "squad" members -- is in a financial hole so deep‚ it's looking at layoffs for the noble proletarians...

The three pillars of a conservative society are God‚ family and country. A potential GOP vice presidential candidate would want to check off all three boxes. Tim Scott‚ the Republican senator from South Carolina‚ is set to check the one box he has left unchecked for a long time --...

When a nurse at an assisted living facility for seniors brought her baby to work‚ the residents adorably jumped in to help “raise” this precious child! Sunny Skyz shared the TikTok video‚ which was originally posted by user @raineyerinturner. User @raineyerinturner is a "dedicated" caregiver at the assisted living facility shown in this touching video. And she has been bringing her precious baby girl to work for many months-as observed by the sweet infant's growth in the video. RELATED: 86-Year-Old Widower Experiences Pure Joy Upon Meeting Caretaker's Grandbaby Abba's 1981 song "Slipping Through My Fingers‚" performed here by Meryl Streep and Amanda Siegfreid in the 2008 movie Mamma Mia!‚ plays throughout the poignant video as a series of heartwarming snapshots demonstrate the interaction of baby girl and the elderly residents living at her momma's workplace. Residents At Assisted Living Facility Help ‘Raise’ Baby While it is often not appropriate to take your child to your job with you‚ @raineyerinturner made a wonderful decision to bring her sweet baby to work. Can you imagine how many bonus hours her baby received from all those experienced grannies and grandpas! What a blessing for her to have all that lovin' and cuddlin' from folks who aren't in a hurry‚ stressed‚ or handling a dozen other tasks at the same time. Undivided attention! RELATED: Grandpa Who Has Alzheimer's Rarely Speaks‚ but It's a Different Story When He Sees His Grandkid Not only is the arrangement great for the infant‚ but it is also a treat for the residents. The joy on their faces is evident. They do puzzles and watch television with their sweet pea. They feed her‚ push her in their wheelchairs‚ and patiently allow her to touch their faces and try on their glasses. A couple even get down on the floor with the little miss. That's love! And‚ flexibility! Clearly‚ the seniors are delighted to dote on the primarily pink-clad baby girl. Their days are surely brightened and enriched by her presence‚ and her first year has been made more special by spending much of it in the arms and attention of so many loving people. What a perfect pairing! Good call‚ Mom! YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: High Schoolers Find a Simple Way to Bond with Seniors – They Play Board Games "If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body‚ I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others‚ I would have gained nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3 WATCH: Nurse Brings Her Baby To Work At Seniors Facility @raineyerinturner Best job ever. #ForzaHorizon5GO #IKnowWhatYouDid #roborockrun #PerfectAsWeAre #TreatiestCupContest ♬ Slipping Through My Fingers – From ‘Mamma Mia!’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Meryl Streep &; Amanda Seyfried LISTEN: TV Stars Met in the Soaps and Their Marriage Is Still Going Strong | She Fled to Escape an Arranged Marriage h/t: Godtube Featured Image Credit: TikTok The post Nurse at Assisted Living Facility Brings Her Baby to Work and Residents Have the Best Reaction appeared first on GodUpdates.

Dolly Parton and Lainey Wilson collaborated together for a cover of the song‚ “Mama He’s Crazy” on the “Tribute to the Judds” album. This was a dream come true for Lainey as she has always been a big fan of Dolly. The “Tribute to the Judds” album came out in 2023 to honor the Judds. You can also find other popular artists such as Reba McEntire‚ LeAnn Rimes‚ and Gwen Stefani singing on the album. RELATED: Of The ACM Awards Live Performances‚ Dolly Parton's ‘World On Fire' Was One Of The Best “Mama He’s Crazy” is About a Mother and Daughter “Mama He’s Crazy” was originally recorded by the Judds in 1984. “And mama‚ you’ve always said You better look before you leap But maybe so‚ but here I go Lettin’ my heart lead me” Lainey spoke about collaborating with Dolly to iHeartCounty‚ "It kind of makes you feel like you’ve got that stamp of approval when other people in the industry are like‚ ‘I’d like to do a song with you‚' and especially with a Dolly collab‚ and especially with it being a song of The Judds‚ I mean‚ it’s crazy how those worlds have kind of collided. She went on to say that she grew up listening to both Dolly and the Judds and how much Dolly taught her. Lainey herself is a multi-award winning singer-songwriter from Louisiana. Some of her tops songs are “Things a Man Oughta Know‚” “Watermelon Moonshine‚” and “Heart Like a Truck.” Lainey won Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year at the 2023 ACM awards and the CMA 2022 Female Vocalist and New Artist of the Year. Dolly and Lainey First Meet Speaking of awards‚ Dolly Parton and Lainey Wilson first met in May of 2023 when Dolly presented Lainey with her ACM Female Vocalist of the Year away. The two did not meet when they were recording “Mama He’s Crazy” which they recorded separately due to conflicting schedules. Lainey asked Dolly‚ "‘How do you keep on going?' And she said‚ ‘you gotta have that discernment about what to do‚ what not to do‚ and you gotta make sure that whatever decisions you're making and whatever you're affiliating with or doing‚ that you're really‚ really passionate about it‚'" Such good advice for Lainey and anyone working in the business or just living life in general‚ no matter who you are. Lainey posted a few photos on Instagram with the caption‚ “Dolly. A real life doll. Passing along real life wisdom. What a way to start CMA week” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lainey Wilson (@laineywilson) YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Dolly Parton and Olivia Newton-John Sang ‘Jolene' Before the Singer's Death &; It's Stunning “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9 WATCH: Dolly Parton and Lainey Wilson Sing Mama He’s Crazy LISTEN: Mom Shocks The World As She Gives Birth To 6th Child | Bindi Irwin Pays Tribute To Her Late Father h/t: iHeart Featured Image Credit: Instagram/laineywilson The post Dolly Parton and Lainey Wilson with Judds Duet‚ Mama He’s Crazy appeared first on GodUpdates.

Credit to my friend the Digital Asset Investor for uncovering this one… Elizabeth Warren claims to be a champion for the little guy. Always fighting the big‚ bad banks! The Chuck Rhoades (Billions) of real life. And don’t get me wrong‚ I don’t like the big banks either….they seem wildly corrupt to me! But what I really hate is someone who claims to be for the little guy but is actually working with them behind the scenes. Watch this old clip that has nearly been entirely scrubbed from the Internet but we have it…. This is form 2009. Right after the GFC — the Great Financial Crash — and the Government was running a little thing called TARP ((Troubled Asset Relief Program). Billions upon billions was being pumped into the system. And where did it go? Straight to the banks of course! The Fat Cats! The “Too Big To Fails”! And who was in charge of that program? Elizabeth Warren. So with all of that context in mind‚ now watch this clip where she laughs when she tells Bill Maher she doesn’t know where the first $350 BILLION of taxpayer TARP money went: @MaxKeiser Exposes @SenWarren for losing $350‚000‚000‚000! [May‚ 2009] pic.twitter.com/cemFqmJHrn — Crypto News Alerts (@CryptoNewsYes) February 18‚ 2023 Backup here if needed: Wow….flashback to 2009 when Elizabeth Warren told Bill Maher she doesn’t know wherre $350 BILLION of her TARP money went! Taxpayer dollars!!!! @DailyNoahNews pic.twitter.com/cssZRPW65L — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) January 22‚ 2024 Of course I asked Far-Left ChatGPT for details around this and it attempted to rationalize it: Elizabeth Warren did not lose $350 billion of TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funds. In fact‚ Warren played a role in overseeing the implementation of TARP but was not in a position to lose or misplace the funds. Elizabeth Warren‚ a law professor at the time‚ was appointed in 2008 to chair the Congressional Oversight Panel for the TARP. The panel was responsible for monitoring and reporting on the expenditure of TARP funds‚ which were allocated by Congress to help stabilize the financial system during the 2008 financial crisis. The Congressional Oversight Panel‚ under Warren’s leadership‚ was tasked with providing oversight and ensuring transparency in how the TARP funds were used by the Treasury Department. The panel produced regular reports evaluating the management‚ operation‚ and effectiveness of TARP‚ including how the funds were being spent‚ the program’s impact on the financial markets and the broader economy‚ and recommendations for improvements. Warren’s role was more of a watchdog than a manager of the funds. She was known for her critical stance on how the bailout money was being handled and for pushing for more accountability and transparency from both the government and the financial institutions that received bailout funds. There is no evidence to suggest that she lost any TARP funds‚ as her role was oversight and reporting‚ not the management or disbursement of the funds themselves. Speaking of Warren‚ I can’t cover Pocahontas without reliving my favorite Liz Warren moment of all time… When she posted a video of her and her husband in their kitchen and she thanks him for “being here”. Where else would he be‚ Liz?  He lives there too! Elizabeth Warren Tells Husband “Thank you for being here”…In Their Kitchen! We all thought Kevin Spacey posted the creepiest home video in his kitchen when he posted his cringe-worthy “Let Me Be Frank video… Remember that? Then Elizabeth Warren came along and said “Hold My Beer‚ I can top that!” Or did she say “Let me get a beer”? Anyway‚ the point is‚ Warren shot a cringe-worthy home video in her kitchen that many think has dethroned Spacey as the awkward video of the year. Take a look: I have so many questions…… Like‚ why does it seem so incredibly staged? Who says “I’m gonna get me a beer” and who does it so awkwardly? Why is she so awkward? Why does she thank her husband for being here?  Where Liz‚ in your house?  Thank you for being here?  What?  Who has ever said that to their spouse? Why is this so creepy in fake? Is this what we have to look forward to in her 2020 campaign? It appears I wasn’t the only one with questions‚ even CBS News posted this video poking fun at the horrible video and posing many of the same questions I had: Of course Fox News also ripped the video calling her “Inauthentic in everything she does”. Take a look: Don Jr. picked up on the CBS video: But perhaps the best line of all goes of course to our President‚ Donald J. Trump when he said this of Warren:

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Billionaire globalist George Soros has declared that he is determined to turn Texas from a Republican stronghold into a fiercely Democrat state. Soros is pouring vast sums of cash into the state’s races to bolster [...] The post George Soros Vows To Turn Texas Into a Democrat Hell-Hole appeared first on The People's Voice.