Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 30, 1941: U-206 sunk by RAF bomber in Bay of Biscay in first use of air-to-surface radar. Nazi SS massacres 10,000 Jews and Communists in Riga, Latvia. Japanese emperor gives Prime Minister Tojo permission to wage war on US; Tojo rejects US peace proposal.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 29, 1941: Italians counterattack near Sidi Rezegh, Libya, and almost destroy New Zealander unit.

A Log Cabin Christmas - and a Book Signing

Christmas novella collections can be lots of fun—a sampling of several authors and styles—and A Log Cabin Christmas offers a tasty sampling. This New York Times bestselling collection contains nine novellas in an attractively bound package, complete with book flaps and ragged-edged pages. The stories are set in various locations in the 1800s, offering plenty of snow and gingerbread, but also interesting historical tidbits, such as the New Madrid earthquake of 1811 and interactions between Anglos and Hispanics in early Texas.

I enjoyed the chance to read novellas from authors I've enjoyed in the past, such as Jane Kirkpatrick, and from authors I hadn't read before and thoroughly enjoyed, such as Liz Johnson, Liz Tolsma, and Michelle Ule. I enjoyed the range from drama to sweet romance to adventure to humor - something for everyone!

This Saturday, December 3, Michelle Ule and I will be signing books at the Family Christian Store in Santa Rosa, California from 11 am to 1 pm. The store is located at 2790 Santa Rosa Ave. #G; Santa Rosa, CA.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 28, 1941: In Berlin, Haj Amin al-Husseini, mufti of Jerusalem, meets with Hitler, but fails to obtain support in Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine. All resistance ends in East Africa as 20,000 Italians surrender to British at Gondar, Ethiopia. USS Enterprise departs Pearl Harbor to deliver Marine F4F Wildcats to Wake Island, saving the carrier from the coming attack.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 27, 1941: US commanders warn forces of possible Japanese attacks at Hawaii, Phillipines, Malaya, or Dutch East Indies. New song in Top Ten: “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 26, 1941: Japanese fleet departs Kuriles for Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt officially establishes Thanksgiving as fourth Thursday in November, reversing unpopular 1939 decision that moved it one week earlier to extend shopping season.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 25, 1941: Australian troops from Tobruk link with New Zealanders at Ed Duda, Libya. British battleship HMS Barham sunk by U-331 off Bardia, Libya; 862 killed. US rejects Japanese proposal and insists Japan withdraws from Indochina and China.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1941: Two German POWs in Britain escape by forging papers & stealing RAF plane, but are recaptured when they run out of fuel. Rommel splits Allied forces in Libya, but fails to advance.

The Advent Wreath - Messiah Is Coming!

One of my family's favorite Christmas traditions is the Advent wreath. On each of the four Sundays in Advent (the four weeks before Christmas), our family gathers around the wreath with cookies and eggnog and hot chocolate. We light the candles, read Scripture passages, and sing carols. Not only is this cozy family time, but it focuses us with joyful anticipation on the birth of Jesus.

The Advent wreath became popular in Germany and Scandinavia, and worked its way to Britain and America. Traditionally it's a flat evergreen wreath with four candles - three purple and one pink, or four red candles - with a white candle in the middle. Even the least crafty person in the world (that would be me) can put one together.

Each Sunday one more candle is lit, going in a clockwise pattern - purple (Prophet's Candle), purple (Bethlehem Candle), pink (Shepherd's Candle), purple (Angels' Candle). On Christmas Day, all four candles in the wreath are lit, plus the white Christ Candle in the center. This symbolizes the coming light of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. This Sunday (November 27), is the first Sunday in Advent. If you'd like to join the Sundin family in this tradition, here are some family friendly, kid-tested ideas.

Each element can be adapted to the ages of any children present - and personalized for your family.

Advent Week One - the Prophet's Candle.

Candles: Light one purple candle, the Prophet's Candle. Traditionally the youngest child lights the candles, but this can be shared.

Story: (adapt to the ages of your children) The Old Testament prophets told of a coming Messiah, or Savior - hundreds of years before Jesus was born. He would come into the dark world and bring light. Explain how prophets spoke God's word to people. Ponder what the world must have been like without the hope of Christ.

Scriptures:
Isaiah 11:1-10 (explains how the Messiah would come from David's line)
Isaiah 7:14 (Messiah to be born of a virgin)
Luke 1: 26-38 (the angel Gabriel appears to Mary)
Matthew 1: 18-24 (the angel appears to Joseph)

Songs:
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus"

Does your family or church use an Advent wreath, and does it help you get in the true Christmas spirit?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 23, 1941: US occupies Surinam (Dutch Guiana) with cooperation of Dutch government-in-exile to secure bauxite mines.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 22, 1941: German cruiser Atlantis sunk off west Africa by British cruiser HMS Devonshire after having sunk 22 Allied merchant ships. First Soviet truck convoy crosses frozen Lake Ladoga to supply besieged Leningrad. Luftwaffe ace Werner Mölders killed in landing accident while passenger on He 111.

Make It Do - Scrap Drives in World War II

Perhaps nothing represents the community-minded patriotism of the US Home Front in World War II better than the scrap drive.

Enemy conquests cut off supplies of crucial raw materials such as tin and rubber, and the need for products made from these materials skyrocketed due to the war. Since useful materials often ended up in the trash can or languished unused in homes and on farms, the War Production Board organized and encouraged scrap drives throughout the war.

Rubber Drive

From June 15-30, 1942, the United States held a nationwide rubber drive. People brought in old or excess tires, raincoats, hot water bottles, boots, and floor mats. In exchange they received a penny a pound. Although 450,000 tons of scrap rubber was collected, used rubber was found to be of poor quality.

Scrap Metal Drives

In 1942 citizens scoured their homes, farms, and businesses for metal. Housewives donated pots and pans, farmers turned in farm equipment, and children even sacrificed their metal toys. Many people even removed bumpers and fenders from their cars for the war effort. Communities melted down Civil War cannons and tore down wrought iron fences, sacrificing their history for their future.

These drives were often great community events, with performers, speeches, and opportunities to throw your scrap metal at a bust of Hitler. Competitions were held to see which town, county, and state produced the most scrap, and the winners boasted of their feats. These drives had mixed results. Used aluminum was found to be useless for aircraft, but used tin, steel, and copper were easily melted down and reused.

Tin Can Drives

The use of tin packaging was greatly reduced during the war, partly due to the use of alternative packaging materials and partly due to rationing of canned goods. However, consumer use of tin continued throughout the war, and this valuable and irreplaceable resource needed to be recovered.

Most communities collected tin cans once a month. In some towns, people places boxes of cleaned and crushed tin cans by the curb for collection, and other towns had central collection sites. Youth groups, especially the Boy Scouts, were highly involved in these drives.

Paper Drives

The need for paper increased during the war. The military’s love for paperwork could be blamed, but the military also used lots of paper packaging for supplies. On the civilian side, paper packaging had replaced tin for many products.

A paper drive in mid-1942 brought in so much paper that the paper mills were inundated and actually called for a stop. However, by 1944 an acute paper shortage existed.

The lumber industry was hard-hit by the manpower shortage caused by the draft. Lumberjacks went on strike, demanding a higher meat ration, which they did not receive. Many of these men left for higher-paying jobs in the defense industry.

Publishers found their paper allotment cut by 15 percent. Newspapers, magazines, and books were printed on fewer pages with thinner paper and narrow margins. Paperback books had been introduced in 1939 and also allowed for less paper. However, more scrap paper was needed.

The children of America stepped up. The Boy Scouts and local schools organized regular paper drives, often coordinated with the tin can drives. The War Production Board started the Paper Troopers program, designed to sound like “paratroopers,” to involve schoolchildren in the effort. Participants received arm patches and certificates for collecting certain amounts.

Results

These scrap drives were a vital part of the American war effort. While not all scrap materials proved useful, many did and provided a small but significant source of material. Most importantly, these drives galvanized the Home Front and made each individual, even children, feel like a crucial part of the war effort.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 21, 1941: Australian garrison at Tobruk attempts breakout to meet up with British thrust across Libya.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 20, 1941: Japanese negotiators in Washington present final proposal—they will withdraw from Indochina in exchange for a free hand in China and relaxed trade restrictions with US. United States celebrates Thanksgiving.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 19, 1941: Cruiser HMAS Sydney sunk off western Australia by German cruiser Kormoran, all 645 killed. Kormoran also sinks, 78 killed.

Birthday Giveaway Winners!

Thank you for stopping by this week and sharing birthday memories!

The winner of the copy of Blue Skies Tomorrow is Serenity!

The winner of the vintage apron is Loree Huebner!

Serenity and Loree, I'll contact you by email so I can get the book and apron in the mail to you.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 18, 1941: Battle of Sidi Rezegh begins as British launch offensive to relieve Tobruk. Japanese Diet approves resolution of hostility against USA.

Book Beat - A Lancaster County Christmas

A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a holiday story with depth. When a Christmas storm strands C.J. and Jaime Fitzpatrick at the Amish home of Sol and Mattie Riehl, neither couple imagines how the unlikely new friendships will change their lives.

Mattie Riehl is struggling with secondary infertility, especially painful in the Amish community with its love of big families. She's also becoming fearful and over-protective of six-year-old Danny, a delightful, bright little boy. Jaime thinks she's finally found acceptance and approval now that her long-lost father has reappeared in her life, showering her with expensive gifts and promising to boost her dream of a photography career. However, her husband now pales in comparison, and Jaime wants out. Both women find they have a lot to learn from each other.

What I love about Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels is her complex and intriguing characters. Mattie and Jaime are hampered by fears and insecurities so many women can relate to. Their friendship and personal growth is as natural and unforced as it is unlikely. This story not only gives you the heart-warming story you expect from the cover, but it also gives you plenty to think about. I highly recommend this novel.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 17, 1941: British commandos raid Rommel’s HQ near Tobruk, but Rommel away; only two commandos escape. Japanese envoy Saburo meets with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull in Washington DC.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 16, 1941: Germans take Kerch, Ukraine.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 15, 1941: Germans resume offensive on Moscow in -20 degree Celsius temperatures. First Grand National Rodeo held in new Cow Palace in San Francisco.

Birthday Giveaways!

It (was) my birthday, and I can give things away if I want to!

Last week I celebrated my birthday, and this week, I'm giving away a copy of my third novel, Blue Skies Tomorrow, and a vintage apron made by my friend Marci Seither and featuring the book cover on the pocket.

To enter, please share one of your favorite birthday memories and leave your email address in the following format sarah [at] sarahsundin [dot] com. Also let me know if you'd like to be entered for the book, the apron, or both.

I'll start...one of my favorite birthday memories was my 22nd birthday when my husband and I were first dating. He took me to the Charthouse in Sausalito and to the San Francisco Symphony. Then he took me to a romantic spot overlooking the water and he told me he loved me for the first time...in Swedish. He wouldn't tell me the translation for a full week! But I had a hunch.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 14, 1941: U-181 sinks British carrier HMS Ark Royal in the Mediterranean; 70 planes lost. US orders withdrawal of American gunboats and Marines from China to Philippines.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 13, 1941: US amends Neutrality Act, allows merchant ships to be armed and enter war zones.

Guest Post: Thankful For Those Who've Come Before Us by Tricia Goyer

For Veteran's Day, I'm thrilled to have author Tricia Goyer as a guest blogger.

Thankful For Those Who've Come Before Us

Tricia Goyer

In 2000 I was on vacation with friends when I heard a heart-breaking story. In a small village called Mauthausen in northern Austria, 55 years earlier, prior white flakes fell from the sky. The month was May. It wasn't snow that tumbled down, but ash. I first heard the story of the tens of thousands of people killed and of the ash from the crematorium from a historian who was giving us a tour of the concentration camp. My heart broke as I tried to imagine the horror.

For those familiar with World War II history, concentration camps such as Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen are well discussed. But there are also many lesser-known concentration camps. One of them is Mauthausen, named after the nearby village.

As early as 1940, prisoners started arriving at the small train station at Mauthausen. A full two years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, this once peaceful community was already experiencing the horrors of war. And by January 1941, the Mauthausen-Gusen camps became the only 'Category I' camps in Third Reich history, meaning "camp of no return." Prisoners were used as slave labor in quarries and munitions factories. These men and women were worked to death or killed not long after their arrival. The estimate of the number of people killed in the Mauthausen camp system is between 120,000 and 300,000. Most who entered the large gates never exited, but in May 1945 everything changed. American troops had fought through France, Belgium, and Germany and had now crossed the Austrian border. They were headed toward the camp, though they didn’t know it yet.

The first American US GIs at the camp were the 41st Recon Squadron, 11th Armored Division, Patton's 3rd Army. The men opened the gates and brought the prisoners what they never expected—freedom—followed by food, clothes and the care of medics.

When the camp’s historian, Martha, told me about these men, I knew I wanted to meet them and to hear their stories. What was it like to grant these prisoners their freedom? How had it affected these men? When I arrived home, I researched their experiences and contacted their division’s veteran organization to ask if it would be possible to interview any of the men. I was overwhelmed with the response. The men invited me to their annual reunion in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

A friend traveled to the reunion with me, and as we entered the hotel doors, I saw gray-haired men with their 11th Armored Division camps sitting in small groups and sharing old war stories. We'd just finished checking in to the hotel when a younger man approached. “Are you the author?” he asked. “I've had men lined up all day waiting to meet you."

Sure enough, those I'd connected with through letters were waiting with their photos, their stories, and their tears. After all these years they had not forgotten. I talked to Arthur and Charlie first. They'd been best friends during the war and 55 years later still finished each other's sentences. Thomas, LeRoy, and Tarmo were next … each one telling me their story. Many more men, each with their own personal experiences, poured out their hearts to me. During the week they had a special ceremony to honor their friends who'd died and to remember the people they liberated. Even after all these years they knew what they did had mattered.

I attended two more reunions over the years, in Buffalo and St. Louis, and interviewed hundreds of veterans. I wrote two historical novels about their experiences, From Dust and Ashes (http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#DustAndAshes) and Night Song (http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#NightSong), and Remembering You (http://www.triciagoyer.com/contemporaryfiction.html#RememberingYou), but it was the relationship with the men that forever changed my life.

You see, my grandfather was also a WWII veteran, but I'd never taken time to sit down with him and hear his stories. I was afraid the stories would upset him. I didn't want him to have to think about those times any more. It was hard for me to connect my sweet grandfather with someone who fought in war so long ago. What I forgot was that he was young once, and his fight helped secure my freedom. What I didn't remember is that the memories were always with him, daily, even if he never talked about them. After Grandpa Fred passed away in 1999, I wished I'd had taken the time to listen.

Meeting the men of the 11th Armored Division, I was given a second chance. I saw their tears and quivering chins as they told me the stories of battles in Bastogne and the Siegfried Line. I saw their drooped shoulders and heavy hearts as they explained what they lived through when they liberated Mauthausen and its subcamps. I'd lost my grandfather, but God gave me 100 more grandpas. What a gift.

If you have a veteran in your life ... today is the perfect day to reach out--to listen to his or her story. Don't let the stories die, when you have a chance to make a difference.

Tricia Goyer is a homeschooling mom of four and an acclaimed and prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles in national magazines. She has also written books on marriage and parenting and contributed notes to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia's written numerous novels inspired by World War II veterans, including her new release Remembering You. Tricia lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. You can find out more information about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

[From Sarah...please see my feature on Remembering You, a book I highly recommend.]

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 11, 1941: Lend-Lease expanded to include Free French based in Britain.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 10, 1941: US Army updates uniform regulations: Parsons field jacket and M1 steel helmet added.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 9, 1941: Germans take Yalta in Crimea.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 8, 1941: Germans take Tikhvin, endangering supply of besieged Leningrad.

Thoughts for This Veteran's Day 11/11/11

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the First World War came to an end.

The Armistice was signed for the War to End All Wars, but peace was built on a shoddy foundation, and war returned, nastier than ever. The end of the Second World War brought the United Nations and the promise of rational negotiation and eternal peace. Instead the nuclear era introduced the tense decades of the Cold War, flaring up in brutal regional wars in Korea, Vietnam, and throughout Africa and Central and South America. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall brought optimism for a peaceful, democratic world. This was shattered by the terrorist tactics of a new enemy without borders to attack or a government to negotiate with. A cowardly enemy that cheers when children blow up children or when unarmed soldiers are murdered on their home base.

The human heart yearns for peace but is drawn to war. We can argue about it and say it shouldn't be this way, but it is.

That's why our armed services are vital. Our veterans have repelled the forces of Fascism, Totalitarianism, and Communism, and for this we owe them our eternal gratitude. Our active servicemen and servicewomen are currently fighting the forces of Islamic Terrorism, and for this we owe them our active support and appreciation.

On this 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th year of the new millenium, we thank the members of our armed services, past and present, for protecting our lives, our homes, and our freedom. May God bless you in your efforts.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 5, 1941: Japanese Imperial Conference, including emperor, decides to go to war against US, UK, and Netherlands in early December if demands not met. Joint Board of the US Army and Navy agrees primary objective to defeat Germany, avoid war with Japan.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 4, 1941: Finns recapture naval base of Hanko, Finland from Soviets.

Book Beat - Remembering You by Tricia Goyer

I’ve always enjoyed Tricia Goyer’s novels for her moving stories and comprehensive World War II historical research, so I jumped at the chance to read her newest novel, Remembering You.

Ava Andrews’s career as a TV morning show producer is in trouble. When she’s asked to accompany her Grandpa Jack on a European tour of his unit’s World War II battlefields, she sees the chance to rescue her career with a heartwarming series of veteran features—and to revive her relationship with her grandfather. However, Grandpa Jack is less than thrilled that Ava brought her recording equipment, and Ava is less than thrilled that her grandfather's war buddy, “Grand-Paul,” brought his grandson Dennis. Ava’s first love. As they trek through France, Belgium, Germany, and Austria, tensions flare and secrets are revealed. Can Ava save her career, and can she repair the relationships with her grandfather and Dennis?

Remembering You takes you on a scenic tour of Europe with secrets, history, romance, and tension around every bend. History lovers will appreciate Tricia Goyer’s research and detail, and story lovers will delight in four fascinating characters with clashing goals. I highly recommend this novel.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 3, 1941: Germans take Kursk. The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald published posthumously.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 2, 1941: Tatsuta Maru leaves Honolulu with Japanese nationals leaving US; last passenger ship to leave US for Japan before war begins.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 1, 1941: US Coast Guard placed under command of Navy for duration of national emergency. Premiere of Suspicion, Hitchcock film with Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine, who wins the Oscar for best actress.