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From today's featured article

The United States Navy ferries troops across the Rhine at Oberwesel.

American logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany supported operations in Northwest Europe during World War II from January 1945 until the end of the war in Europe on 8 May. The Allies had to advance across the Rhineland, which was in the grip of thaws, rains and floods. They were then confronted by the Rhine, the most formidable barrier to the Allied advance since the English Channel. The river was crossed and bridged, and railways and pipelines were run across it. Most supplies were delivered by rail. In the final advance into the heart of Germany, combat losses and ammunition expenditure declined, while shortages of fuel and spare parts developed, as was to be expected in fast-moving mobile operations. Railheads were pushed forward, with the rehabilitation of the network keeping pace with the advance, while the Motor Transport Service organized an express service that moved supplies from the railheads to the forward units. (Full article...)

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On this day

May 8: Anniversary of the birth of Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico (1753); Victory in Europe Day (1945)

Lady Blanche Arundell

1643 – First English Civil War: The first siege of Wardour Castle ended after six days with the surrender of the Royalist garrison under Lady Blanche Arundell (pictured).
1842 – A train derailed and caught fire near Versailles, France, killing at least 52 people.
1927 – French aviators Charles Nungesser and François Coli aboard the biplane L'Oiseau Blanc took off from Paris, attempting to make the first non-stop flight to New York, only to disappear before arrival.
1963 – In Huế, South Vietnam, soldiers opened fire into a crowd of Buddhists protesting against a government ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Phật Đản, killing nine and sparking the Buddhist crisis.
1972 – Four members of Black September hijacked Sabena Flight 571 to demand the release of 315 Palestinians convicted on terrorism charges.

Thomas Drury (b. 1551)
Helena Blavatsky (d. 1891)
Beatrice Worsley (d. 1972)

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Today's featured picture

The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938 as a successor to the First World War-era Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, and existed until 1 February 1949, when it was merged into the Women's Royal Army Corps. This photograph shows ATS members working on a Churchill tank in 1942.

Photograph credit: Lt. Taylor, War Office official photographer; restored by Adam Cuerden

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