The Dayton L. Kitchens thread with only positive things.

Here's the list.

1. Item 1

That was the only thing I could find with the name "Dayton L. Kitchens" that didn't have anything negative. There is the school website, but that can be linked to your recent review.

Dayton has a single-minded persistance.

He's never served time in prison.

The Cold War


The Cold War was the more than forty year long contest and confrontation between the United States and its allies (mainly in Europe but also Japan, South Korea, and Australia) and the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) and the nations it controlled (mainly in eastern Europe). During the Cold War the goal of the Soviet Union was to spread their power and influence around the world while the goal of the United States and its allies was to prevent this. The war was called a “cold war” because all out combat never broke out between the U.S. and Soviet Union directly.

Although the U.S. and Soviet Union avoided all out combat directly with each other there were a number of violent confrontations between the countries that were largely kept secret. In 1950, during the opening days of the Korean War, the U.S. probably sank a Soviet submarine that ventured too close to a U.S. aircraft carrier. The submarine was subjected to a massive depth charge attack and no evidence was found that it had managed to escape. Throughout the Cold War, the Soviets shot down a number of U.S. or allied aircraft that violated or came too close to its airspace. Between 200-300 U.S. and allied airmen died in these missions. The most well known shootdown of an allied aircraft though was in 1983 when the Soviets shot down Korean Air Lines flight 007 and killed all 269 people aboard including dozens of Americans and a U.S. congressman (Larry McDonald from Georgia). There were also a number of hostile encounters between U.S. and Soviet submarines over the years that remain officially secret to this day.

While not an “all out” or “hot war”, the Cold War was still violent and bloody. It is estimated the U.S. lost 150-200,000 during the Cold War including about 92,000 in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The Soviet Union lost 100-250,000 (figures are difficult to accurately determine). This included officially 15,000 fighting in Afghanistan (possibly as many as 40-50,000 killed) but the vast majority were from deaths involved in maintaining their oversized military. The majority of the people who died in the Cold War were from other nations. The deaths of around 20 million people in China can be directly attributed to their communist government. Likewise the deaths of millions in Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Central America and sub-Saharan Africa can be attributed to the Cold War. In total, anywhere from 40-50 million people probably died as a direct result of the Cold War’s forty plus years.

The exact dates of the Cold War are difficult to determine. Some date the Cold War as beginning with the Berlin Blockade and Airlift in 1947 and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This allows the beginning and ending of the war to be nicely bracketed by the events in Berlin. Others date the Cold War from 1945 and a dispute with the Soviet Union over Turkey to the official dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Thus, the Cold War may be considered to have lasted anywhere from 42 to 46 years.

In the aftermath of World War II, Germany was divided into four different zones by the winning allies. The Soviet Union had the largest zone due to their suffering the heaviest losses against the Germans and seizing control of Berlin. The United States, Great Britain (United Kingdom) and France had smaller zones in the west. The German capital Berlin was also divided into four zones in a similar manner. Austria was divided into four zones after World War II but no one really cared much.

Within a couple of years after the end of World War Two, the U.S., British, and French decided to allow their zones of Germany to reunite but the Soviets refused to give up control of their zone. The U.S. British, and French zones became West Germany (and their zones of Berlin became West Berlin) with the city of Bonn in West Germany as the new capital city. The Soviet zone became East Germany with their zone in Berlin (East Berlin) becoming the capital city.

Ultimately, the Soviets forced the nations of East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania to form communist governments controlled by Moscow. Communist dictatorships were also created in Yugoslavia and Albania though these nations managed to stay free of Soviet control. Yugoslavia stayed neutral while Albania allied with Communist China after China’s falling out with the Soviet Union.

On the subject of terms, there are a number of different ways to refer to the Soviet Union. Officially in English, it was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) but was often just called the “Soviet Union”. Its initials in the Russian language were the “C.C.C.P.”, and often it was simply referred to as “Communist Russia” or simply “Russia”.

The division of Europe between Communist nations and relatively free nations was called the “Iron Curtain”. Some later referred to the similar divisions in Asia (mainly China/Taiwan, North Korea/South Korea, & North Vietnam/South Vietnam) as the “Bamboo Curtain” but the term never was popular and fell into disuse.

The conduct of the Cold War and why it never became an all out war was mainly in part due to the possibilities of nuclear weapons being used. After the Soviet Union developed their first nuclear device in 1949, it became very unlikely that the U.S. would ever try to fight the Soviets directly, as the successful detonation of just four or five nuclear weapons in U.S. cities would kill more Americans than had died in all U.S. wars combined. The Soviets avoided directly attacking the U.S. for similar reasons. Ultimately, both sides built tens of thousands of nuclear weapons.

While neither side in the Cold War ever used nuclear weapons in combat (and since their use in World War Two, no nuclear weapons have been used at all), more than 2,000 nuclear weapons were tested above ground, underground, in the ocean and under water on every continent except South America and Antarctica (as far as we know). Some of these nuclear tests (especially in the Soviet Union) killed thousands of people due to exposure to radiation. So though nuclear weapons were never used in combat, they still caused the deaths of thousands as when the Soviets marched thousands of soldiers to their deaths in the aftermath of an above ground nuclear test.


The Cold War is divided into a number of different theatres just as world wars were divided. They include:

European Theatre

The European theatre basically included all of Europe, the North Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the U.S. and Canada (the U.S. and Canada the only nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization “NATO” not actually in Europe). Only about 90,000 people died in the European theatre during the Cold War despite the borders between NATO and Soviet controlled nations being the most heavily armed places in the world for forty years.

Asian Theatre

The Asian theatre included the Pacific Ocean, China and the nations that border it plus Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Due to the large populations of nations involved such as China, more people died (at least 35 million). During the Cold War in the Asian theatre than all the other theatres combined.

Middle Eastern Theatre

The Middle Eastern theatre included Africa north of the Sahara desert through Israel and its neighbors and the nations surrounding the Persian Gulf. Few people were killed in the Middle Eastern theatre attributable to the Cold War, probably less than 20-25,000. But the wars between Israel and its neighbors were short, intense and an excellent testing ground for U.S. weapons and tactics (used by Israel) against Soviet weapons and tactics (used by Egypt & Syria).

Third World Theatre

This theatre included the nations of Central America and sub Saharan Africa where both the U.S. and Soviet Union supported different factions in various nations. The death toll attributable to the Cold War in these areas was from 5-8 million.


First Phase 1948-1964

The first phase of the Cold War was concentrated most heavily in the European and Asian theatres. The Middle Eastern and Third World theatres were not major factors early on. The U.S. fear of communists was at its greatest level during this period though the U.S. and its allies enjoyed overwhelming military superiority for most of this time. The largest military operation during the first phase was the Korean War. Though later referred to as the “forgotten war”, the Korean War was basically a “miniature world war” with more than 20 nations involved and the largest such as the U.S. (33,000 soldiers killed), China (300,000 soldiers killed), and the Soviet Union (unknown number killed, probably a few hundred) involved in intense fighting. This was also the first large scale conflict that began after nuclear weapons were developed.


First Phase Timeline

· 1948: June 24 -- Berlin Blockade begins

· 1949: July U.S., Canada & European allies form NATO to resist Soviet aggression

· 1949: May 12 -- Berlin Blockade ends -101 people killed during blockade

· 1949: Sept.-- Mao Zedong, a Communist, takes control of China

· 1949: Sept. -- Soviets explode first atomic bomb

· 1950: June -- Korean War begins- China joins the war near end of 1950 The Korean War kills more than 3 million people including 33,000 Americans

· 1952 Eisenhower elected president, in 1953 he threatens Chinese with nuclear weapons unless they agree to end Korean War

· 1953 Soviet dictator Stalin dies peacefully of natural causes after being poisoned, after a 2 year power struggle, Nikita Khrushchev emerges as Soviet leader in 1955

· 1953: July Korean War cease fire, war has never officially ended

· 1954: July -- Vietnam split at 17th parallel

· 1955: May -- Warsaw Pact formed

· 1956: Oct.-Nov. Rebellion put down in Communist Hungary. 30,000 Hungarians killed by Soviet troops

· 1957: Oct. 4 -- Sputnik launched into orbit, space race begins

· 1958-1961 Chinese communist govt. causes a famine in that country that kills 20 million people

·

· 1959: Jan. Cuba taken over by Fidel Castro

· 1960: U.S. U-2 spy plane shot down by Soviet Union. Pilot Gary Powers captured by the Soviets

· 1960: Nov. John F. Kennedy elected President

· 1961: April -- Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba supported by the U.S. fails. 176 Cubans & 118 freedom fighters killed.

· 1961: Aug17 -- Construction of Berlin Wall begins. 136-200+ killed between 1961-1989 crossing over the wall

· 1962: Oct.-- Cuban Missile Crisis-closest to nuclear war ever

· 1963: Nov. -- President Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas

· 1964: Brezhnev becomes leader of the Soviet Union

· 1964- Gulf of Tonkin Incident & Resolution-U.S. president Lyndon Johnson given authority to wage war against North Vietnam


Communist Political Leaders during the first phase

Joseph Stalin- leader of the Soviet Union- one of the three most monstrous, murderous dictators in world history


Nikita Khrushchev -leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin’s death. Nearly caused a nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis


Mao Zedong- leader of Communist China- one of the three most

Monstrous, murderous dictators in world history


Fidel Castro- leader of Communist Cuba as of 2014, still alive

Kim Il-Sung- leader of Communist North Korea


Communist Military Leaders during the first phase

Marshal Ivan Konev- Soviet Warsaw Pact commander- led the crushing of the rebellion in Hungary.


Admiral Sergey Gorshkov- commander of the Soviet Navy- later built a very large, expensive, but somewhat ineffective Soviet Navy.


Marshal Lin Biao- Chinese communist army commander, key to communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, organized Chinese intervention in the Korean War support for North Vietnam


General Vo Giap- North Vietnamese communist general who was key to the communist running France (and later the United States ) out of Vietnam .


General Issa Pliyev Commander of Soviet forces in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis


United States and Allied Political Leaders during the first phase

Harry Truman- U.S. president. Approved of the policy of “containing” the Soviet Union. Supported West Berlin during the Berlin Blockade. Sent U.S. troops to South Korea.


Dwight Eisenhower- U.S. president. Ended the Korean War by threatening the Chinese. Approved U.S. nuclear weapons build up


Winston Churchill- British Prime Minister. Recognized danger of Soviet ambitions and urged western resistance


Konrad Adenauer- first West German Chancellor- built West Germany into a wealthy nation and ally of.

the U.S


U.S. and Allied Military Leaders During the first phase

General Douglas MacArthur- after World War 2, rebuilt Japan into a reliable ally of the U.S. Led U.S. and allied forces to victory in the first months of the Korean War before the Chinese intervened


General Curtis LeMay- U.S. Air Force general that led the U.S. airlift in response to the Berlin Blockade- later helped create the Strategic Air Command that became the primary means of attacking other nations with nuclear weapons.


Admiral Hyman Rickover- father of the U.S. nuclear navy.


General Matthew Ridgway- commander of U.S. forces in the Korean War after MacArthur. Beat back the communists for nearly three years. One of the great underrated U.S. military commanders.


General Chiang Kai Chek- leader of nationalist Chinese forces in the Chinese

Civil War-eventually lost and retreated to Taiwan




Second Phase 1965-1979


The second phase of the Cold War was defined by a number of factors. One of these was the reign of Brezhnev as the communist leader of the Soviet Union from 1964-1982 (though the last couple of years he was barely alive). Another was that the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War is generally considered to be from 1965-1973 (though some U.S. soldiers died before and after those dates). And of course the attempted communist takeover of Indonesia led to the deaths of around 500,000 people. This was one of the single bloodiest events of the Cold War.

During the second phase of the Cold War, the Soviet Union gained equality to the U.S. in terms of nuclear weapons and arguably gained superiority in conventional weapons. Growing fears of U.S. weakness helped lead to the rise of Ronald Reagan to power in the U.S. in 1980.

During the second phase of the Cold War the European theatre was largely quiet except for the Soviet led invasion of Czechoslovakia to crush the so called “Prague Spring” (communism nicer than the Soviet version). Up to 500,000 Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops carried out the invasion and up to 3,000 Czechoslovakians were “disappeared” (killed) in the aftermath.

The most intense action in the second phase of the Cold War took place in the Asian theatre where the Vietnam War was raging, the North Koreans became more belligerent (killing around 200 Americans and seizing an American spy ship), and of course the events in Indonesia.

Ironically, despite the intense fighting in Asia, the Chinese and the Soviet Union had a series of major disagreements that led to border fighting. Thereafter, the Chinese sought better relations with the U.S.

The Middle Eastern theatre became much more important in the Cold War as two major wars were fought during this time period between Israel and its neighbors in 1967 and 1973.

Finally, the Third World theatre became a much more active part of the Cold War with communists overthrowing U.S. allies in Nicaragua (central America) and communist Cuban troops being airlifted to Africa to fight for the communists in three nations there.



Communist Political Leaders during the second phase

Leonid Brezhnev - leader of the Soviet Union. Made the Soviet Union very strong militarily but his policies led to major economic problems.


Mao Zedong- leader of Communist China- one of the three most

Monstrous, murderous dictators in world history, but during this phase tried to improve relations with the U.S.


Fidel Castro- leader of Communist Cuba as of 2014, still alive

Daniel Ortega leader of Communist Nicaragua, still alive

Kim Il-Sung- leader of Communist North Korea


Communist Military Leaders during the second phase

Marshal Rodion Malinovsky -urged the massive buildup in Soviet conventional military strength


General Ivan Pavlovsky led the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia



Admiral Sergey Gorshkov- commander of the Soviet Navy- later built a very large, expensive, but somewhat ineffective Soviet Navy.


Marshal Lin Biao- Chinese communist army commander, key to communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, later organized Chinese intervention in the Korean War and supported communists in the Vietnam War. Died in plane crash after attempting to overthrow Mao Zedong


General Vo Giap- North Vietnamese communist general who was key to the communist running France (and later the United States) out of Vietnam .


United States and Allied Political Leaders during the second phase


President Lyndon Johnson- U.S. president during the first half of the Vietnam War.


President Richard Nixon -U.S. president during the second half of the Vietnam War. Later tried to improve relations with the Chinese & Soviet Union. This was called “détente” (French for a lessening of tensions)



President Jimmy Carter -U.S. president considered one of the weakest ever.


Chancellor Willie Brandt - West German leader


President Suharto Indonesian president for 32 years (until 1998)

Helped prevent communist takeover of the nation


U.S. and Allied Military Leaders During the second phase


General William Westmoreland- commander of U.S. forces during the first half of the Vietnam War.


General Creighton Abrams commander of U.S. forces during the second half of the Vietnam War. Later had a great battle tank named after him.


Admiral Hyman Rickover same as in the first phase.


Second Phase Timeline

· 1965- Communist attempt to takeover Indonesia results in the deaths of at least 500,000 people

· 1965: April -- U.S. Marines sent to Dominican Republic to fight Communism

· 1965-1973- U.S. fights in the Vietnam War

· 1967- Six Day War-Israel armed with U.S. weapons crushes E Egypt, Syrian & Jordan who use Soviet weapons

· 1968: January -- North Korea seizes U.S. spy ship U.S.S. Pueblo, kill two members of the crew, hold the rest for 11 months, never give ship back.

· 1968: August -- Soviet troops crush Czechoslovakian revolt-kill 3.000

· 1968 Chinese & Soviet troops clash along the border. More than 100 killed. Soviets threaten to hit China with nuclear weapons and ask the U.S. if they want a piece of the action.U.S declines the offer and warn the Soviets against it.

· 1968 Soviet submarine K-129 sinks a few hundred miles Hawaii. Some have reported that the submarine was attempting to destroy Pearl Harbor with a nuclear missile in an attempt to frame the Chinese and cause the U.S. to crush the Chinese. The missile malfunctions and sinks the submarine. Other theories are that the K-129 sank after collision with a U.S. submarine

1968-May 22 U.S. attack submarine U.S.S. Scorpion sinks in the Atlantic Ocean. All 99 sailors aboard are killed.

Possibly due to Soviet military action.

· 1969: July 20- America becomes the first (and only) nation to put men on the moon- Apollo 11-

· 1970: April -- President Nixon expands bombing to Cambodia

· 1972 President Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to visit Communist China. From this point, China and the U.S. become friendlier for most of the next 20 years.

· 1973: Jan. U.S. begins withdrawing from the Vietnam War after a brief cease fire agreement. U.S. loses 59,000 soldiers. Other nations lose about 4,000,000 or so.

· 1973: October -- Egypt and Syria attack Israel; Egypt requests Soviet aid, U.S. goes on alert as a warning to the Soviets

· 1975: April North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam after U.S. breaks its promise to help South Vietnamese

· 1977- Soviets airlift thousands of Cubans to Africa to fight for communist governments there.

· 1978- North Koreans call off planned invasion of South Korea after warnings by the U.S. & their failure to secure

Chinese support

· 1979- Dec. Soviets invade Afghanistan with 100,000 troops


Third Phase 1980-1989


The third and last phase of the Cold War was the shortest and least violent of the three phases though it had moments of serious peril as the confrontation between the U.S. and Soviet Union escalated again. In particular, Soviet weaknesses made them more inclined to use military force to preserve their crumbling empire.

The Soviet Union was challenged in many ways during the 1980s. Ronald Reagan was elected president of the U.S. and implemented a series of policies designed to challenge the Soviet Union both militarily and economically. The U.S. provided more support to rebels in Afghanistan fighting Soviet troops and to rebel groups in Nicaragua fighting the communist government there.

The main theatre of the Cold War was again Europe with the deployment of 464 ground launched cruise missiles and 108 Pershing II ballistic missiles in various NATO countries. All carried nuclear warheads capable of striking the Soviet Union. Massive protests broke out in many NATO countries over the missiles except for those deployed in Italy. The missile sites there were based in Sicily and it was rumored that the local mafia ordered people not to protest. The missile deployment occurred in 1983. This year was one of the most critical years of the Cold War as several key events happened that year (see timeline).

The U.S. and its allies also began a series of large scale naval maneuvers designed to show the Soviets how vulnerable they were to strikes from the sea. In 1981, 1983, & 1985 massive naval exercises took place near the Soviet Union and involved the firing of live weapons. In 1980 the Communist government of Poland was challenged by the Solidarity labor union which began at the Gdansk shipyards. The communist government of Poland later declared martial law in order to prevent a Soviet led invasion (similar to what they had done in 1968 in Czechoslovakia). The Soviet Union was troubled by aging and ill leaders during the 1980s with Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko dying in 1982, 1984 & 1985 respectively.

The Asian theatre was relatively quiet during the third phase of the Cold War as the friendship between the U.S. & China continued.

The problems in Poland were a harbinger of things to come in eastern Europe for the Soviet Union. Polish resistance to communist control eventually spread to Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and finally to East Germany. When it became clear that the Soviet Union was no longer going to use military force to keep communists in power in eastern Europe, the Germans stormed the Berlin Wall and tore it apart. Subsequently, the communist governments of Romania and Bulgaria were overthrown as well with the former communist dictator of Romania and his wife being executed on Christmas Day, 1989.


Communist Political Leaders During the Third Phase

Brezhnev, Andropov, & Chernenko

Soviet leaders who all cashed in (died) in a three

year span

Mikhail Gorbachev- Soviet leader from 1985 until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Still alive as of this morning.

Fidel Castro- l leader of communist Cuba- still kicking (barely)

Daniel Ortega- leader of communist Nicaragua-still vertical

Kim Il-Sung - leader of communist North Korea- no longer

Breathing


Communist Military Leaders During the Third Phase


Admiral Vladimir Chernavin

Commander of the Soviet Northern Fleet until 1985, then replaced Gorshkov as commander of the Soviet Navy.


Marshal Viktor Kulikov

Commander of the Warsaw Pact from 1977-1989.


Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov

head of the Office of Strategic Deception, later championed The Revolution in Military Affairs.


General Anatoly Karnukov

Responsible in part for the shooting down of KAL 007











U.S. and Allied Political Leaders During the Third Phase


Ronald Reagan- President of the United States from 1981-1989 more than any other American credited with winning the Cold War


Margaret Thatcher- Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, closest ally of President Reagan.


Francios Mitterand- President of France, ally of President Reagan


Helmut Kohl Chancellor of West Germany, close ally of President Reagan, took advantage of opportunity to reunite

East & West Germany


Pope John Paul II- leader of the Catholic Church, from Poland, a major opponent of communism. Soviet Union had him shot in 1981 (he survived).



Lech Walesa - leader of Polish Solidarity labor union movement years later became the leader of Poland.


U.S. & Allied Military Leaders during the third phase

General Bernard Rogers- NATO commander from 1979-1987


General Duann Starry- U.S. general who came up with the concept chance of defeating the Soviets in a war in western called “AirLand Battle” that gave NATO a real chance of winning a war in Europe

General Daniel O. Graham

Major supporter of missile defense concepts that led to President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.



Admiral James “Ace” Lyons

U.S. Navy admiral who planned and led massive naval exercises near the Soviet Union in the early to mid 1980s



General James Abrahamson

Early leader of the U.S. missile defense program.


Jonas Savimbi Angolan rebel leader who led very successful resistance to

Angolan communist government during the 1980s-90s



Third Phase Timeline

· 1980 Solidarity labor movement challenges communist authority in Poland

· 1981- Ronald Reagan becomes president

· 1981- U.S.S. Eisenhower leads a fleet of 83 American and allied NATO warships dangerously close to the Soviet Union undetected

· 1982 Soviet leader Brezhnev dies, replaced by Andropov

· 1983 -- President Reagan proposes Strategic Defense Initiative (a missile system that could shoot down incoming nuclear warheads).

· 1983 Oct. U.S. troops overthrow Communist regime in Grenada

· 1983- Soviet Union shoots down Korean Airlines flight 007 killing all 269 aboard including a U.S. congressman

· 1983- Nov. - Able Archer Crisis- Soviets mistake NATO nuclear weapons exercise for the real thing-last time the two sides come close to nuclear war.

· Dierks Outlaws finished the season 4-6. My worst year as

A football player.

· 1983- U.S. & its NATO allies began basing 572 nuclear missiles in Western Europe capable of reaching targets in the Soviet Union.

· 1984-May 13 Massive explosion at the Soviet Northern Fleet missile storage site in Serveromorsk destroys 980 missiles and kills 200 people

· 1984 Andropov dies- replaced by Chernenko

· 1985 Chernenko dies- replaced by Gorbachev

· 1987: Oct. Reagan and Gorbachev agree to remove all medium and short-range nuclear missiles by signing treaty

· 1988: Feb. U.S.S. Caron & Yorktown are rammed in the Black Sea by Soviet ships. Very little damage.

1989: Jan. Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan after losing at least 15,000 soldiers (possibly more than

50,000)

1989- June Massive pipeline leak and explosion in U.S.S.R (force of 10

Kilotons) destroys two trains and kills more than 900 people- possibly due to U.S. economic sabotage.

· 1989: June China puts down protests for democracy, killing thousands of pro democracy protesters Poland becomes independent, followed by Hungary

· 1989: Nov. Berlin Wall falls

· 1989: Dec. Communist governments fall in Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Rumania; Soviet empire ends, several thousand people killed in Romania and Czechoslovakia by communist security forces.


Cold War Study Guide Text Sources

1. The Great Big Book of Horrible Things: The Definitive Chronicle of History's 100 Worst Atrocities byMatthew White

2. The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression by Jean-Louis Panné (Author), Andrzej Paczkowski

3. Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage Sherry Sontag (Author), Christopher Drew (Author)

4. Red Star Rogue

Kenneth Sewell (Author)

5. Ronald Reagan and His Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

by Paul Lettow (Author)

6. The Price of Vigilance: Attacks on American Surveillance Flights

Larry Tart (Author), Robert Keefe(Author)

7. The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire

by Brian Crozier (Author)

8. Fall from Glory: The Men Who Sank the U.S. Navy

by Gregory L. Vistica

9. Soviet Military Power 1982-1992 editions

by U.S. Government Printing Office


10. Inside the Soviet Army

by Viktor Suvorov


11. The Real War

by Richard M. Nixon (Author)


12. Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended Paperback

by Jack Matlock (Author)


13. Cold War at Sea: An Illustrated History

by Kit Bonner (Author)


14. Whence the Threat to Peace

by Military Publishing (Author)


15. The United States and the End of the Cold War: Implications, Reconsiderations, Provocations

by John Lewis Gaddis (Author)


16. The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy

by David Hoffman (Author)


17. The Silent War: The Cold War Battle Beneath the Sea

by John Pina Craven (Author)


18. Cold War: An Illustrated History, 1945-1989

by Jeremy Isaacs


19. Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Cold War

by John Swift (Author)

He stopped beating his wife.

Um...he produces carbon dioxide for plants to absorb.

Wrong move.

Science Fiction Hopes


I would like to see Babylon-5, Space: Above & Beyond, and the original Battlestar:Galactica reborn.


1) Babylon-5 could focus on a continuation of the Crusade storyline with a different ship than the Excalibur (perhaps an advanced Earthforce ship) with 100 episodes or more.

I would like to see in this series the explanation for how the Drakh Plague was eliminated on Earth and why the Excalibur crew had to go on the run and their fates. I would also like to see the details of the Telepath War revealed. In particular, I would like to see more interaction with the Earth Force fleet and more of Earth in the 22nd century.


2) Space: Above & Beyond could focus on another squadron besides the 58th(Wildcards) as the Chig War resumes with more background on the Chigs and redesigned Hammerhead fighters.

The Chig War ends with a negotiated settlement of sorts. More of the Chigs relationship to prehistoric Earth is revealed as is the conspiracy between some elements of Earths govt. and various hostiles including the Silicates.


3) Battlestar: Galactica should be remade beginning a year before the destruction of the colonies, lasting at least 10 seasons culminating with the defeat of the Cylons and the return to the colonies.


I would like to see the remade Battlestar: Galactica end with the Cylons defeated (but not destroyed entirely) and the Colonials return to 10 of the original colonies and have good relations with Earth and its colonies. We flashforward 30 years into the future. Adama has died. Apollo is leader of New Caprica (and married to Sheba) while Tigh is president of the Quorum of the Twelve, Starbuck is married to Cassiopeia, serves as the Colonial Fleet commander and one of the greatest military heroes of all time. Athena commands a battlestar of her own.


4) I would like to see a live action Battletech series told from the standpoint of a FedCom(Federated Commonwealth) mercenary unit beginning in 3045. Commander of the unit is a devoted Davionist even though he was born and raised on Skye.

Series begins with hostilities between the Federated Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine flaring up occasionally with the mercenary unit that is the focus of the series helping to seize a Combine planet(s) near the end of the first season. Hanse Davion makes an appearance. Ultimately the series moves into the Clan Invasion and eventually the unit is sent to Tutyavid to assist Comstar in the battle there along with other Inner Sphere units including the Davion Assault Guards, the 10th Lyran Guards, the 2nd Sword of Light, Northwind Highlanders, and Cochrane‘s Goliaths (a personal rival) . Series ultimately ends with the Clan threat halted for the foreseeable future (not from the Battle for Tutyavid but from something resembling the later Great Refusal). The Free Rasulhague Republic and Terran Hegemony are reestablished (kind of) with 25 and 15 planets respectively. Star League II Era begins as the series ends. Series features flashbacks to each of the Succession Wars and even to the Star League Era.


5) I would like to see a live action Battletech movie set on Solaris VII during the Third Succession War (2980 or so) focusing on a Solaris fighter forming a new mercenary unit (prequel to the above series). Series also features a “guy in a bar” that is 120 years old who remembers the beginning of the Third Succession War and who had a grandfather who fought in the First Succession War.


6a) I would like to see Blake’s 7 completely remastered with new models, effects, and even computer generated sets. Perhaps even a complete revamping and updating of the series though with the same solid writing.


6b) I would like to see Red Dwarf revived with many new episodes.


7) I would like to see a live action TV series or a movie (or two) focusing on the Berserkers or the Bolo combat units (Berserkers would probably be easier). Berserker movie should include the Battle of Stone Place and other triumphs by Johann Karlsen.


7b) I would like to see the movies “Killdozer” and “Megaforce” remade. Killdozer featuring a modern bulldozer and at least two more modern earthmovers.

“Megaforce” eliminates some of the campy elements of the original, adds drone air support for the force and has them oppose a more modern force like Leopard II tanks.


8) I would like to see a new animated Transformers TV series following my suggested storylines and returning to the “blocky” look of the 1980s Transformers.


9) I would like to see a live action Transformers movie made to my standards and backstory. Focusing on a basic group of Autobots (Optimus Prime, Jazz, Prowl, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Mirage, Ratchet, Inferno, Huffer, Grapple, & Jetfire) opposing a basic group of Decepticons (Megatron, Soundwave, Rumble, Ravage , Laserbeak, Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Ramjet, & Thrust) .

I would love to see a scene where Optimus Prime, Huffer, Grapple, and Inferno in vehicle form burst through a police roadblock that included Megatron, Sound wave, Rumble, & Ravage


10) I would like to see a movie or TV series based on the Starrigger books (series preferably). Combines futuristic vehicles and an interstellar freeway (beginning on Pluto).

11) I would like to see Terra Nova revived and lasting at least 4 seasons with answers to many questions raised in the original.

Series ultimately ends with a number of Terra Nova colonies established and 22nd century Earth shown to be slowly recovering thanks to resources from the past. The conspiracy that led to the invasion of Terra Nova is exposed and defeated. Several episodes take place in the 22nd century primarily including one that takes place largely on an interplanetary spacecraft like the Pegasus from Voyage to the Planets.


12) I would like to see the science fiction novels Warbirds, Hawksbill Station, and The Princes of Earth made into good movies. And a sequel to The Princes of Earth focusing on Adam Warrington, his wife, and best friend (Gilly) several decades later after Adam has been formally selected as a new Prince of Earth.


13) I would like to see Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: The Original Series remastered in a way similar to the Battlestar: Galactica fan edits.


13a) I would like to see Peter David’s ST:TNG novel “Vendetta” made into a Star Trek movie (with the Enterprise-D) with the Delcara story portion cut back dramatically and the Ferengi Borg spokesman eliminated entirely. Perhaps replacing the Excelsior class Chekov with a a Nebula class starship and Repulse assisted by at least four other starships at the end (Renaissance, New Orleans, Apollo, Cheyenne )


13b) I would like to see all the Star Trek movies remastered, reedited, improved special effects, and extra scenes added that eliminated the worst of the plot holes. Much like the fan made (or in the making) Star Trek: The Final Frontier Special Edition.


14) I would like to see the Honor Harrington series made into a regular television series or a series of movies keeping as close to the novels as possible.


15) I would like to see a Christian space opera television series or series of movies hit the air and become big successes. A Christian space opera television series that lasted a minimum of four seasons and maintained its advocacy of Christian values would be really great.

In particular, I would like to see the Lamb Among the Stars books made into a series of very high quality and commercially successful movies. Very heavy focus on the Dominion Invasion of the Assembly.


Finally,

16) I would like to see my two proposed Star Trek series, Star Trek: The New Voyages (ST:TNV) based aboard the Excelsior class Enterprise-B commanded by Captain Jason D. Culver…and Star Trek: The Final Frontier (ST:TFF) beginning about 2420 aboard the largest, most powerful Enterprise in history commanded by Captain Carson Tower to both be made and run at least 8-10 seasons each. (200-260 episodes) with at least three movies then based upon each. And both series stripped of the liberal leanings and political correctness that has infected modern Trek series.


16a) I would like to see a Star Trek series that begins during the theoretical fourth season of the original series lasting 8-10 seasons (200-260 episodes). set aboard one of the other Constitution class sister ships of the Enterprise such as the U.S.S. Pegasus, Solaris, Savannah, or Falcon. Featuring similar sets, sound effects, special effects (though updated) and general overall look of the original though beginning with the third season, “upgraded” to look more like the movie era of the Original Series. With careful editing, I would like Captain Kirk and the Enterprise to make a few appearances in the first two seasons of this series (OS 4th & 5th years) , and in movie configuration in seasons 6 and onward. The Enterprise makes as many as 12-14 appearances original and refit.

The new series ship remains an original Constitution class design until after the fourth season when it is “upgraded” to “Movie Era” standards.

Series includes at least one flashback to the Pike era Enterprise (Pike & crew of that era recreated partially through CGI) and a whiplash effect back through time story as well as a mission through the Galactic Barrier.


In publications

I would like to see 10 more issues of The Best of Trek Series books .

I would like to see a remake of ST:TNG Technical Manual and see it made to STS9 Technical Manuals standards. Likewise, I would like to see new Technical Manuals for the Original (including animated) Series, Voyager, and Enterprise made all to the STS9 Manual Standard.

I would like to see Sourcebooks for the Borg Conflict and the Dominion Invasion as well as one covering a three decade long Earth-Romulan War. All heavily illustrated.

I would like to see a Battlestar: Galactica Technical Manual featuring the Galactica and at least six other ships from the fleet and a Battlestar: Galactica: A Brief History of the Thousand Yahren (Year) War.

I would like to see a Battletech Coffee Table oversized book that looked in great detail at 150 light battlemechs, 200 medium battlemechs, 100 heavy battlemechs, and 50 assault battlemechs and a “Peacetech” Technical Readout that looked at 200 civilian ‘mechs and dozens of other futuristic civilian vehicles.


I would like to see at least a dozen more adventures of Captain Pike in novel form and the Star Trek: The Early Voyages comic restarted (it ended at issue #17) with at least 58 more issues covering at least 40 stories regarding Captain Pike’s Enterprise.

I would like to see a sequel to the Star Trek novel “Vendetta” without Delcara or Guinan but with a new, more powerful Doomsday Machine and several more Federation starships engaged.

I would like to publish at least four science fiction novels of my own. Including my idea for an agriculture based anthology series “Up On the Farm” and my proposed novel combining football & time travel “A Strong Second Half”. And perhaps revisit my “Pax Americana” science fiction novel idea (23rd century America still dominating).

I would like to write a group of Christian space opera novels (possibly a trilogy) that focuses on a starship named “Centurion” some centuries from now when religion has become nearly extinct on Earth but the Centurion crew ends up protecting a distant colony world of Christians.

I would like to see at least 20 more short stories and perhaps a novel taking place in Steven Utley’s SilurianTales universe.

You said only positive things.

Dayton Kitchens has never committed a war crime.

My list:

1:

ok, sometimes he says something in MC that's not completely loathsome.

And as you know google users can't click on the links they search for.

Agreed. Dayton is not Hitler.

Dayton has only produced one offspring.

For better or worse, he posts under his own name. That makes him a braver person than anyone else on here.

Dayton likes M&Ms.

Braver...or stupider?

I'm very fond of his absence.





I kid.

There's at least one of his half dozen jobs that he wasn't sacked from.

Career longevity. What everyone should aspire to.

Save that is it entirely possible to be brave and foolhardy at the same time.

According to Dayton, he is much more likeable and well regarded in real life.

He should invite us all round for coffee. Then at least I will be able to come on here and sing his praises after sampling his wife's muffins

i wouldn't sample that muffin if you paid me

A lot of us know each other's names and it didn't change how we post.

I thought I was at Lonaf for a second

Um... Dayton... let's see...


Hmm...



No, nevermind. That's not good.



He knows how to discipline people?

He's not a registered sex offender.

That we know of.

He only chokes people when given an order.

He never called me a dual.. actually he and I have never posted to each other








OMG... I am Dayton's dual