By 1944, the bombing of German troops, towns and strategic locations had been going on for almost a year but the Allies had yet to launch a full ground invasion of Northern Europe. After much discussion and a number of different proposals, the Allied Powers decided on a coordinated attack beginning on the beaches of Normandy, France. What was to become known as the D-Day invasion was one of the most violent, dramatic and victorious moments for the soldiers and commanders of World War II. 
False information was sent to the Germans suggesting that the invasion would take place further along the coast at Calais, about 150 miles from the actual site. To increase the believability of the deception, American commanders had rubber tanks and planes manufactured and placed them on the English coast at Dover right across the channel from Calais. The dummy squadrons’ also convinced German leaders that the invasion force was much bigger and better equipped that it was. 
The Allies landed at five beaches: Omaha, Utah (American troops), Gold, Juno and Sword (British and Canadian troops). Planes dropped bombs, amphibious tanks rolled out of the water and parachuted soldiers charged the beaches. Despite the element of surprise and the coordinated attack, there were problems. The American beaches suffered the worst. Of the 10,000 plus that died that day, 6,000 were American. Bogged down by German defenses and troubled by miscommunications, many lives were quickly lost. Against all hope, the men fought forward capturing the beaches and wrestling command of France back from the Germans. 
D-Day started on June 6, but the Allies continued to land troops and supplies along the Normandy coast until June 11. By that time, over 300,000 men, 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 tons of support and supplies had landed on the beaches. During the entire invasion 425,000 men were lost on all sides, making D-Day one of the wars most bittersweet successes.
With the economy and banking industry in its current condition, it is a good time to look at the history of the credit card. Credit card debt has become a ubiquitous part of American life but the credit card as we know it is a recent development. In fact, credit cards didn’t get their start in the United States until just before World War I. Department stores started issuing metal plates resembling dog-tags to their best customers. By the mid-1920s gas stations began offering credit cards which could be used at their locations around the country. This was an important step because the automobile became common and the mobile lifestyle of the average American has led to the popularity of the credit card.
World War II brought the rationing of gasoline and tires so traveling and automobile use were severely cut back. In 1950, Francis McNamara operated a loan company in New York City. He met a man who would loan out department store cards to friends for a fee and then borrow money from McNamara’s loan company to pay off the balances. He made money on the difference between his interest rate and what he charged his friends for their use. Of course someone failed to pay what they owed and McNamara was saddled with the losses. McNamara was having lunch with his lawyers discussing what to do about the loss when he had the notion of a credit card that could be used at different merchant locations. He decided to start with restaurants in New York City and the Diner’s Club was born.
The initial card was made of cardboard and was issued to an individual with their name on one side and the list of 28 New York restaurants that would accept the card printed on the back. The fee for belonging to Diner’s Club was five dollars per year. He and his attorney successfully enlisted restaurants and more members so Diner’s Club became the first national credit card that wasn’t just for oil and gas. But in 1951, New York’s Franklin National Bank offered a credit card that was accepted by a wide variety of merchants and this made other banks realize what a profitable venture it could be. Bank of America launched the BankAmericard which became the Visa credit card known around the world.
| American Express began offering credit cards in 1958 and by the 1960s banks all over the U.S. would mail cards out to anyone that had an address regardless of their credit rating. This led to the explosive use of credit cards in American society and the inevitable bankruptcies and fraud we know all too well. Many laws have been passed to protect the consumer but nothing can protect people from their own bad choices. |
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An Illustrated History of Women in World War II: Sixty-five years ago, in a time of oil shortages, rising food prices and war, American women found the strength and skill to meet tremendous challenges. Their resourceful and energetic response to crisis, pictorially portrayed for the first time in the book When Our Mothers Went to War: An Illustrated History of Women in World War II, is an inspiring example for the nation today.
Superheroes are a common part of the world’s popular culture from comic books and movies to television shows and all forms of merchandise. There are conventions devoted to the phenomenon and the genre of superheroes shows no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future. However, a look at the history of superheroes shows that they have been a big part of our culture and consciousness for decades. They have been recreated time and again as society and events shaped the world around us. For example, during World War II heroes such as Captain America, Superman and Captain Marvel were routinely featured triumphing over the evil Axis powers and were an affordable way to keep the spirit of patriotism going even during difficult times.
During the 1950s superhero comics almost ceased to exist due to social backlash after medical doctor and psychiatrist Dr. Frederick Wertham wrote the book ‘Seduction of the Innocent’ in which he blamed comic books for juvenile delinquency and sexual perversion. The book sponsored a senatorial investigation and led to comic books regulating themselves and creating a code that they had to follow to be published. 
The 1960s led to the rebirth of the superhero genre and many of the most popular characters came out of this decade including the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the X-men, and the Justice League of America. The Civil Rights movement had an impact on comics with the creation of African-American heroes such as Blade, the Black Panther, Luke Cage, and the Falcon to name a few.
From the 1980s until the present time, superheroes have gotten darker and grittier with a more real world feel to them. Batman: The Dark Knight, the Watchmen, Daredevil, and Wolverine are examples of this trend. Superhero movies have become extremely popular with characters such as Spider-Man, the X-men, Iron Man, Hulk, Batman, etc. leading the box office charge. Television shows such as Heroes and Smallville demonstrate the mass appeal and influence of the superhero genre on our society.
