smiley69
Posts: 151
Joined: 10/12/2006 From: Washington State Status: offline
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The New York Times, 17 July 1946 President Franklin Roosevelt spoke in a national broadcast this morning proclaiming: “Yesterday, the American ambassador in Washington handed the Confederate government the final note stating unless we heard from them by 9 o'clock in the evening confirming the Confederacy was prepared at once to cease all offensive operations against the United States, a state of war would exist between our two nations for the second time in less than 100 years. I regret to inform you all, that as of now, 10 o'clock in the morning on 18 July, no such undertaking from the Confederate government has been received, and it is with firm resolve the government of the United States has declared a state of war with the Confederate States of America…” Excerpt from The Saint Louis Times, July 17th, 1946 "...War officially began at 5 o'clock this morning with Confederate infantry and armored units advancing from their borders north across the Ohio and Mississippi rivers near the towns of Eureka, IN, Bay City, IL and Caruthersville, MO. At Cape Girardeau three bombs exploded near the East Side docks but no significant damage was reported. The regular Confederate army began an offensive in the apparent direction of Cape Girardeau attacking at three separate points in the southeastern corner of Missouri. Enemy bridging units were reported attempting to breech the Mississippi river defenses west of Tiptonville, Tennessee. Border incursions have been reported all along the US/Confederate border, but the main offensive appears to be developing along the border from Blytheville, Arkansas east to Portsmouth, Ohio..." Developments, Sector 7 (Missouri Salient) 17 July 1946: At approximately 0920 hours, anti-tank and engineering units from the 18th Infantry Regiment, along with heavy artillery support from fixed guns located at Fort Maine, and 155mm guns from the 211 FA, repelled a battalion-strength attack from CSA motorized infantry attacking westward from Tiptonville across the Mississippi river. Intelligence reports enemy forces in the Tiptonville area are near division strength with armor and self-propelled artillery support. The lack of coordinated combined arms leads local commanders to believe this attack was merely a probe. To the south, CSA forces attacked the 40th Border Infantry Battalion positioned in Caruthersville with a combination of motorized and armored infantry, capturing the city. 40th Border retreated to the north after suffering heavy losses. The 18th Infantry Regiment reports a sizeable attack consisting of motorcycle and motorized infantry with armor support resulted in the encirclement of the 79th Infantry Battalion. A counterattack was organized within 3 hours of encirclement which result in moderate CSA losses, however the 79th was unable to capitalize on this attack due to substantial direct fire from enemy assault and anti-tank guns. Intelligence predicts the CSA advance to continue on a battalion and regiment level in a general pattern identified by thin red arrows on the map. Larger arrows to the rear identify staging areas and division-level movement. Friendly forces are ordered to abandon the salient, move north and assemble along a defensive line from Campbell east along MO highway 7 to New Madrid.
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< Message edited by smiley69 -- 9/29/2015 4:06:31 AM >
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"When the situation is obscure, attack!" Heinz Guderian
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