Clear and Present History

On this day, May 27, 1919, a U.S. Navy Curtiss flying boat (the NC-4) commanded by Albert Cushing Read, along with 5 crew members, landed in Lisbon, Portugal, completing the first-ever transatlantic flight.

The monumental 19-day journey required multiple island and coastal stops rather than a non-stop flight. Taking off from Long Island, New York, the crew made layovers in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland before facing their most grueling leg: a 1,380-mile ocean crossing to the Azores.

With a cruising speed of about 75 to 85 mph (120 to 137 km/h), that massive over-ocean leg took an actual flight time of 26 hours and 46 minutes. The aircraft's speed fluctuated heavily, and the crew was even forced to shut down one of its four Liberty L-12 engines due to an oil leak mid-flight. After landing in the Azores, bad weather grounded them there for nearly 11 days before they could finally complete the final leg to mainland Europe.

This historic accomplishment was somewhat eclipsed in the minds of the public by the first nonstop transatlantic flight, made by RAF pilots John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown just over two weeks later.

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1 day ago | [YT] | 4

Clear and Present History

Balloons were highly effective in World War I as critical, stationary intelligence platforms, primarily used for artillery spotting and reconnaissance, often spotting enemy positions up to 10–11 miles away. While dangerous to operate due to being primary targets for enemy pilots, they enabled crucial, near-instant communication for targeting trenches, railways, and supply dumps.

In total, there were 35 American balloon companies in France during World War I; they ascended 5,866 times, adding up to 6,832 hours in the air. Their balloons were attacked 89 times; 35 burned, 12 were shot down by enemy fire and one floated into enemy lines. Of all 116 parachute jumps from balloons, the parachutes – made of silk – never failed to open, though one observer lost his life when pieces of a burning balloon fell on his descending parachute. The reconnaissance of these balloon observers was invaluable, sighting thousands of instances of enemy planes, infantry and artillery fire.

As we see a massive push for cheaper, high-endurance munitions and drones, are balloons due for a comeback?

Modern "high-altitude balloons" (HABs) are significantly harder to detect on radar than metal aircraft, can stay aloft for weeks rather than hours, and cost a fraction of a satellite or a Reaper drone. In recent years, we’ve seen advanced stealth jets like the F-22 Raptor ($350M+ aircraft) scrambled to intercept high-altitude targets. The cost of just one hour of flight time for these jets can exceed $68,000, and the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile used to "pop" the balloon costs roughly $450,000.

Is the balloon the ultimate low-tech counter to high-tech warfare? What do you think?

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 15

Clear and Present History

March 10, 1776.

After the eleven-month siege (April 1775 – March 1776) General Washington ordered the American cannons to stop firing as British troops began the task of loading their transport ships.

The standoff ended with a deal: British General William Howe sent word that if the Americans held their fire during the evacuation, the British would not burn Boston to the ground on their way out.

Washington agreed. On March 17, the British fleet finally sailed away, leaving Boston in American hands.

But General Howe would soon return. Learn about the British return to crush the colonial rebellion at the largest battle of the war, the Battle of Long Island here. https://youtu.be/a4T-sywgeis

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 23

Clear and Present History

The aftermath of Tiananmen Square, taken and smuggled out of the country by Hong Kong photographer Kan Tai Wong.

On the night of June 3–4, 1989, Chinese troops and tanks advanced toward Tiananmen Square, violently suppressing student-led pro-democracy demonstrations. The first photo shows a littered street with abandoned bicycles and bodies, illustrating the chaotic and violent atmosphere following the crackdown.

The Chinese government declared martial law in late May 1989 to control the intensifying demonstrations calling for political and economic reforms. The death toll from the crackdown is estimated to be in the hundreds or thousands, though precise numbers remain disputed and suppressed by the Chinese government.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 54

Clear and Present History

Our documentary on the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 — Operation Just Cause — has officially surpassed 1 million views!

Thank you to everyone who watched, shared, and helped bring this important chapter of history to a wider audience.

Watch the full documentary here and see why this pivotal moment at the end of the Cold War still matters today. https://youtu.be/SDRU52Q5sxM

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 22

Clear and Present History

In 1776, George Washington’s army faced total annihilation at the Battle of Long Island. With the American Revolution on the brink of collapse, fewer than 400 soldiers from the 1st Maryland Regiment launched a suicidal counter-attack to save the cause.

They charged repeatedly into a wall of British fire, buying the time thousands of Washington’s men needed to escape. Of the "Maryland 400," only twelve will make it back to camp at Brooklyn.

Fact: George Washington never forgot their sacrifice. He referred to the 1st Maryland Regiment as his "Old Line"—giving Maryland its official state nickname.

Our latest video covers this "Spartan" sacrifice and the harrowing retreat that saved the United States.

Watch the full story here: https://youtu.be/a4T-sywgeis

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 32

Clear and Present History

Which U.S. leader faced the most impossible situation?

4 months ago | [YT] | 12

Clear and Present History

See how U.S. Special Operations rescued Kurt Muse during the Panama invasion: https://youtu.be/SDRU52Q5sxM?si=BK-q5...

Several Americans have just been detained by Venezuelan security forces as tensions between the U.S. and the Maduro regime reach a breaking point.

This high-stakes standoff feels eerily familiar. In 1989, the U.S. faced a similar crisis in Panama with the detention of Kurt Muse, leading to one of the most daring hostage rescues in special ops history.

Are we seeing a modern-day parallel to the 1989 invasion?

4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 21