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May 12, 2014
On a stormy night, Carolyn starts out with some discussion about her latest experiences with Metapedia and, separately, Alexa website rankings, then settles down to a detailed overview of what took place in the German Reich during the month of May 1945. Included:
- Differences over how the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reichs are designated;
- May 1st, new Reichspraesident Karl Doenitz gives his first nationwide radio address, vowing to continue the war "to save Germany from the advancing Bolshevik enemy";
- Donitz' government moved to Flensburg in far Northern Germany because it was still under German control;
- May 7th, Eisenhower threatened to close the front for retreating soldiers and civilians if a general unconditional surrender was not signed immediately;
- May 12th, last battle of the war (Battle of Slivice) by FM Schoerner's troops trying to get to the American line to surrender;
- May 23rd, the entire Flensburg Gov't is arrested (about 300 officers and civilians in all) and designated as prisoners of war;
- June 5th, the four Allied powers are given supreme authority over Germany at state, municipal and local levels;
- Nashi (Ours!) is Putin's anti-fascist youth movement formed in 2005 to demonstrate against what he saw as the growing power of "Nazism" in Russia;
- It is funded by the Russian state budget to the tune of 200 million rubles a year and contributions from pro-government business owners;
- The new political party "Smart Russia" is associated with Nashi, whose interest is to foster a more modern, competitive Russia.
Image: Well-known photo of the arrest of the Flensburg Goverment on May 23, 1945. Walking in front is Reichspraesident Karl Doenitz, followed by Col General Alfred Jodl (left) and Economics Minister Albert Speer (right). Click to enlarge.