Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Jun 24, 2017
Agama Gajah Mada dan Majapahit yang Sebenarnya Akhirnya Diungkap
Kompas.com - Mahapatih Gajah Mada dan Majapahit menjadi perbincangan hangat di media sosial belakangan berkat tulisan Arif Barata di situs portal-islam.id.
Jun 17, 2016
Mima Saina, orang Indonesia jadi pahlawan di Israel
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| Mima Saina (Kiri) dan Tole Madna (Kanan) |
Merdeka.com - Mungkin tak banyak orang tahu dan sejarah Indonesia pun belum pernah mencatat. Namun bagi Israel, sekecil apapun sumbangsih bangsa lain kepada warganya menjadi sebuah penghargaan tertinggi. Di Yadvashem dua nama nama orang Indonesia tercatat sebagai pahlawan. Mereka adalah orang-orang telah mempertaruhkan nyawanya untuk warga yahudi dari kekejaman Nazi.
Apr 26, 2016
Jokowi Perintahkan Luhut Cari Kuburan Massal Korban 1965
Kompas.com - Presiden Joko Widodo memerintahkan Menteri Koordinator Politik Hukum dan Keamanan Luhut Binsar Panjaitan untuk mencari lokasi kuburan massal korban peristiwa 1965.
Mar 18, 2016
Misteri Supertasmar, Surat Perintah dari Soekarno untuk Koreksi Supersemar
Kompas.com - Polemik Surat Perintah 11 Maret 1966 selama ini lebih tertuju pada peristiwa yang terjadi di Istana Bogor.
Berburu Naskah Asli Supersemar...
Kompas.com - Misteri keberadaan Surat Perintah 11 Maret (Supersemar) masih belum terpecahkan. Lima puluh tahun berlalu, 11 Maret 2016, sejak Presiden Soekarno mengeluarkannya pada 11 Maret 1966.
Jun 18, 2015
Kisah lucu Soekarno batal marah gara-gara diajak nonton tari perut
Merdeka.com - Berbicara tentang Proklamator Soekarno memang tidak ada habisnya. Mulai tentang pidato-pidatonya yang menggugah, cerita Soekarno dengan wanita-wanita di sekelilingnya, hingga cerita lucu tentang sang proklamator.
Pernah, suatu ketika saat berkunjung ke Mesir, Soekarno diajak oleh pemimpin Mesir kala itu, Gamal Abdul Nasser untuk menonton tari perut pada suatu malam saat dia baru saja tiba di Cairo, ibukota Mesir.
Ceritanya, saat baru tiba di Bandara Cairo, Soekarno dan rombongan langsung menuju ke penginapan. Karena tidak ada acara di malam pertama, Soekarno langsung masuk ke kamar penginapan dan bergegas untuk istirahat.
Saat Soekarno istirahat, ajudan pribadi Soekarno, Letnan Kolonel Sabur tiba-tiba datang mengetok pintu. Soekarno pun memarahi ajudannya itu.
"Heh, Bur ada apa kau datang malam-malam begini? Aku kan sudah bilang mau istirahat," kata Soekarno lantang saat membuka pintu.
Cuma mengenakan piyama, kemarahan Soekarno mereda saat melihat utusan Presiden Nasser bersama dengan Subur. Nasser pun mengatakan kepada Soekarno kalau dirinya diminta untuk menjemput Soekarno untuk melakukan inspeksi.
Soekarno heran. Tengah malam apalagi saat dia baru saja tiba di Cairo dirinya diminta untuk menghadiri inspeksi. Saat Soekarno masih terbengong-bengong, Marsekal Abdul Hakim Amir melanjutkan pembicaraannya.
"Presiden kami mengundang sahabat beliau, Presiden Soekarno, untuk menginspeksi penari-penari perut di Kairo ini," ujar Amir. Mendengar ucapan tersebut, Soekarno pun beranjak dan langsung semangat.
"Kenapa tidak dari tadi. Sampaikan kepada Nasser, Soekarno dari Indonesia akan siap dalam sepuluh menit," kata Soekarno mantap.
Menurut salah satu putra Soekarno, Guntur Soekarnoputra, acara nonton tari perut Soekarno dan Nasser tersebut merupakan agenda tidak resmi saat berkunjung ke Mesir. Hal tersebut dia sampaikan dalam bukunya yang berjudul Bung Karno, Bapakku, Kawanku dan Guruku.
Pernah, suatu ketika saat berkunjung ke Mesir, Soekarno diajak oleh pemimpin Mesir kala itu, Gamal Abdul Nasser untuk menonton tari perut pada suatu malam saat dia baru saja tiba di Cairo, ibukota Mesir.
Ceritanya, saat baru tiba di Bandara Cairo, Soekarno dan rombongan langsung menuju ke penginapan. Karena tidak ada acara di malam pertama, Soekarno langsung masuk ke kamar penginapan dan bergegas untuk istirahat.
Saat Soekarno istirahat, ajudan pribadi Soekarno, Letnan Kolonel Sabur tiba-tiba datang mengetok pintu. Soekarno pun memarahi ajudannya itu.
"Heh, Bur ada apa kau datang malam-malam begini? Aku kan sudah bilang mau istirahat," kata Soekarno lantang saat membuka pintu.
Cuma mengenakan piyama, kemarahan Soekarno mereda saat melihat utusan Presiden Nasser bersama dengan Subur. Nasser pun mengatakan kepada Soekarno kalau dirinya diminta untuk menjemput Soekarno untuk melakukan inspeksi.
Soekarno heran. Tengah malam apalagi saat dia baru saja tiba di Cairo dirinya diminta untuk menghadiri inspeksi. Saat Soekarno masih terbengong-bengong, Marsekal Abdul Hakim Amir melanjutkan pembicaraannya.
"Presiden kami mengundang sahabat beliau, Presiden Soekarno, untuk menginspeksi penari-penari perut di Kairo ini," ujar Amir. Mendengar ucapan tersebut, Soekarno pun beranjak dan langsung semangat.
"Kenapa tidak dari tadi. Sampaikan kepada Nasser, Soekarno dari Indonesia akan siap dalam sepuluh menit," kata Soekarno mantap.
Menurut salah satu putra Soekarno, Guntur Soekarnoputra, acara nonton tari perut Soekarno dan Nasser tersebut merupakan agenda tidak resmi saat berkunjung ke Mesir. Hal tersebut dia sampaikan dalam bukunya yang berjudul Bung Karno, Bapakku, Kawanku dan Guruku.
Jun 17, 2015
Ini rahasia Soekarno selalu bisa menaklukkan wanita cantik
Mantan Ajudan Soekarno, Bambang Widjanarko menceritakan Soekarno memang jagoan soal wanita. Kharisma Soekarno ditambah intelektualitas yang tinggi, membuat wanita-wanita bertekuk lutut.
"BK (Bung Karno) benar-benar dapat disebut jagoan. Terhadap setiap wanita yang sedang dihadapinya, dia selalu dapat mencurahkan perhatiannya kepada wanita itu. Sehingga wanita tersebut merasa bahwa dia satu-satunya wanita yang paling dicintai atau dihargai BK," tulis Bambang Widjanarko dalam buku 'Sewindu Dekat Bung Karno' yang diterbitkan Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia.
Selain itu, Soekarno juga selalu bersikap gallant atau sopan dan hangat pada setiap wanita. Tak peduli wanita itu tua atau muda. Soekarno tak segan-segan mengambilkan minum sendiri untuk tamu wanitanya.
Soekarno juga selalu membantu memegang tangan wanita, jika wanita itu keluar mobil. Dia juga mengumbar pujian pada wanita. Hal ini yang selalu membuat para wanita tersanjung.
Pujian seperti "Alangkah serasinya kain kebaya yang anda pakai," atau "Nyonya kelihatan lebih muda dengan tatanan rambut baru itu," sering terdengar dari mulut Soekarno.
Maka dalam berbagai kunjungan di Eropa dan Amerika, Soekarno sering sekali mendapat pujian dari para wanita. Mulai dari politikus wanita, hingga artis sekelas Marilyn Monroe.
"Your President is real gentleman," ujar Bambang menirukan pujian para wanita itu.
Namun Bambang mencatat, akibat lagak seperti Arjuna itu pula Soekarno sering mendapat masalah dengan wanita. Tentunya tidak mudah mempunyai empat istri sekaligus dan semuanya minta menjadi nomor satu.
"Itulah BK sang arjuna yang dalam hidupnya terus terlibat persoalan wanita dan secara berani menerapkan politik 'vivere pericolozo' (living dangerously) dalam soal asmara," kenang Bambang Widjanarko.
Saat berusia 14 tahun, Soekarno sudah berani cium gadis Belanda
Bukan perkara sulit bagi Soekarno muda untuk mendekati gadis Belanda. Otaknya pintar, wajahnya pun tampan. Tak heran, gadis-gadis Belanda mau saja didekati walau Soekarno pribumi. Apalagi sejak anak-anak, jiwa kepemimpinan Soekarno sudah terlihat. Dia selalu menjadi pemimpin teman-temannya.
Kakak kandung Soekarno, Wardoyo, menceritakan kelakuan adiknya dalam buku 'Bung Karno Masa Muda'. Buku ini diterbitkan Pustaka Yayasan Antar Kota Jakarta tahun 1978.
"Menurut pengakuannya sendiri, gadis Belanda yang pertama kali dipacarinya adalah Rika Meelhuysen. Gadis itu pulalah yang pertama kali dicium oleh Soekarno. Ketika itu umur Soekarno baru 14 tahun," tutur Wardoyo.
Awalnya memang Soekarno mendekati Rika karena ingin dianggap memiliki kelas yang sama dengan pemuda Belanda. Namun Soekarno ternyata lupa dengan niatnya itu. Namanya cinta monyet, Soekarno benar-benar tergila-gila pada Rika.
Dia rela membawakan buku-buku milik noni Belanda itu. Dia juga rela memutar jalan hanya untuk bisa melewati rumah Rika dan berharap melihat sekilas gadis pujaannya.
Walau begitu, Soekarno tak mau cinta monyetnya diketahui sang ayah, Raden Sukemi Sosrodiharjo. Soekarno tahu ayahnya benci orang Belanda. Apa yang akan dilakukan ayahnya jika melihat Soekarno menjalin kasih dengan noni Belanda. Soekarno takut akan dihajar dengan rotan.
Nah suatu sore, Soekarno sedang asyik berboncengan dengan Rika Meelhuysen. Di persimpangan dia tak sengaja menabrak seorang pengendara sepeda lain. Ternyata Soekarno menabrak Raden Sukemi, ayahnya sendiri! Bukan main takutnya Soekarno.
Tapi ketika itu ayahnya tidak marah. Ketika tiba di rumah, ayahnya malah berkata dengan lembut.
"Nak, kau jangan kuatir aku akan marah karena kau bergaul dengan gadis Belanda itu. Hal itu baik sekali. Itulah jalan terbaik agar Bahasa Belanda mu menjadi lebih baik lagi," ujar ayah Soekarno.
Soekarno lega bukan kepalang. Dia pun makin bersemangat mendekati gadis-gadis Belanda.
Sebut saja, Paulina Gobee, Laura, lalu dengan putri keluarga Raat. Ada lagi Mien Hessels. Mien inilah yang benar-benar membakar hati Soekarno yang berusia 18 tahun.
"Rasanya dia bersedia untuk mati untuk Mien. Tidak ada yang diharapkan selain percintaan dengan penuh berani pada Mien," kenang Wardoyo menggambarkan polah adiknya yang kasmaran.
Soekarno yang saat itu berusia 18 tahun bahkan nekat menemui Pak Hessels untuk melamar Mien. Apa jawaban keluarga Hessels?
"Kamu? Inlander kotor seperti kamu berani-beraninya mendekati anakku? Enyah kau binatang kotor!" bentak orang tua Hessels dengan geram.
Soekarno merasa terhina, malu, marah. Inilah salah satu hal yang akan terus diingat Soekarno. Memacu dirinya untuk membawa rakyat Indonesia agar bisa dipandang sejajar dengan bangsa manapun di dunia.
Waktu juga yang membuat Soekarno melupakan cintanya pada Mien Hessels. 23 Tahun kemudian, di tahun 1942. Soekarno sedang berjalan-jalan di Jakarta. Tiba-tiba dia ditegur oleh seorang wanita Belanda yang gemuk, tua dan jelek.
Wanita itu tertawa terkekeh-kekeh. "Dapatkah kau menebak siapa aku?" tanyanya pada Soekarno. Soekarno memperhatikan wanita itu dengan teliti. Berusaha mengingat-ingat. Tapi dia tidak tahu.
Wanita itu masih terkekeh. "Aku Mien Hessels," katanya. Soekarno terkejut luar biasa.
"HUhhhhh! Mien Hessels! Ratuku yang cantik seperti bidadari itu sudah berubah menjadi wanita sihir. Dengan cepat aku memberi salam padanya dan terus berjalan sambil mengucap syukur dan memuji Tuhan Yang Maha Penyayang karena telah melindungiku. Caci-maki yang telah dilontarkan ayahnya dulu sesungguhnya adalah rahmat yang terselubung bagiku. Kalau dipikir-pikir, dulu aku telah tertambat pada perempuan ini. Aku berterima kasih atas perlindungan Tuhan," ujar Soekarno dengan penuh rasa syukur.
Oct 12, 2014
Aug 26, 2014
Cerita di Balik Foto Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia yang Terkenal Ini
Kompas.com - Suatu pagi di bulan puasa, 17 Agustus 1945. Frans Sumarto Mendur mendengar kabar dari sumber di harian Asia Raya bahwa ada peristiwa penting di kediaman Soekarno. Alexius Impurung Mendur, abangnya yang menjabat kepala bagian fotografi kantor berita Jepang Domei, mendengar kabar serupa. Kedua Mendur bersaudara ini lantas membawa kamera mereka dan mengambil rute terpisah menuju kediaman Soekarno.
Kendati Jepang telah mengaku kalah pada sekutu beberapa hari sebelumnya, kabar tersebut belum diketahui luas di Indonesia. Radio masih disegel Jepang dan bendera Hinomaru masih berkibar di mana-mana. Patroli tentara Jepang masih berkeliaran dan bersenjata lengkap.
Dengan mengendap-endap, Mendur bersaudara berhasil merapat ke rumah di Jalan Pegangsaan Timur Nomor 56, Cikini, Jakarta, tatkala jam masih menunjukkan pukul 05.00 pagi.
Pukul 08.00, Soekarno masih tidur di kediamannya lantaran gejala malaria. Soekarno juga masih lelah sepulang begadang merumuskan naskah proklamasi di rumah Laksamana Maeda, Jalan Imam Bonjol Nomor 1. Dibangunkan dokternya untuk minum obat, Soekarno lantas tidur lagi dan bangun pukul 09.00.
Di Jakarta, pukul 10.00 pada hari Jumat pagi itu Soekarno dan Mohammad Hatta memproklamasikan kemerdekaan Indonesia. Upacara proklamasi kemerdekaan berlangsung sederhana, tanpa protokol. Hanya Mendur bersaudara yang hadir sebagai fotografer pengabadi peristiwa bersejarah Indonesia.
Frans berhasil mengabadikan tiga foto, dari tiga frame film yang tersisa. Foto pertama, Soekarno membaca teks proklamasi. Foto kedua, pengibaran bendera Merah Putih oleh Latief Hendraningrat, anggota PETA (Pembela Tanah Air). Foto ketiga, suasana upacara dan para pemuda yang menyaksikan pengibaran bendera.
Kendati Jepang telah mengaku kalah pada sekutu beberapa hari sebelumnya, kabar tersebut belum diketahui luas di Indonesia. Radio masih disegel Jepang dan bendera Hinomaru masih berkibar di mana-mana. Patroli tentara Jepang masih berkeliaran dan bersenjata lengkap.
Dengan mengendap-endap, Mendur bersaudara berhasil merapat ke rumah di Jalan Pegangsaan Timur Nomor 56, Cikini, Jakarta, tatkala jam masih menunjukkan pukul 05.00 pagi.
Pukul 08.00, Soekarno masih tidur di kediamannya lantaran gejala malaria. Soekarno juga masih lelah sepulang begadang merumuskan naskah proklamasi di rumah Laksamana Maeda, Jalan Imam Bonjol Nomor 1. Dibangunkan dokternya untuk minum obat, Soekarno lantas tidur lagi dan bangun pukul 09.00.
Di Jakarta, pukul 10.00 pada hari Jumat pagi itu Soekarno dan Mohammad Hatta memproklamasikan kemerdekaan Indonesia. Upacara proklamasi kemerdekaan berlangsung sederhana, tanpa protokol. Hanya Mendur bersaudara yang hadir sebagai fotografer pengabadi peristiwa bersejarah Indonesia.
Frans berhasil mengabadikan tiga foto, dari tiga frame film yang tersisa. Foto pertama, Soekarno membaca teks proklamasi. Foto kedua, pengibaran bendera Merah Putih oleh Latief Hendraningrat, anggota PETA (Pembela Tanah Air). Foto ketiga, suasana upacara dan para pemuda yang menyaksikan pengibaran bendera.
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| Foto karya Frans Mendur yang mengabadikan detik-detik proklamasi Indonesia di Jalan Pegangsaan Timur Nomor 56, Cikini, Jakarta, 17 Agustus 1945. Kiri, pengibaran bendera Merah Putih oleh Latief Hendraningrat, anggota PETA (Pembela Tanah Air). Kanan, suasana upacara dan para pemuda yang menyaksikan pengibaran bendera. |
Diburu tentara Jepang
Usai upacara, Mendur bersaudara bergegas meninggalkan kediaman Soekarno. Tentara Jepang memburu mereka. Alex Mendur tertangkap, tentara Jepang menyita foto-foto yang baru saja dibuat dan memusnahkannya.
Adiknya, Frans Mendur, berhasil meloloskan diri. Negatif foto dikubur di tanah dekat sebuah pohon di halaman belakang kantor harian Asia Raya. Tentara Jepang mendatanginya, tapi Frans mengaku negatif foto sudah diambil Barisan Pelopor.
Meski negatif foto selamat, perjuangan mencuci dan mencetak foto itu pun tak mudah. Mendur bersaudara harus diam-diam menyelinap di malam hari, memanjat pohon dan melompati pagar di samping kantor Domei, yang sekarang kantor Antara.
Negatif foto lolos dan dicetak di sebuah lab foto. Risiko bagi Mendur bersaudara jika tertangkap tentara Jepang adalah penjara, bahkan hukuman mati. Tanpa foto karya Frans Mendur, maka proklamasi Indonesia tak akan terdokumentasikan dalam bentuk foto.
Proklamasi kemerdekaan Indonesia hanya diberitakan singkat di harian Asia Raya, 18 Agustus 1945. Tanpa foto karena telah disensor Jepang.
Setelah proklamasi kemerdekaan, pada bulan September 1945, fotografer-fotografer muda Indonesia bekas fotografer Domei di Jakarta dan Surabaya mendirikan biro foto di kantor berita Antara.
Tanggal 1 Oktober 1945, BM Diah dan wartawan-wartawan eks harian Asia Raya merebut percetakan De Unie dan mendirikan Harian Merdeka. Alex Mendur pun pindah ke Harian Merdeka. Foto bersejarah proklamasi kemerdekaan Indonesia karya Frans Mendur tersebut baru bisa dipublikasikan pertama kali pada 20 Februari 1946 di halaman muka Harian Merdeka.
Setahun setelah kepindahan ke Harian Merdeka, kakak-beradik Frans dan Alex Mendur menggagas pendirian Indonesia Press Photo Service, disingkat IPPHOS. Turut mendirikan biro foto pertama Indonesia tersebut, kakak-beradik Justus dan Frank “Nyong” Umbas, Alex Mamusung, dan Oscar Ganda. IPPHOS berkantor di Jalan Hayam Wuruk Nomor 30, Jakarta, sejak berdiri 2 Oktober 1946 hingga 30 tahun kemudian.
IPHHOS
Koleksi foto IPPHOS pada kurun waktu 1945-1949 konon berjumlah 22.700 bingkai foto. Namun, hanya 1 persen yang terpublikasikan. Foto-foto IPPHOS tak hanya dokumentasi pejabat-pejabat negara, tetapi juga rekaman otentik kehidupan masyarakat pada masa itu.
Keluarga Mendur adalah putra daerah Kawangkoan, Minahasa, Sulawesi Utara. Alex Mendur lahir pada 1907, sementara adiknya Frans Mendur lahir tahun 1913. Frans belajar fotografi kepada Alex yang sudah lebih dahulu menjadi wartawan Java Bode, koran berbahasa Belanda di Jakarta. Frans lantas mengikuti jejak abangnya menjadi wartawan pada tahun 1935.
Foto monumental lain karya Alex Mendur adalah foto pidato Bung Tomo yang berapi-api di Mojokerto tahun 1945, tetapi sering dianggap terjadi di hotel Oranje, Surabaya. Foto monumental lain karya Frans Mendur adalah foto Soeharto yang menjemput Panglima Besar Jendral Soedirman pulang dari perang gerilya di Jogja, 10 Juli 1949.
Kala itu nama Mendur bersaudara sudah terkenal di mana-mana. Keberadaan mereka diperhitungkan media-media asing. Namun, Mendur bersaudara dan IPPHOS tetap idealis untuk loyal kepada Indonesia. Padahal, secara etnis Minahasa, sebenarnya Mendur bersaudara bisa saja dengan mudah merapat ke Belanda. IPPHOS tetap independen, di kala kesempatan bagi Mendur bersaudara terbuka luas untuk meraup lebih banyak uang dengan bekerja untuk media asing.
Meninggal dalam sepi
Semasa hidupnya, Frans Mendur pernah menjadi penjual rokok di Surabaya. Di RS Sumber Waras Jakarta pada tanggal 24 April 1971, fotografer pengabadi proklamasi kemerdekaan RI ini meninggal dalam sepi.
Alex Mendur tutup usia pada tahun 1984 juga dalam keadaan serupa. Hingga tutup usia, kakak-beradik Frans dan Alex Mendur tercatat belum pernah menerima penghargaan atas sumbangsih mereka pada negara ini. Konon, mereka berdua pun ditolak untuk dimakamkan di Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata.
Baru pada 9 November 2009 Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono menganugerahi kedua fotografer bersejarah Indonesia ini, Alexius Impurung Mendur dan Frans Soemarto Mendur, penghargaan Bintang Jasa Utama.
Usai upacara, Mendur bersaudara bergegas meninggalkan kediaman Soekarno. Tentara Jepang memburu mereka. Alex Mendur tertangkap, tentara Jepang menyita foto-foto yang baru saja dibuat dan memusnahkannya.
Adiknya, Frans Mendur, berhasil meloloskan diri. Negatif foto dikubur di tanah dekat sebuah pohon di halaman belakang kantor harian Asia Raya. Tentara Jepang mendatanginya, tapi Frans mengaku negatif foto sudah diambil Barisan Pelopor.
Meski negatif foto selamat, perjuangan mencuci dan mencetak foto itu pun tak mudah. Mendur bersaudara harus diam-diam menyelinap di malam hari, memanjat pohon dan melompati pagar di samping kantor Domei, yang sekarang kantor Antara.
Negatif foto lolos dan dicetak di sebuah lab foto. Risiko bagi Mendur bersaudara jika tertangkap tentara Jepang adalah penjara, bahkan hukuman mati. Tanpa foto karya Frans Mendur, maka proklamasi Indonesia tak akan terdokumentasikan dalam bentuk foto.
Proklamasi kemerdekaan Indonesia hanya diberitakan singkat di harian Asia Raya, 18 Agustus 1945. Tanpa foto karena telah disensor Jepang.
Setelah proklamasi kemerdekaan, pada bulan September 1945, fotografer-fotografer muda Indonesia bekas fotografer Domei di Jakarta dan Surabaya mendirikan biro foto di kantor berita Antara.
Tanggal 1 Oktober 1945, BM Diah dan wartawan-wartawan eks harian Asia Raya merebut percetakan De Unie dan mendirikan Harian Merdeka. Alex Mendur pun pindah ke Harian Merdeka. Foto bersejarah proklamasi kemerdekaan Indonesia karya Frans Mendur tersebut baru bisa dipublikasikan pertama kali pada 20 Februari 1946 di halaman muka Harian Merdeka.
Setahun setelah kepindahan ke Harian Merdeka, kakak-beradik Frans dan Alex Mendur menggagas pendirian Indonesia Press Photo Service, disingkat IPPHOS. Turut mendirikan biro foto pertama Indonesia tersebut, kakak-beradik Justus dan Frank “Nyong” Umbas, Alex Mamusung, dan Oscar Ganda. IPPHOS berkantor di Jalan Hayam Wuruk Nomor 30, Jakarta, sejak berdiri 2 Oktober 1946 hingga 30 tahun kemudian.
IPHHOS
Koleksi foto IPPHOS pada kurun waktu 1945-1949 konon berjumlah 22.700 bingkai foto. Namun, hanya 1 persen yang terpublikasikan. Foto-foto IPPHOS tak hanya dokumentasi pejabat-pejabat negara, tetapi juga rekaman otentik kehidupan masyarakat pada masa itu.
Keluarga Mendur adalah putra daerah Kawangkoan, Minahasa, Sulawesi Utara. Alex Mendur lahir pada 1907, sementara adiknya Frans Mendur lahir tahun 1913. Frans belajar fotografi kepada Alex yang sudah lebih dahulu menjadi wartawan Java Bode, koran berbahasa Belanda di Jakarta. Frans lantas mengikuti jejak abangnya menjadi wartawan pada tahun 1935.
Foto monumental lain karya Alex Mendur adalah foto pidato Bung Tomo yang berapi-api di Mojokerto tahun 1945, tetapi sering dianggap terjadi di hotel Oranje, Surabaya. Foto monumental lain karya Frans Mendur adalah foto Soeharto yang menjemput Panglima Besar Jendral Soedirman pulang dari perang gerilya di Jogja, 10 Juli 1949.
Kala itu nama Mendur bersaudara sudah terkenal di mana-mana. Keberadaan mereka diperhitungkan media-media asing. Namun, Mendur bersaudara dan IPPHOS tetap idealis untuk loyal kepada Indonesia. Padahal, secara etnis Minahasa, sebenarnya Mendur bersaudara bisa saja dengan mudah merapat ke Belanda. IPPHOS tetap independen, di kala kesempatan bagi Mendur bersaudara terbuka luas untuk meraup lebih banyak uang dengan bekerja untuk media asing.
Meninggal dalam sepi
Semasa hidupnya, Frans Mendur pernah menjadi penjual rokok di Surabaya. Di RS Sumber Waras Jakarta pada tanggal 24 April 1971, fotografer pengabadi proklamasi kemerdekaan RI ini meninggal dalam sepi.
Alex Mendur tutup usia pada tahun 1984 juga dalam keadaan serupa. Hingga tutup usia, kakak-beradik Frans dan Alex Mendur tercatat belum pernah menerima penghargaan atas sumbangsih mereka pada negara ini. Konon, mereka berdua pun ditolak untuk dimakamkan di Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata.
Baru pada 9 November 2009 Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono menganugerahi kedua fotografer bersejarah Indonesia ini, Alexius Impurung Mendur dan Frans Soemarto Mendur, penghargaan Bintang Jasa Utama.
Tugu Pers Mendur
Untuk mengenang aksi heroik Mendur bersaudara, keluarga besar Mendur mendirikan sebuah monumen yang disebut "Tugu Pers Mendur". Tugu ini berupa patung Alex dan Frans serta bangunan rumah adat Minahasa berbentuk panggung berbahan kayu.
Tugu Pers Mendur didirikan di Kelurahan Talikuran, Kecamatan Kawangkoan Utara, Kabupaten Minahasa, Sulawesi Utara, di tanah kelahiran mereka. Di dalam rumah itu terdapat 113 foto karya Mendur bersaudara.
Presiden Yudhoyono meresmikan tugu ini pada 11 Februari 2013.
Untuk mengenang aksi heroik Mendur bersaudara, keluarga besar Mendur mendirikan sebuah monumen yang disebut "Tugu Pers Mendur". Tugu ini berupa patung Alex dan Frans serta bangunan rumah adat Minahasa berbentuk panggung berbahan kayu.
Tugu Pers Mendur didirikan di Kelurahan Talikuran, Kecamatan Kawangkoan Utara, Kabupaten Minahasa, Sulawesi Utara, di tanah kelahiran mereka. Di dalam rumah itu terdapat 113 foto karya Mendur bersaudara.
Presiden Yudhoyono meresmikan tugu ini pada 11 Februari 2013.
Jan 7, 2014
Here's What All 50 State Names Actually Mean
Businessinsider.com - If you want to understand a state's history, start by looking at its name.
The map shows the breakdown of all the states' etymologies. The most names, eight in both cases, stem from Algonquin and Latin.
But the etymologies of some names have become muddled over the years. Even alternate theories exist for some, and an author even appears to made one up entirely.
Scroll through the list to find your home state's meaning and how the name originated:
Alabama: From the Choctaw word albah amo meaning "thicket-clearers" or "plant-cutters."
Alaska: From the Aleut word alaxsxaq, from Russian Аляска, meaning "the object toward which the action of the sea is directed."
Arizona: From the O'odham (a Uto-Aztecan language) word ali sona-g via Spanish Arizonac meaning "good oaks."
Arkansas: From a French pronunciation of an Algonquin name for the Quapaw people: akansa. This word, meaning either "downriver people" or “people of the south wind," comes from the Algonquin prefix -a plus the Siouan word kká:ze for a group of tribes including the Quapaw.
California: In his popular novel "Las sergas de Esplandián" published in 1510, writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo named an imaginary realm California. Spanish explorers of the New World could have mistaken Baja California as the mythical place. Where Montalvo learned the name and its meaning remain a mystery.
Colorado: Named for the Rio Colorado (Colorado River), which in Spanish means "ruddy" or "reddish."
Connecticut: Named for the Connecticut River, which stems from Eastern Algonquian, possibly Mohican, quinnitukqut, meaning "at the long tidal river."
Delaware: Named for the Delaware Bay, named after Baron De la Warr (Thomas West, 1577 – 1618), the first English governor of Virginia. His surname ultimately comes from de la werre, meaning "of the war" in Old French.
Florida: From Spanish Pascua florida meaning "flowering Easter." Spanish explorers discovered the area on Palm Sunday in 1513. The state name also relates to the English word florid, an adjective meaning "strikingly beautiful," from Latin floridus.
Georgia: Named for King George II of Great Britain. His name originates with Latin Georgius, from Greek Georgos, meaning farmer, from ge (earth) + ergon (work).
Hawaii: From Hawaiian Hawai'i, from Proto-Polynesian hawaiki, thought to mean "place of the Gods." Originally named the Sandwich Islands by James Cook in the late 1700s.
Idaho: Originally applied to the territory now part of eastern Colorado, from the Kiowa-Apache (Athabaskan) word idaahe, meaning "enemy," a name given by the Comanches.
Illinois: From the French spelling ilinwe of the Algonquian's name for themselves Inoca, also written Ilinouek, from Old Ottawa for "ordinary speaker."
Indiana: From the English word Indian + -ana, a Latin suffix, roughly meaning "land of the Indians." Thinking they had reached the South Indes, explorers mistakenly called native inhabitants of the Americas Indians. And India comes from the same Latin word, from the same Greek word, meaning "region of the Indus River."
Iowa: Named for the natives of the Chiwere branch of the Aiouan family, from Dakota ayuxba, meaning "sleepy ones."
Kansas: Named for the Kansa tribe, natively called kká:ze, meaning "people of the south wind." Despite having the same etymological root as Arkansas, Kansas has a different pronunciation.
Kentucky: Named for the Kentucky River, from Shawnee or Wyandot language, meaning "on the meadow" (also "at the field" in Seneca).
Louisiana: Named after Louis XIV of France. When René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory for France in 1682, he named it La Louisiane, meaning "Land of Louis." Louis stems from Old French Loois, from Medieval Latin Ludovicus, a changed version of Old High Germany Hluodwig, meaning "famous in war."
Maine: Uncertain origins, potentially named for the French province of Maine, named for the river of Gaulish, an extinct Celtic language, origin.
Maryland: Named for Henrietta Maria, wife of English King Charles I. Mary originally comes from Hebrew Miryam, the sister of Moses.
Massachusetts: From Algonquian Massachusett, a name for the native people who lived around the bay, meaning "at the large hill," in reference to Great Blue Hill, southwest of Boston.
Michigan: Named for Lake Michigan, which stems from a French spelling of Old Ojibwa (Algonquian) meshi-gami, meaning "big lake."
Minnesota: Named for the river, from Dakota (Siouan) mnisota, meaning "cloudy water, milky water,"
Mississippi: Named for the river, from French variation of Algonquian Ojibwa meshi-ziibi, meaning "big river."
Missouri: Named for a group of native peoples among Chiwere (Siouan) tribes, from an Algonquian word, likely wimihsoorita, meaning "people of the big (or wood) canoes."
Montana: From the Spanish word montaña, meaning "mountain, which stems from Latin mons, montis. U.S. Rep. James H. Ashley of Ohio proposed the name in 1864.
Nebraska: From a native Siouan name for the Platte River, either Omaha ni braska or Oto ni brathge, both meaning "water flat."
Nevada: Named for the western boundary of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, meaning "snowy mountains" in Spanish.
New Hampshire: Named for the county of Hampshire in England, which was named for city of Southampton. Southampton was known in Old English as Hamtun, meaning "village-town." The surrounding area (or scīr) became known as Hamtunscīr.
New Jersey: Named by one of the state's proprietors, Sir George Carteret, for his home, the Channel island of Jersey, a bastardization of the Latin Caesarea, the Roman name for the island.
New Mexico: From Spanish Nuevo Mexico, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) mexihco, the name of the ancient Aztec capital.
New York: Named in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, the future James II. York comes from Old English Eoforwic, earlier Eborakon, an ancient Celtic name probably meaning "Yew-Tree Estate."
North Carolina: Both Carolinas were named for King Charles II. The proper form of Charles in Latin is Carolus, and the division into north and south originated in 1710. In latin, Carolus is a strong form of the pronoun "he" and translates in many related languages as a "free or strong" man.
North Dakota: Both Dakotas stem from the name of a group of native peoples from the Plains states, from Dakota dakhota, meaning "friendly" (often translated as "allies").
Ohio: Named for the Ohio River, from Seneca (Iroquoian) ohi:yo', meaning "good river."
Oklahoma: From a Choctaw word, meaning "red people," which breaks down as okla "nation, people" + homma "red." Choctaw scholar Allen Wright, later principal chief of the Choctaw Nation, coined the word.
Oregon: Uncertain origins, potentially from Algonquin.
Pennsylvania: Named, not for William Penn, the state's proprietor, but for his late father, Admiral William Penn (1621-1670) after suggestion from Charles II. The name literally means "Penn's Woods," a hybrid formed from the surname Penn and Latin sylvania.
Rhode Island: It is thought that Dutch explorer Adrian Block named modern Block Island (a part of Rhode Island) Roodt Eylandt, meaning "red island" for the cliffs. English settlers later extended the name to the mainland, and the island became Block Island for differentiation. An alternate theory is that Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano gave it the name in 1524 based on an apparent similarity to the island of Rhodes.
South Carolina: See North Carolina.
South Dakota: See North Dakota.
Tennessee: From Cherokee (Iroquoian) village name ta'nasi' of unknown origin.
Texas: From Spanish Tejas, earlier pronounced "ta-shas;" originally an ethnic name, from Caddo (the language of an eastern Texas Indian tribe) taysha meaning "friends, allies."
Utah: From Spanish yuta, name of the indigenous Uto-Aztecan people of the Great Basin; perhaps from Western Apache (Athabaskan) yudah, meaning "high" (in reference to living in the mountains).
Vermont: Based on French words for "Green Mountain," mont vert.
Virginia: A Latinized name for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.
Washington: Named for President George Washington (1732-1799). The surname Washington means "estate of a man named Wassa" in Old English.
West Virginia: See Virginia. West Virginia split from confederate Virginia and officially joined the Union as a seperate state in 1863.
Wisconsin: Uncertain origins but likely from a Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red"; misspelled Mescousing by the French, and later corrupted to Ouisconsin. Quarries in Wisconsin often contain red flint.
Wyoming: From Munsee Delaware (Algonquian) chwewamink, meaning "at the big river flat."
The map shows the breakdown of all the states' etymologies. The most names, eight in both cases, stem from Algonquin and Latin.
But the etymologies of some names have become muddled over the years. Even alternate theories exist for some, and an author even appears to made one up entirely.
Scroll through the list to find your home state's meaning and how the name originated:
Alabama: From the Choctaw word albah amo meaning "thicket-clearers" or "plant-cutters."
Alaska: From the Aleut word alaxsxaq, from Russian Аляска, meaning "the object toward which the action of the sea is directed."
Arizona: From the O'odham (a Uto-Aztecan language) word ali sona-g via Spanish Arizonac meaning "good oaks."
Arkansas: From a French pronunciation of an Algonquin name for the Quapaw people: akansa. This word, meaning either "downriver people" or “people of the south wind," comes from the Algonquin prefix -a plus the Siouan word kká:ze for a group of tribes including the Quapaw.
California: In his popular novel "Las sergas de Esplandián" published in 1510, writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo named an imaginary realm California. Spanish explorers of the New World could have mistaken Baja California as the mythical place. Where Montalvo learned the name and its meaning remain a mystery.
Colorado: Named for the Rio Colorado (Colorado River), which in Spanish means "ruddy" or "reddish."
Connecticut: Named for the Connecticut River, which stems from Eastern Algonquian, possibly Mohican, quinnitukqut, meaning "at the long tidal river."
Delaware: Named for the Delaware Bay, named after Baron De la Warr (Thomas West, 1577 – 1618), the first English governor of Virginia. His surname ultimately comes from de la werre, meaning "of the war" in Old French.
Florida: From Spanish Pascua florida meaning "flowering Easter." Spanish explorers discovered the area on Palm Sunday in 1513. The state name also relates to the English word florid, an adjective meaning "strikingly beautiful," from Latin floridus.
Georgia: Named for King George II of Great Britain. His name originates with Latin Georgius, from Greek Georgos, meaning farmer, from ge (earth) + ergon (work).
Hawaii: From Hawaiian Hawai'i, from Proto-Polynesian hawaiki, thought to mean "place of the Gods." Originally named the Sandwich Islands by James Cook in the late 1700s.
Idaho: Originally applied to the territory now part of eastern Colorado, from the Kiowa-Apache (Athabaskan) word idaahe, meaning "enemy," a name given by the Comanches.
Illinois: From the French spelling ilinwe of the Algonquian's name for themselves Inoca, also written Ilinouek, from Old Ottawa for "ordinary speaker."
Indiana: From the English word Indian + -ana, a Latin suffix, roughly meaning "land of the Indians." Thinking they had reached the South Indes, explorers mistakenly called native inhabitants of the Americas Indians. And India comes from the same Latin word, from the same Greek word, meaning "region of the Indus River."
Iowa: Named for the natives of the Chiwere branch of the Aiouan family, from Dakota ayuxba, meaning "sleepy ones."
Kansas: Named for the Kansa tribe, natively called kká:ze, meaning "people of the south wind." Despite having the same etymological root as Arkansas, Kansas has a different pronunciation.
Kentucky: Named for the Kentucky River, from Shawnee or Wyandot language, meaning "on the meadow" (also "at the field" in Seneca).
Louisiana: Named after Louis XIV of France. When René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory for France in 1682, he named it La Louisiane, meaning "Land of Louis." Louis stems from Old French Loois, from Medieval Latin Ludovicus, a changed version of Old High Germany Hluodwig, meaning "famous in war."
Maine: Uncertain origins, potentially named for the French province of Maine, named for the river of Gaulish, an extinct Celtic language, origin.
Maryland: Named for Henrietta Maria, wife of English King Charles I. Mary originally comes from Hebrew Miryam, the sister of Moses.
Massachusetts: From Algonquian Massachusett, a name for the native people who lived around the bay, meaning "at the large hill," in reference to Great Blue Hill, southwest of Boston.
Michigan: Named for Lake Michigan, which stems from a French spelling of Old Ojibwa (Algonquian) meshi-gami, meaning "big lake."
Minnesota: Named for the river, from Dakota (Siouan) mnisota, meaning "cloudy water, milky water,"
Mississippi: Named for the river, from French variation of Algonquian Ojibwa meshi-ziibi, meaning "big river."
Missouri: Named for a group of native peoples among Chiwere (Siouan) tribes, from an Algonquian word, likely wimihsoorita, meaning "people of the big (or wood) canoes."
Montana: From the Spanish word montaña, meaning "mountain, which stems from Latin mons, montis. U.S. Rep. James H. Ashley of Ohio proposed the name in 1864.
Nebraska: From a native Siouan name for the Platte River, either Omaha ni braska or Oto ni brathge, both meaning "water flat."
Nevada: Named for the western boundary of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, meaning "snowy mountains" in Spanish.
New Hampshire: Named for the county of Hampshire in England, which was named for city of Southampton. Southampton was known in Old English as Hamtun, meaning "village-town." The surrounding area (or scīr) became known as Hamtunscīr.
New Jersey: Named by one of the state's proprietors, Sir George Carteret, for his home, the Channel island of Jersey, a bastardization of the Latin Caesarea, the Roman name for the island.
New Mexico: From Spanish Nuevo Mexico, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) mexihco, the name of the ancient Aztec capital.
New York: Named in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, the future James II. York comes from Old English Eoforwic, earlier Eborakon, an ancient Celtic name probably meaning "Yew-Tree Estate."
North Carolina: Both Carolinas were named for King Charles II. The proper form of Charles in Latin is Carolus, and the division into north and south originated in 1710. In latin, Carolus is a strong form of the pronoun "he" and translates in many related languages as a "free or strong" man.
North Dakota: Both Dakotas stem from the name of a group of native peoples from the Plains states, from Dakota dakhota, meaning "friendly" (often translated as "allies").
Ohio: Named for the Ohio River, from Seneca (Iroquoian) ohi:yo', meaning "good river."
Oklahoma: From a Choctaw word, meaning "red people," which breaks down as okla "nation, people" + homma "red." Choctaw scholar Allen Wright, later principal chief of the Choctaw Nation, coined the word.
Oregon: Uncertain origins, potentially from Algonquin.
Pennsylvania: Named, not for William Penn, the state's proprietor, but for his late father, Admiral William Penn (1621-1670) after suggestion from Charles II. The name literally means "Penn's Woods," a hybrid formed from the surname Penn and Latin sylvania.
Rhode Island: It is thought that Dutch explorer Adrian Block named modern Block Island (a part of Rhode Island) Roodt Eylandt, meaning "red island" for the cliffs. English settlers later extended the name to the mainland, and the island became Block Island for differentiation. An alternate theory is that Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano gave it the name in 1524 based on an apparent similarity to the island of Rhodes.
South Carolina: See North Carolina.
South Dakota: See North Dakota.
Tennessee: From Cherokee (Iroquoian) village name ta'nasi' of unknown origin.
Texas: From Spanish Tejas, earlier pronounced "ta-shas;" originally an ethnic name, from Caddo (the language of an eastern Texas Indian tribe) taysha meaning "friends, allies."
Utah: From Spanish yuta, name of the indigenous Uto-Aztecan people of the Great Basin; perhaps from Western Apache (Athabaskan) yudah, meaning "high" (in reference to living in the mountains).
Vermont: Based on French words for "Green Mountain," mont vert.
Virginia: A Latinized name for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.
Washington: Named for President George Washington (1732-1799). The surname Washington means "estate of a man named Wassa" in Old English.
West Virginia: See Virginia. West Virginia split from confederate Virginia and officially joined the Union as a seperate state in 1863.
Wisconsin: Uncertain origins but likely from a Miami word Meskonsing, meaning "it lies red"; misspelled Mescousing by the French, and later corrupted to Ouisconsin. Quarries in Wisconsin often contain red flint.
Wyoming: From Munsee Delaware (Algonquian) chwewamink, meaning "at the big river flat."
Jan 6, 2014
The Heartwarming Story Of Cher Ami, The Pigeon Who Saved 200 American Soldiers
Buzzfeed.com - Next time you’re scraping hard white stuff off your windshield and cursing “rats with wings”, take a moment to think about the noble history of pigeons that have saved hundreds of American lives in war with their bravery.
The story of Cher Ami, the most famous war hero pigeon ever is guaranteed to make you respect these birds a little more.
It’s late September of 1918 in northern France. The war will end soon on November 11, but one last massive battle, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is raging on. It’s one of the biggest conflicts of World War I, lasting 47 days until the Armistice. Over a million Allied soldiers are involved and over 25,000 Americans will die by the end of this battle.
A group of 500 American soldiers led by Major Charles Whittlesey were trapped in a small depression of a hill, surrounded by Germans. After the first day, only 200 of Whittlesey’s “lost battalion” were left. To make the situation even more FUBAR, their fellow Americans didn’t know their location and had begun firing shells at them.
Whittlesey sent out two messages by homing pigeon asking the Americans for help, but both pigeons were shot down. The friendly fire on them continued. A final pigeon named Cher Ami was released with a with a desperate plea:
The story of Cher Ami, the most famous war hero pigeon ever is guaranteed to make you respect these birds a little more.
It’s late September of 1918 in northern France. The war will end soon on November 11, but one last massive battle, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is raging on. It’s one of the biggest conflicts of World War I, lasting 47 days until the Armistice. Over a million Allied soldiers are involved and over 25,000 Americans will die by the end of this battle.
A group of 500 American soldiers led by Major Charles Whittlesey were trapped in a small depression of a hill, surrounded by Germans. After the first day, only 200 of Whittlesey’s “lost battalion” were left. To make the situation even more FUBAR, their fellow Americans didn’t know their location and had begun firing shells at them.
Whittlesey sent out two messages by homing pigeon asking the Americans for help, but both pigeons were shot down. The friendly fire on them continued. A final pigeon named Cher Ami was released with a with a desperate plea:
 |
| The message Cher Ami carried read: “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it.” |
As soon as Cher Ami flew up out of the brush, the Germans fired on him. It took him 25 minutes to fly through a rain of bullets the 25 miles back to Allied lines. When he arrived at his coop, he bad been shot in his breast and blinded in one eye. One leg was so badly shot it dangled by a tendon. The metal case carrying the life-saving message was still attached to that dangling leg. The Allies stopped firing shells at the Lost Battalion, and they were eventually able to break out of enemy territory to safety.
The surviving 197 men, whose lives had been saved by Cher Ami made sure that their little bird received the best medical care and carved him a tiny wooden leg to replace the one that was blown off. The French army awarded him their Croix de guerre medal for his bravery. Cher Ami became a famous hero, and he was personally seen off by General Pershing on his boat voyage back home to the states.
Cher Ami died less than a year later due to complications from his injuries. He was stuffed and is kept on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
The surviving 197 men, whose lives had been saved by Cher Ami made sure that their little bird received the best medical care and carved him a tiny wooden leg to replace the one that was blown off. The French army awarded him their Croix de guerre medal for his bravery. Cher Ami became a famous hero, and he was personally seen off by General Pershing on his boat voyage back home to the states.
Cher Ami died less than a year later due to complications from his injuries. He was stuffed and is kept on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
Dec 25, 2013
Why is Canada naming its warships after U.S. defeats?
Foreignpolicy.com - Warships from the U.S. Navy will someday be sailing alongside the Royal Canadian Navy supply ships HMCS Queenston and HMCS Chateauguay, perhaps on a NATO exercise or a humanitarian relief mission. That might get awkward if a historically minded American sailor notices that Queenston and Chateauguay are battles where Canada defeated America in the War of 1812. Yo, Canada, what's the deal?
Yes, America's good-natured neighbor to the north is naming its newest naval vessels after battles where Canadians trounced U.S. invaders in the War of 1812. The Battle of Queenston Heights, on Oct. 13, 1812, saw an outnumbered force of 1,300 British regulars, Canadian militiamen, and Mohawk irregulars repel a poorly organized attempt by 3,500 U.S. regulars and militiamen to cross the Niagara River. The Battle of Chateauguay, on Oct. 26, 1813*, was another embarrassing U.S. defeat, when a 1,600-strong British and Canadian force defeated 2,600 Americans who were attempting to capture Montreal.
"The Government of Canada has named the new Joint Support Ships (JSS) to commemorate the War of 1812, in recognition of the achievements and sacrifices made by those early Canadians who fought and died in these significant battles of Queenston Heights and Chateauguay," said Canadian Navy spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Fidler in an email to Foreign Policy. "The War of 1812 was a defining moment that contributed to shaping our identity as Canadians and ultimately our existence as a country. It laid the foundation for Confederation and the cornerstones of our political institutions."
Historians may quibble: Since Canada was a British colony rather than a nation in 1812, then technically the war was fought between Great Britain and the United States, and the glory of these victories belongs to the British. But history is no match for patriotic fervor. "These two key victories helped ensure our independent development in what was then British North America, leading to the eventual achievement of Canadian nationhood and a mutually respectful relationship with the United States of America," Fidler said.
The HMCS Queenston and Chateauguay, which together will cost $2.6 billion Canadian, are scheduled to enter service in 2019. They are designed to replace older Canadian Navy replenishment ships. They are the first vessels to be named after U.S. defeats by Canada, but they may not be the last. "If an additional Joint Support Ships vessel is constructed, the names of other prominent War of 1812 battles will be considered," noted Fidler.
Not surprisingly, the naming of the two ships comes after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government sought last year to heavily commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. However, polls suggest that the festivities did not exactly stoke patriotic fires.
Should Americans feel aggrieved at Canada's actions, their northern friends have a fair riposte: We're only giving you a taste of your own medicine. The United States has never been shy about boasting of its own victories. British sailors must sail alongside current U.S. warships such as the USS Bunker Hill, USS Cowpens, and the USS Lake Champlain (at least the cruiser USS Yorktown has been retired). And the Japanese have to put up with the cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the Germans with the USS Normandy and USS Anzio -- and I'm sure the Vietnamese will look forward to a port visit from the cruiser USS Hue City. Not even domestic enemies are spared; Confederate nostalgists can grit their teeth over the USS Gettysburg and USS Vicksburg.
Britain and France are more or less friends now, but the British stuck it to the French with the now-retired nuclear submarine HMS Trafalgar. The Dutch have their frigate HNLMS Tromp (named after two admirals who beat the British). And the French have their frigate La Fayette, named after the general who helped the Americans beat the British, and of course the carrier Charles de Gaulle, named after a leader who drove the Americans and British crazy.
Perhaps the only nations that can't name their ships after famous victories are the former Axis powers. Germany would find it impolitic to name a ship the Denmark Strait or the Admiral Dönitz. The same goes for Japan. Will we ever see a Japanese warship named the Pearl Harbor?
Yes, America's good-natured neighbor to the north is naming its newest naval vessels after battles where Canadians trounced U.S. invaders in the War of 1812. The Battle of Queenston Heights, on Oct. 13, 1812, saw an outnumbered force of 1,300 British regulars, Canadian militiamen, and Mohawk irregulars repel a poorly organized attempt by 3,500 U.S. regulars and militiamen to cross the Niagara River. The Battle of Chateauguay, on Oct. 26, 1813*, was another embarrassing U.S. defeat, when a 1,600-strong British and Canadian force defeated 2,600 Americans who were attempting to capture Montreal.
"The Government of Canada has named the new Joint Support Ships (JSS) to commemorate the War of 1812, in recognition of the achievements and sacrifices made by those early Canadians who fought and died in these significant battles of Queenston Heights and Chateauguay," said Canadian Navy spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Fidler in an email to Foreign Policy. "The War of 1812 was a defining moment that contributed to shaping our identity as Canadians and ultimately our existence as a country. It laid the foundation for Confederation and the cornerstones of our political institutions."
Historians may quibble: Since Canada was a British colony rather than a nation in 1812, then technically the war was fought between Great Britain and the United States, and the glory of these victories belongs to the British. But history is no match for patriotic fervor. "These two key victories helped ensure our independent development in what was then British North America, leading to the eventual achievement of Canadian nationhood and a mutually respectful relationship with the United States of America," Fidler said.
The HMCS Queenston and Chateauguay, which together will cost $2.6 billion Canadian, are scheduled to enter service in 2019. They are designed to replace older Canadian Navy replenishment ships. They are the first vessels to be named after U.S. defeats by Canada, but they may not be the last. "If an additional Joint Support Ships vessel is constructed, the names of other prominent War of 1812 battles will be considered," noted Fidler.
Not surprisingly, the naming of the two ships comes after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government sought last year to heavily commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. However, polls suggest that the festivities did not exactly stoke patriotic fires.
Should Americans feel aggrieved at Canada's actions, their northern friends have a fair riposte: We're only giving you a taste of your own medicine. The United States has never been shy about boasting of its own victories. British sailors must sail alongside current U.S. warships such as the USS Bunker Hill, USS Cowpens, and the USS Lake Champlain (at least the cruiser USS Yorktown has been retired). And the Japanese have to put up with the cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the Germans with the USS Normandy and USS Anzio -- and I'm sure the Vietnamese will look forward to a port visit from the cruiser USS Hue City. Not even domestic enemies are spared; Confederate nostalgists can grit their teeth over the USS Gettysburg and USS Vicksburg.
Britain and France are more or less friends now, but the British stuck it to the French with the now-retired nuclear submarine HMS Trafalgar. The Dutch have their frigate HNLMS Tromp (named after two admirals who beat the British). And the French have their frigate La Fayette, named after the general who helped the Americans beat the British, and of course the carrier Charles de Gaulle, named after a leader who drove the Americans and British crazy.
Perhaps the only nations that can't name their ships after famous victories are the former Axis powers. Germany would find it impolitic to name a ship the Denmark Strait or the Admiral Dönitz. The same goes for Japan. Will we ever see a Japanese warship named the Pearl Harbor?
Oct 9, 2013
‘The Act of Killing’ Skirts Censors With Online Download
Thejakartaglobe.com - Director Joshua Oppenheimer has made his acclaimed documentary “The Act of Killing,” based on Indonesia’s 1965 anti-communist purge, available as a free download in the hope that the controversial film will reach a wider domestic audience.
The documentary, previously only seen in underground screenings, can now be downloaded from theactofkilling.com. Oppenheimer stated on the home page that the crew came together to make “The Act of Killing” free for all Indonesian people.
“It’s to fight forgetting the cruelty of the 1965 genocide. From today on, ‘ Jagal’ [the Indonesian title of the film] can be downloaded freely,” the director said.
“We would like you to play it, discuss it, and spread it to your friends across the country,” he added.
Oppenheimer said that he and his crew had worked for seven years to make the movie so there would be room for discussion without fear, with the hope that it would help in the country’s fight for truth, reconciliation and justice.
The chilling documentary — about a period of Indonesian history many would prefer to forget — made waves at film festivals worldwide and has spurred interest at home. The film focuses on Anwar Congo and Adi Zulkadry, two Medan-based preman, or gangsters, who re-enact their brutal roles in the mass killings that left up to a million dead nationwide.
The self-described thugs play themselves and their victims, addressing their violent history through the lens of popular American films in the disturbing, and often surreal, documentary.
While Indonesia’s Film Censorship Board has not banned the film, “The Act of Killing” was never officially released in domestic theaters. Download
The documentary, previously only seen in underground screenings, can now be downloaded from theactofkilling.com. Oppenheimer stated on the home page that the crew came together to make “The Act of Killing” free for all Indonesian people.
“It’s to fight forgetting the cruelty of the 1965 genocide. From today on, ‘ Jagal’ [the Indonesian title of the film] can be downloaded freely,” the director said.
“We would like you to play it, discuss it, and spread it to your friends across the country,” he added.
Oppenheimer said that he and his crew had worked for seven years to make the movie so there would be room for discussion without fear, with the hope that it would help in the country’s fight for truth, reconciliation and justice.
The chilling documentary — about a period of Indonesian history many would prefer to forget — made waves at film festivals worldwide and has spurred interest at home. The film focuses on Anwar Congo and Adi Zulkadry, two Medan-based preman, or gangsters, who re-enact their brutal roles in the mass killings that left up to a million dead nationwide.
The self-described thugs play themselves and their victims, addressing their violent history through the lens of popular American films in the disturbing, and often surreal, documentary.
While Indonesia’s Film Censorship Board has not banned the film, “The Act of Killing” was never officially released in domestic theaters. Download
Jun 28, 2013
Biblical history comes alive with new augmented reality app Architip
Foxnews.com - Want to see what Jesus saw? There's an app for that.
A team of entrepreneurs, tech innovators and archaeologists have teamed up to create Architip, an augmented-reality program that brings Israel's ancient sites to life before your eyes -- on your smartphone screen, of course.
"People want to touch the past and feel the story when they visit ancient sites," Yaron Benvenisti, co-creator of the app, told FoxNews.com. Visiting ancient ruins with faded mosaics might spark his imagination, but many people struggle to stay interested when they do not have the actual image or structure in front of them.
Architip bridges the "imagination gap," he said.
Hold your smartphone in front of the Dome of the Rock and watch it transform into the Jewish holy site of the Second Temple, which was destroyed millennia ago. Or watch an old painting transform into the brightly-colored masterpiece it once was.
A team of entrepreneurs, tech innovators and archaeologists have teamed up to create Architip, an augmented-reality program that brings Israel's ancient sites to life before your eyes -- on your smartphone screen, of course.
"People want to touch the past and feel the story when they visit ancient sites," Yaron Benvenisti, co-creator of the app, told FoxNews.com. Visiting ancient ruins with faded mosaics might spark his imagination, but many people struggle to stay interested when they do not have the actual image or structure in front of them.
Architip bridges the "imagination gap," he said.
Hold your smartphone in front of the Dome of the Rock and watch it transform into the Jewish holy site of the Second Temple, which was destroyed millennia ago. Or watch an old painting transform into the brightly-colored masterpiece it once was.
It's one of a wealth of new apps merging computer graphics with the real world.
"Augmented reality combines a live view of the real world, typically through a smartphone camera, with information from the web to put more information at our fingertips," editor-in-chief of LaptopMag.com Mark Spoonauer told FoxNews.com. This type of technology has become extremely popular in recent years Spoonauer explains. "Layar is probably the best-known augmented reality app, which is available for Android devices. It's been downloaded more than 30 million times and lets you play videos just by pointing your phone at a magazine."
Soon after reading about Google Glass, Benvenisti said the idea for Architip dawned on him.
"I was visiting a museum when the idea came to me," the seasoned entrepreneur, who studied archaeology at Tel Aviv University, told FoxNews.com. "The tech bug was always there, but archaeology is my passion. I just connected the dots."
Architip uses the same basic format as other well-known augmented reality programs, but Benvenisti enlisted the help of tech-savvy friend Sagiv Philipp to develop a new technology for their app.
"It has to be exactly at the right place and it has to be stable," Benvenisti explained. "The ability to place it in the right context in the 3D world and make it solid is something we couldn't use the existing technologies to do."
While Architip currently only lends itself to sites across Israel, such as Tel Lachish, an ancient city captured and destroyed by the Israelites in the Book of Joshua -- Benvenisti hopes his program will expand across the globe.
"At the end of the day, we want to take this global," he said. "For this generation growing up with mass media, everything is visual, and with sight being our most important sense, this technology is in the right time."
Although Architip is still in private beta testing, the app promises exciting news for archaeology-buffs and tourists alike.
"There is something that compels us to visit these places," Benvenisti said.
"Augmented reality combines a live view of the real world, typically through a smartphone camera, with information from the web to put more information at our fingertips," editor-in-chief of LaptopMag.com Mark Spoonauer told FoxNews.com. This type of technology has become extremely popular in recent years Spoonauer explains. "Layar is probably the best-known augmented reality app, which is available for Android devices. It's been downloaded more than 30 million times and lets you play videos just by pointing your phone at a magazine."
Soon after reading about Google Glass, Benvenisti said the idea for Architip dawned on him.
"I was visiting a museum when the idea came to me," the seasoned entrepreneur, who studied archaeology at Tel Aviv University, told FoxNews.com. "The tech bug was always there, but archaeology is my passion. I just connected the dots."
Architip uses the same basic format as other well-known augmented reality programs, but Benvenisti enlisted the help of tech-savvy friend Sagiv Philipp to develop a new technology for their app.
"It has to be exactly at the right place and it has to be stable," Benvenisti explained. "The ability to place it in the right context in the 3D world and make it solid is something we couldn't use the existing technologies to do."
While Architip currently only lends itself to sites across Israel, such as Tel Lachish, an ancient city captured and destroyed by the Israelites in the Book of Joshua -- Benvenisti hopes his program will expand across the globe.
"At the end of the day, we want to take this global," he said. "For this generation growing up with mass media, everything is visual, and with sight being our most important sense, this technology is in the right time."
Although Architip is still in private beta testing, the app promises exciting news for archaeology-buffs and tourists alike.
"There is something that compels us to visit these places," Benvenisti said.
Apr 3, 2013
Is history wrong about the Wright Brothers? New evidence suggests German immigrant flew TWO YEARS before pioneers took off at Kitty Hawk
Dailymail.co.uk - A growing number of aviation experts say history is wrong about the Wright Brothers - their 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina was not the first.
This new movement claims the first manned flight of an airplane was made by German immigrant Gustave Whitehead more than two years earlier in Connecticut.
However, the only known photograph of the takeoff of his plane the Condor is too blurry to definitively confirm the flight and the original was lost decades ago - forcing historians to rely on a version that is even less clear.
Most mainstream aeronautical historians, including those at the Smithson Institution, are unswayed by newspaper accounts of Mr Whitehead making several flights before the Wright Brothers.
However, the seminal journal on manned flight, Jane's All the World's Aircraft, recently threw its weight behind Mr Whitehead - asserting that he, and not the Wright Brothers, deserves credit for having the first manned flight of an airplane.
'In the early hours of 14 August 1901, the Condor propelled itself along the darkened streets of Bridgeport, Connecticut, with Whitehead, his staff and an invited guest in attendance,' writes Paul Johnson, the editor of All the World's Aircraft.
'In the still air of dawn, the Condor's wings were unfolded and it took off from open land at Fairfield, 15 miles from the city, and performed two demonstration sorties. The second was estimated as having covered 1½ miles at a height of 50 feet, during which slight turns in both directions were demonstrated.'
Mr Johnson goes on to compare the Wright Brothers' December 17, 1903 first flight as clumsy next to Mr Whitehead's maneuvering.
'This, it must be stressed, was more than two years before the Wrights manhandled their Flyer from its shed and flew a couple of hundred feet in a straight line after lifting off from an adjacent wooden rail hammered into the ground,' the editor writes.
Mr Whitehead was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1874 and had an early love of kites, birds and all things that flew.
He caught birds and performed experiments on them to determine how they flew. He jumped off roofs with homemade wings - attempting to tap into the miracle of flight even at an early age, according to Australian historian John Brown, who is leading the newest academic charge to credit Mr Whitehead with making the first manned flight.
Orphaned at age 13, Mr Whitehead trained in Germany as a machinist. But, he had a mind for the burgeoning field of aeronautical engineering.
He immigrated to the U.S.in 1893 and was later hired by the Aeronautical Club of Boston to build two flying machines.
On the fateful day of his first reported flight an editor with the Bridgeport Herald was on hand to see the event.
This new movement claims the first manned flight of an airplane was made by German immigrant Gustave Whitehead more than two years earlier in Connecticut.
However, the only known photograph of the takeoff of his plane the Condor is too blurry to definitively confirm the flight and the original was lost decades ago - forcing historians to rely on a version that is even less clear.
Most mainstream aeronautical historians, including those at the Smithson Institution, are unswayed by newspaper accounts of Mr Whitehead making several flights before the Wright Brothers.
However, the seminal journal on manned flight, Jane's All the World's Aircraft, recently threw its weight behind Mr Whitehead - asserting that he, and not the Wright Brothers, deserves credit for having the first manned flight of an airplane.
'In the early hours of 14 August 1901, the Condor propelled itself along the darkened streets of Bridgeport, Connecticut, with Whitehead, his staff and an invited guest in attendance,' writes Paul Johnson, the editor of All the World's Aircraft.
'In the still air of dawn, the Condor's wings were unfolded and it took off from open land at Fairfield, 15 miles from the city, and performed two demonstration sorties. The second was estimated as having covered 1½ miles at a height of 50 feet, during which slight turns in both directions were demonstrated.'
Mr Johnson goes on to compare the Wright Brothers' December 17, 1903 first flight as clumsy next to Mr Whitehead's maneuvering.
'This, it must be stressed, was more than two years before the Wrights manhandled their Flyer from its shed and flew a couple of hundred feet in a straight line after lifting off from an adjacent wooden rail hammered into the ground,' the editor writes.
Mr Whitehead was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1874 and had an early love of kites, birds and all things that flew.
He caught birds and performed experiments on them to determine how they flew. He jumped off roofs with homemade wings - attempting to tap into the miracle of flight even at an early age, according to Australian historian John Brown, who is leading the newest academic charge to credit Mr Whitehead with making the first manned flight.
Orphaned at age 13, Mr Whitehead trained in Germany as a machinist. But, he had a mind for the burgeoning field of aeronautical engineering.
He immigrated to the U.S.in 1893 and was later hired by the Aeronautical Club of Boston to build two flying machines.
On the fateful day of his first reported flight an editor with the Bridgeport Herald was on hand to see the event.
The newspaper, and several others, later printed accounts of the feat. However, the photograph turned out blurry in the morning light.
The Herald printed a lithograph that was reportedly drawn using the picture.
Not everyone is convinced of Mr Whithead's feat. Critics say reproductions of the photograph made that day are too blurry to prove anything about a flight.
Additionally, the story was played in only a few newspaper and was not made banner news - indicating skepticism at the time over whether it had actually happened.
Further, several witnesses - interviewed 30 years later - said the flight never actually happened.
The All the World's Aircraft speculates that Mr Whitehead became lost in history because of his poor business sense.
The Herald printed a lithograph that was reportedly drawn using the picture.
Not everyone is convinced of Mr Whithead's feat. Critics say reproductions of the photograph made that day are too blurry to prove anything about a flight.
Additionally, the story was played in only a few newspaper and was not made banner news - indicating skepticism at the time over whether it had actually happened.
Further, several witnesses - interviewed 30 years later - said the flight never actually happened.
The All the World's Aircraft speculates that Mr Whitehead became lost in history because of his poor business sense.
'After two false starts, his third investor proved to be the serial convicted criminal (and, subsequently, lunatic asylum patient) Herman Linde who, early in 1902, attempted to appropriate the venture and had Whitehead locked out of the factory containing his production line of between four and six aeroplane,' the editor writes.
Additionally, Mr Whitehead's aircraft design, a single, broad birdlike wing, could not have been adapted for modern aircraft.
Similar wings are still used on hang gliders and ultralight aircraft.
However, the Wright Brothers' design is the grandfather of the modern jet planes.
Additionally, Mr Whitehead's aircraft design, a single, broad birdlike wing, could not have been adapted for modern aircraft.
Similar wings are still used on hang gliders and ultralight aircraft.
However, the Wright Brothers' design is the grandfather of the modern jet planes.
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