In the French Revolutionary Calendar, today Saturday, July 26, 2014, is: Octidi 8 Thermidor, the 318th day of year 222 of the revolutionary era—the eighth day of décade 31 of this year, and the eighth day of Messidor, the eleventh month in the French Republican Calendar. Thermidor (French pronunciation: [tɛʁmidɔr]) was the eleventh month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word thermal which comes from the Greek word “thermos” which means heat. Thermidor was the second month of the summer quarter (mois d’été). It started July 19 or 20. It ended August 17 or 18. It follows the Messidor and precedes the Fructidor. During Year 2, it was sometimes called Fervidor. Because of the Thermidorian reaction — 9 Thermidor Year II — the overthrow of revolutionary radical Maximilien Robespierre and his followers in that month, the word “Thermidor” has come to mean a retreat from more radical goals and strategies during a revolution, especially when caused by a replacement of leading personalities.. Fête du jour (Feast day of the people): Carthame (Safflower): Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds. Plants are 30 to 150 cm (12 to 59 in) tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange, or red flowers. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads containing 15 to 20 seeds per head. Safflower is native to arid environments having seasonal rain. It grows a deep taproot which enables it to thrive in such environments. Safflower flowers are occasionally used in cooking as a cheaper substitute for saffron, and were sometimes referred to as “bastard saffron”.) “Now the crisis, temporarily protracted by the opening of the Californian and Australian markets and mines, will unquestionably become due, in the event of a bad harvest. The Discount Regulations of the Bank are only the first forebodings. In 1847 the Bank of England altered its rate of discount 13 times. In 1853 there will be a full score of such measures. In conclusion, I wish to ask the English Economists, how it happens that modern Political Economy commenced its warfare against the mercantile system by demonstrating that the influx and efflux of gold in a country are indifferent, that products are only exchanged against products, and that gold is a product like all others, while the very same Economy, now at the end of its career, is most anxiously watching the efflux and influx of gold? “The real object to be accomplished by the operations of the Bank,” says The Economist, “is to prevent an exportation of capital,” Now, would The Economist prevent an exportation of capital in the shape of cotton, iron, woollen yarns and stuffs? And is gold not a product like all other products? Or has The Economist turned, in his old days, a Mercantilist? And after having set free the importation of foreign capital, does he aim at checking the exportation of British capital? After having freed himself from the civilized system of protection, will he recur to the Turkish one?” —Karl Marx, New York Herald Tribue, Regulations of the Bank of England, 1853 Ninety-six years ago today was the 310th day of the Russian Revolution! Ninety-five years ago today was the 264th day of the German Revolution that took place between 1918 and 1923. 1877. USA. In Chicago, 30 workers are killed by federal troops, more than 100 wounded at the “Battle of the Viaduct” during the Great Railroad Strike. 1890. Argentina. The Revolution of the Park (Revolución del Parque) was an uprising against the national government of Argentina that took place on 26 July 1890 and started with the takeover of the Buenos Aires Artillery Park. It was led by members of the Civic Union (which would later give rise to the modern Radical Civic Union) against the presidency of Miguel Juárez Celman (of the National Autonomist Party). Though it failed in its main goals, the revolution forced Juárez Celman’s resignation and marked the decline of the elite of the Generation of ’80. The uprising started on 26 July 1890 at the Buenos Aires Artillery Park. It met with swift repression on the part of the government forces, led by generals Carlos Pellegrini (the Vice-President), Roque Sáenz Peña, and Nicolás Lavalle. Lacking initiative and ammunition, the revolutionaries were defeated in a matter of days, but the image of the government had suffered. Senator Pizarro demanded the resignation of the entire Executive Branch and the Senate, presided by General Roca, but President Juárez Celman was the only one to accept. Vice-President Pellegrini took office in his stead, to complete the remaining two years of his presidential term. 1912. USA. Battle of Mucklow, West Virginia, in coal strike. An estimated 100,000 shots were fired; 12 miners murdered and four guards of capitalist interests were killed. 1936. Spain. Nazis in Germany and fascists in Italy being open support of Franco’s fascists in civil war. 1937. Spain. Defeat of Popular Front forces at Brunete. At the close of the battle, the Republicans failed to cut the Extremadura road, but they still held Villanueva de la Cañada, Quijorna and Villanueva del Pardillo from the Nationalists. From this point of view, both sides were able to claim victory. The losses of men and equipment in the battle were much heavier for the Republicans than the Nationalists. Indeed, the Republican army lost much of its indispensable equipment and so many of their best soldiers in the International Brigades that the battle can be seen as a strategic Nationalist victory. Politically, the communists suffered a loss of prestige because the offensive failed to stop the Nationalist troops from completing the conquest of the north. This was also a major victory for Hitler and the Nazis in Germany. The frenetic conditions at Brunete for the Nationalists enabled the Germans to acquire favorable trade concessions because of the effectiveness of the Condor Legion. The Nationalists granted most favored nation status to Germany and acquiesced to send raw materials to Germany as repayment for the debt incurred. 1947. USA. Formal consolidation of instruments of American hegemony. U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act of 1947 into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the United States National Security Council. 1953. Cuba. Revolution begins with an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks. The movement took the name of the date: 26th of July Movement.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 13:34:38 +0000
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