WQPT QUAD CITIES PBS
Arsenal History Minutes | Cuban Relations | WQPT
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Cuban Relations | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- On 3 January 1961 the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba by withdrawing formal recognition and closing the U.S. embassy in Havana. Actions by the new leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro, drove the U.S. to isolate Cuba. Castro took power by overthrowing Fulgencio Batista who was a corrupt dictator. After Castro seized power in February 1959, he immediately began seizing land and spreading it amongst the lower class. But, he also nationalized businesses including privately owned sugar companies. Castro’s actions prompted the U.S. to impose sanctions. The U.S. embargo included not selling arms or oil and prohibited buying Cuban sugar. In February 1960 Castro signed an agreement making the Soviet Union its primary trade partner. In March 1960, a weapons freighter exploded in Havana harbor killing over 75 workers. Castro accused the U.S of sabotage. Soon after President Eisenhower authorized a force of Cuban refugees to overthrow Castro in what would become the failed Bay of Pigs ...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Spanish Flu | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- On 16 April 1917, the United States formally joined the “war to end all wars.” The U.S. began a massive mobilization effort to fight against the Germans in the infamous trenches of the Western Front, however the American military would also have to fight an invisible enemy, the influenza outbreak of 1918-1919 also known as the Spanish Flu.
The first reported case of the Spanish flu occurred 11 March 1918 when Private Albert Gitchell arrived at the hospital with symptoms, and within hours over 100 soldiers were reporting with the same ailments. A particular trait of the Spanish flu was its effect of the age demographic of 20-50 where it caused the greatest of the loss. The epidemic spread amongst soldiers in the muddy trenches and would reach all over the world. The Influenza pandemic was responsible 675,000 deaths in the U.S and for approximately 1/3 of the 8-10 million military deaths during the Great War. Commander of the Rock Island Arsenal Colonel Leroy T. Hillman had h...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Operation Iraqi Freedom | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- On 17 March 2003, President George W. Bush provided an ultimatum to Iraq, “Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.” Hussein’s refusal to vacate the country prompted the military invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003.
Operation Iraqi Freedom began when coalition forces employed a air “Shock and Awe” campaign that destroyed the Iraqi ability to command and control its forces. On the ground, Coalition forces, mainly assembled in Kuwait, attacked North on both sides of the Tigris River. A key objective was to seize oil wells to prevent the burning of oil as Iraq had done in Operation Desert Storm. On 24 March 2003 a massive sandstorm hampered the ground campaign but allowed coalition air power to destroy Iraqi resistance due to an Iraqi false sense of security in the zero visibility storm. The Coalition fought substantial battles at Nasiriya, Najaf, Basra, and...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | The Arsenal and the French 75mm gun. 1918 | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- The United States formally joined World War I in April 1918. Having observed the war since 1914, the American Army realized it needed better and more artillery. The best field gun in the war was the French 75mm Model 1897. The French 75 showcased a new hydro-pneumatic recoil system that allowed the gun to fire accurately and rapidly. In January 1918 the French authorized transfer of technical drawings to the US. Rock Island Arsenal was authorized to build the recoil in a top secret operation, but faced numerous obstacles. After converting the drawings from metric to English measurement, they still had to modify many of the parts to enable mass production. Only a few dozen total were manufactured by the end of the war, with many more produced after 1918. The 75 was just one of many wartime projects that demonstrate the engineering and technical expertise of the Arsenal workforce. This summer the RIA and Putnam Museums will be co-hosting an exhibit titled: An Arsenal of Innovation...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | John Brown's Raid | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- On October, 16th 1859 abolitionist John Brown attacked the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia in what would be the culmination of his efforts to abolish slavery. Brown had previously led anti-slavery factions during the Bleeding Kansas conflict in 1856. Brown hoped to instigate a slave uprising with Harpers Ferry as the both the headquarters and the supply point for weapons. Brown garnered the support of 21 men, (16 white men, and 5 black) to attack the Arsenal. On 16 October the band captured the Arsenal and several hostages. However, no slaves joined the revolt. The next day local militia forced Brown to retreat to a small engine house while the President ordered Colonel Robert E Lee to end the situation. On 18 October Lee’s forces stormed the engine house and ended the rebellion in about 3 minutes. Brown was captured and hanged on December 2, 1859. Despite the swift justice, Southerners now had dread fear of a slave revolt while abolitionist Northerners saw Brown almost as ...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Peace Time Draft 1940 | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- In the summer of 1940 World War II in Europe and the Pacific was in full swing. France was defeated in June; in July Japan occupied French Indochina. President Franklin D Roosevelt, who had tried to maintain US neutrality while supporting the democracies under threat, began to act more aggressively. In September 1940, a full 14 months before Pearle harbor Roosevelt signed the first peacetime draft law in American history. The bill required all males 21-36 years old to register. While passing a bill, Congress still imposed some of their non-interventionist ideas- the term of service was limited to 12 months and service members had to remain in the Western Hemisphere or US possessions overseas. Only 900,000 could be on active duty at one time. In June 1940 FDR had started to federalize National Guard units for training. The draft allowed him to man those units to get the most out of the training. In August 1941 Congress passed and extension by only one vote. Within another 4 m...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Fall of Atlanta- 2 September 1864 | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- In April 1864 Union General Tecumseh Sherman was ordered to take Atlanta, known as the Entryway to the South. From early May until mid July the Confederate forces were commanded by General Joe Johnston. The armies clashed at battles such as of Rescaca, New Hope Church, and Kennesaw Mountain. In mid-July Johnston was replaced by General John Hood, a much more aggressive commander. However, Hood’s over-aggressiveness allowed Sherman to inflict more casualties and speed up the pace. During the campaign the Mayor of Atlanta wrote to Sherman asking him to spare the city. Sherman made a famous reply: “You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace." In late August, Sherman slipped around Atlanta and cut the rail lines supplying the city. This forced Hood to evacuate Atlanta. Hood burned the city, a famous scene in ...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | August 1972 Vietnam | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- In August 1972 the last ground combat unit boarded planes and departed the Republic of South Vietnam. This day marked the end of, what had been to that time, the United States’ longest war. Well, not really. The Paris Peace Accords were not signed until January 1973 with the final US service men leaving in the next month. The departure of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment in August 1972 was, however, a key point in the US withdrawal.. From a high of 549,000 Americans on the ground, the departure of the unit in August left fewer than 45,000 soldiers in Vietnam. Those remaining were advisors, guards, logisticians, and technicians- not combat units. This was the result of a several year effort to turn the war over to the South Vietnamese by training them and then letting them take the lead in combat operations. By mid 1972 American ground combat patrols had ceased. The final units out had been guarding DaNang Airbase. In the fall of 1972 vastly increased American air o...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | George Davenport Murdered | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- George Davenport is often credited as the first permanent American settler in the area we call the Quad Cities. He arrived at Rock Island in the summer of 1816 working as a supplier to the Army at Fort Armstrong. By 1818 he was a full time trader with the local tribes and – as a result -became very wealthy. Eventually he became a land developer, postmaster, rapids pilot, and founder of cities.
On the 4th of July 1845 the Davenport family planned to go to the Independence Day celebration in Rock Island. However, Davenport fell ill and stayed home alone. Robbers in search of a reputed $20,000 kept at the house were surprised to find anyone home. They shot him in the leg, demanded the safe combination, and beat him so badly he died the next day. One of the men was known to Davenport and he was able to identify him and describe the others before he died, solving his own murder. The robbers got around $600… and a hanging for three of the criminals.
WQPT is a Public ...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | The Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- July 1864 was a turning point in the Civil War.
In the East Robert E Lee had launched an invasion of the North on June 3rd. His movement into Maryland and Pennsylvania forced the US Army south of Washington DC to react, moving northwest to find Lee and keep the Army between the Confederates and the capital. But on July 1st the two armies clashed at Gettysburg starting a three-day battle culminating in a decisive defeat of the Confederates on July 3rd.
In the West the Vicksburg campaign was much slower to develop. Since December 1862 Ulysses S Grant had been maneuvering to capture the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi river. Grant laid siege to Vicksburg in mid-May 1863 and on July 4th the city surrendered. With Vicksburg lost - the Union controlled the entire Mississippi and split the Confederacy.
The two victories a day apart dealt a one-two punch that gave the Union the upper hand for the remainder of the war.
WQPT is a Public Media Se...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | General Rodman’s Death and Funeral | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- In 1865 Brigadier General Thomas Rodman was assigned to Rock Island Arsenal and charged with building a manufacturing plant – a “Grand National Arsenal.” He soon designed the stone shops and began construction in 1866. In 1870 he began construction of the magnificent commanding officer’s quarters on the Arsenal. Rodman died on the Arsenal in June 1871.
Reports from the day note that Rodman worked himself into exhaustion and was ill for more than three months before his death. This means that he continued a work pattern demonstrated throughout his career where he was known to work over twelve hours a day, seven days a week.
In addition to being a superb engineer, groundbreaking scientist, and expansive architect, Rodman appears to have been someone whom others appreciated. His predecessor had difficult relations with the local communities. However, after 6 years in the area over 1,000 mourners came to Rodman’s funeral, held in Quarters One, including work...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | The Battle of Midway | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- 7 December 1941 saw the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The attack was intended to cripple the US Pacific fleet for a year or more. However, just six months later the fleet inflicted a devastating loss on the Japanese Navy.
After Pearl Harbor the Navy rapidly concentrated aircraft carriers in the Pacific. The US sought out the Japanese fleet knowing that destroying the carriers meant the Japanese would not be able to defend the Pacific. At the same time the Japanese sough a way to destroy the US carriers so they could maintain control of the Pacific. The Japanese attempted to set a naval ambush, but one enterprising intelligence officer deciphered the plan allowing the American’s to spring a trap near Midway Island. On 4 June in a near run battle the Americans suddenly caught the Japanese carriers without air cover. Soon four Japanese carriers were sunk to the loss of just one US carrier. With this victory the US established parity with the Japanese fleet ...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | Birth of naval Aviation- USN orders its first airplane | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- May 1911 saw the official birth of US Naval Aviation when Captain W. I. Chambers purchased the first two Navy bi-planes. The Navy had seriously thought about use of aircraft in support of naval operations for only 1-2 years before the purchase.
In 1910, after the Army bought their first planes from the Wright Brothers, Captain Chambers became convinced that the Navy could use airplanes. He was unable to convince the Wrights to attempt to fly a plane off a ship and then turned to the Glen Curtiss, who made the first ever ship-launched flight in November 1910. anuary 1911 was a critical month. On the 18th the first plane landed on a ship. The next day Navy Pilot #1 was licensed. On 26 January Curtiss made the first pontoon plane landing next to a ship and then took off from the water the next morning.
Based on these successes, the Navy allowed three more officers to take lessons and approved buying the first Navy airplanes. Progress was rapid after that with the fir...
- Title
- Arsenal History Minutes | May 1816 Construction on Fort Armstrong begins | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- After the War of 1812 ended, the Unites States determined to cement its hold on the upper Mississippi River by creating a series of forts. Rock Island had been identified as a desirable place for a fort by Zebulon Pike in 1805 due to its position on the Rock Island Rapids and its proximity to the Sac and Meskwaki tribes. Black Hawk’s support of the British in the War of 1812 made that recommendation appear even more powerful.
Brigadier General Thomas Smith arrived at Rock Island in early May 1816 and chose the western tip of the island as the construction site for a fort. From this site U.S. troops could control the river, protect American fur traders and settlers; and keep open a line of communication and commerce to other posts further up river.
Fort Armstrong was the beginning of the Quad Cities area, provided security for settlers on both sides of the river, and later the administrative and logistics center of the Blackhawk War of 1832. The fort was abandoned af...
- Title
- Stories of Service | Nathan/Annie Cox | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Nathan/Annie Cox | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Stephen Blake | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service I Stephen Blake | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
- Title
- Stories of Service | Marvin Strum | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service I Marvin Strum | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
- Title
- Stories of Service | Jackie Inman | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Jackie Inman
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Julie Johnson | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Julie Johnson | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Alan Wilson | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Alan Wilson
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Chris Thodos | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Chris Thodos
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service I Barney Young | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service I Barney Young | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service I Brian Layer | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service I Brian Layer | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Steve Whan | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Steve Whan
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Joshua Ryan Brown | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | Joshua Ryan Brown | WQPT
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Mark Hunt | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | (Mark Hunt)
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Michael Weinrich | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | (Michael Weinrich)
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Allan Ross | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service (Allan Ross)
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Nathan Acree | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | (Nathan Acree)
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Stories of Service | Andrew Gates | WQPT
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Stories of Service | (Andrew Gates)
WQPT is a Public Media Service of Western Illinois University
WQPT - Quad Cities PBS
3300 River Drive Suite 108, Moline, Illinois 61265
Phone: 309-764-2400
Fax: 309-764-2410
Email: wqpt@wiu.edu
Website: www.wqpt.org
Closed Captioning Coordinator - Amanda Bergeson
- Title
- Muscatine County (Iowa) World War II Veterans Stories | Dick Garmon
- Runtime
- 49:50
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Muscatine County (Iowa) World War II Veterans Stories
Veteran: Dick Garmon, U.S. Army
Visit us at https://wqpt.org
- Title
- Muscatine County (Iowa) World War II Veterans Stories | Warren Collier
- Runtime
- 34:02
- Date posted
- 12 years ago
- Description
- Muscatine County (Iowa) World War II Veterans Stories
Veteran: Warren Collier, U.S. Army
Visit us at https://wqpt.org
