#war preparedness

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“Austin Nichols Units drill at McCarren Park. Photo shows members of the Austin Nichols American Red Cross Units and Infantrymen drilling in McCarren Park, Brooklyn, N.Y.” 6/9/1917

File Unit: American Red Cross - Groups, 1917 - 1918 Series: American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917 - 1918. Record Group 165: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, 1860 - 1952.

Uncover more World War I Centennial Resources at the National Archives

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Checking Up, 2/6/1917

Series: Berryman Political Cartoon Collection, 1896 - 1949. Record Group 46: Records of the U.S. Senate, 1789 - 2015

From the General Note(s): Upon the announcement that the Germans will use unlimited submarine warfare in the Atlantic Ocean Uncle Sam checks to see how prepared the United States is for the now inevitable clash. Aid was offered from all sources including private yachts, merchant ships and funds from Congress.

On February 1, 1917 Germany had announced the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, and subsequently on February 3 President Woodrow Wilson  announced a break in official relations with Germany.

[thoughtlessarse]

Belgian, French, Luxembourg troops: NATO tests war preparedness on eastern flank facing Russia

On the Mures river in central Romania, French armoured vehicles and Romanian trucks board a motorised floating bridge, part of a large military exercise to showcase NATO's ability to rapidly increase force levels on its eastern flank facing Russia. The drill -- planned for months and seen as an "integration exercise" for NATO members -- comes after Washington last week said it would pull some troops out from the area. Romania, which shares some 650 kilometres (400 miles) of border with Ukraine, has gained in strategic importance since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022. In the Dacian Fall exercise from October 20 to November 13, French-led troops from Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain are engaged in manoeuvres and live-fire artillery and tank drills, together with Romanian soldiers. Since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paris has deployed nearly 1,500 soldiers in Romania and doubled them for the exercise. In case of a crisis, this can be increased to 5,000 troops. "We must demonstrate our ability to integrate into a NATO division," said French General Maxime Do Tran, commander of the 7th Armoured Brigade deployed for Dacian Fall. The exercise, conducted across Romania, follows "NATO's real defence plans" and serves to signal the alliance's "strategic solidarity", he added. While French army engineers skilfully dock the massive motorised barge on the banks of the Mures during one exercise, 200 metres (220 yards) away, Romanian engineers speedily put up a pontoon.

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[thoughtlessarse]

War with Russia? Finland has been making a plan for that

Country living in Russia’s shadow has spent decades building up systems to protect itself

If the worst fears of Europe are realised and the conflict in Ukraine spreads across the continent to other neighbours of Russia, then Finland will be ready.

It has supplies. At least six months of all major fuels and grains sit in strategic stockpiles, while pharmaceutical companies are obliged to have 3-10 months’ worth of all imported drugs on hand.

It has civilian defences. All buildings above a certain size have to have their own bomb shelters, and the rest of the population can use underground car parks, ice rinks, and swimming pools which stand ready to be converted into evacuation centres.

And it has fighters. Almost a third of the adult population of the Nordic country is a reservist, meaning Finland can draw on one of the biggest militaries relative to its size in Europe.

“We have prepared our society, and have been training for this situation ever since the second World War,” says Tytti Tuppurainen, Finland’s EU minister. After spending eight decades living first in the shadow of the Soviet Union and now Russia, the threat of war in Europe “has not hit us as a surprise”.

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