Shuffled by sharks and snuck in by spies, this deck has been the standard American since 1881
Of the roughly 94,000 U.S. soldiers who became prisoners of war in Germany during World War II, an especially unfortunate several hundred wound up in a camp called Oflag IV-C, better known as Colditz Castle, a 12th-century stone fortress built atop a 250-foot cliff in Saxony. The Germans believed that escape from Colditz was impossible.
But it was possible, thanks to Bicycle playing cards.
Unbeknownst to the Wehrmacht, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (precursor to the CIA) and British Special Operations Executive had secretly commissioned the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) to create top-secret Bicycle-brand decks—spirited in by the Red Cross—where the cards could be peeled apart to reveal miniature maps of Germany.
What does Hitler, Stalin, Gandhi, and current Russian President Vladimir Putin all have in common? They were/are all 5 feet 4 inches tall. Putin’s a shrimp?!!
See the height of all the rest… Hint, Napoleon wasn’t as short as you think when comparing all the rest.
The heights of historical figures, a topic that’s sure to elevate your interest! Let’s take a look at some of the most notable individuals from history and see how they measure up:
First up, we have Napoleon Bonaparte, the legendary French military leader. Despite his larger-than-life reputation, Napoleon was actually quite small in stature, standing at just 5 feet 6 inches tall. But don’t let his height fool you – he still managed to conquer most of Europe and leave a lasting impact on world history.
Next, we have Abraham Lincoln, the towering figure of American politics. At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Lincoln was a literal giant among men. And with his lanky frame and distinctive top hat, he must have been quite a sight to behold.
Moving on to ancient history, we have Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor and conqueror. Although his exact height is unknown, it’s said that Caesar was of average height for his time – around 5 feet 7 inches tall. But hey, he still managed to rule over one of the greatest empires in history, so we won’t hold his lack of height against him.
And let’s not forget about Genghis Khan, the fearsome Mongol warrior who conquered much of Asia and Eastern Europe. Although he was reportedly quite short – around 5 feet 2 inches tall – his military prowess more than made up for any lack of height. Plus, he had an army of fierce warriors at his disposal, so it’s not like he needed to be tall to strike fear into his enemies.
Last but not least, we have Cleopatra, the legendary queen of Egypt. While her height is estimated at 4 feet 9 inches tall, it’s said that she was known for her beauty and charm rather than her towering stature. And with her wits and cunning, she managed to rule over Egypt and forge alliances with some of the most powerful men in the ancient world.
So there you have it – a lighthearted look at the heights of some of history’s most notable figures. Whether tall or short, they all managed to make their mark on the world in their own unique way.
By R. Michael Brown, BRAT and Marketing Consultant
Since 1986, April has been designated as the Month of the Military Child (BRAT) by the United States Department of Defense.
This is a legacy of Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger as a time to applaud military children and the daily sacrifices they make and the challenges that they overcome.
Let’s remember all the Military #BRATS that serve our country, just like their parents.
17 Things Only Military Brats Understand
1) Making new friends in a new distant location every 3-4 years. Usually losing touch with the friends you left behind.
2) You have a military ID card and you better not lose it. Only thing that gets you on a base and allows you to buy anything at the Commissary (grocery store), BX or PX (Base or Post Exchange (small department store), check out books from the base Library, check out rec equipment like basketballs at the base Rec Center or gym, or show with respect to any MP (military police) if they ask you for your ID.
3) The pantry usually has MREs (Meals Ready to Eat – military rations), just in case. You ate a lot of vegetables and other foods out of cans from the Commissary.
4) You are around a lot of firearms, including automatic rifles (including machine guns) and it seems normal. If the base has a FlightLine (airport) you hear a lot of jets all the time and don’t complain about the noise or sonic booms when they break the sound barrier.
5) You don’t have a lot of books or toys because it’s too much to move every 3-4 years. The phonetic alphabet is learned, especially if you live overseas and have to learn a foreign language.
6) Your church on base always has an American Flag.
7) If you live or are on base, you have to stop and face the music or American Flag, standing at attention, when they play revelry (raising the Flag), taps (lowering the Flag), or the National Anthem (depending on the base) at the beginning and end of every day. Referred to as raising or lowering of “Colors.”
8) Calling an adult “ma’am” or “sir” is just what you do, without fail, every time.
9) Calling everyone by their last name is normal.
10) Folks ask you where you grew up and it takes 5 minutes to answer.
11) Your doctor is the base hospital.
12) If you aren’t 5 minutes early, you’re late. 15 minutes is better.
13) Your chores are mandatory and you don’t get an allowance for them. Making that bed first thing every morning better get done.
14) Respect is automatically shown to anyone in uniform.
15) You have had holiday dinners at a military Chow Hall or Officers Club (depending on the rank of your parent). You know all the military ranks of your branch of the service.
16) It’s a celebration when your parent returns home from deployment or a trip. You worry the whole time they’re gone. Most of the time you’re not allowed to know specifically where they went.
17) If you live on base, you worry when a military staff car drives down your street with 2 uniformed members in the car. It’s probably because someone’s parent is KIA (Killed in Action), MIA (Missing in Action), or a POW (Prisoner of War). During a war, most on-base housing blinds/curtains are shut facing the street so that those inside don’t see the staff cars. When the staff car stops at someone else’s house, one or both of your parents, along with the other parents from the neighborhood, go to their house to be with the family.
BONUS
18) BRAT brothers torture their BRAT sisters more than civilian siblings. This is just for my sister, Patti. Love ya “older than me sibling!”
Military brats naturally develop organic strategies and tactics to deal with their situation. It makes them:
Brave Resilient Adaptable Tenacious
A BRAT.
Civilians don’t get it. Most think that a BRAT lives like any other kid in America. Hopefully this beginning list shows why BRATS should get extra respect. They are serving their country too, alongside their parent.
Racism broke him, but Black cycling superstar Major Taylor is getting his moment.
Unable to race at home, Taylor toured Europe and broke world records. At 22 he was going from country to country, taking on the fastest racer there in $10,000 match races, and winning. Thousands of fans came to these velodromes to watch Taylor travel at speeds approaching 40 mph. He was, pressure and prejudice. He was still living in Massachusetts, attempting various comebacks before retiring in 1910 at age 32, and then this man who had won so much began to lose: his wife, his fortune, his health.
Brownie Bytes 