By James Breig This year could be called the eye of a hurricane of war anniversaries. Americans are in the middle of marking the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and the 70th anniversary of World War II. This is also the 115th anniversary of one of the… continue
By James Breig The recent birth of a new prince in Great Britain, the nation that at one time “ruled the waves,” calls to mind a real-life sea-faring story, “Mutiny on the Bounty,” set in the South Pacific. The original book and many film versions of how an 18th-century crew rebelled against their taskmaster captain… continue
When people come together to form something new – a neighborhood club, a scouting troop, a sports team – they often design a flag or banner as a visible sign of their unity. So it was for the 18th-century Americans who rebelled against Great Britain. As they created an army and navy, they needed new… continue
By James Breig Every Fourth of July, Turner Classic Movies broadcasts “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” the 1942 movie about the life of singer-songwriter-playwright-dancer George M. Cohan. It does so because Cohan, played by James Cagney, penned not only the title tune but also “It’s a Grand Old Flag” and other patriotic anthems. Cohan was renowned for… continue
By James Breig The just-concluded 150th anniversary of the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg brought renewed attention to the role flags played during Civil War conflicts. When cannons and muskets began firing, regimental and other flags became essential ways of communicating amid the smoke and chaos. The banners rallied troops to common points on the… continue