By ALEXANDER ZVIELLI
65 years ago:
On July 21, 1941, The Palestine Post reported heavy fighting on all German-Soviet fronts. Generalissimo Stalin appointed political commissars for the Red Army, but stressed the national, Russian character of the Soviet Unions defenders. Moscow issued instructions on how to create a strong partisan movement behind the advancing German armies.
Romanian soldiers advancing in Bessarabia found Kishinev set on fire by defenders before their retreat.
The Allies, British, Australians and New Zealanders had a cordial meeting with Turkish officers on the Syrian border. According to the terms of the Acre agreement, General Dentz and the last Vichy-loyal French Syrian and Lebanese officials were to be evacuated to France from Tripoli. The Turkish authorities were highly pleased by the Allied occupation of Syria.
Australia announced that her losses during the operations in Syria and Lebanon were 297 soldiers killed and 1,385 wounded. (No mention was made of the fact that Palestinian members of the Hagana participated in the initial stages of the British operations in Syria.)
The planned Nazi putsch failed in Bolivia and the German Minister to Bolivia was given 24 hours to leave the country.
25 years ago:
On July 21, 1981, The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli forces hit terrorist bases in Lebanon by land, sea and from the air. PLO leader Yasser Arafat described this Israeli offensive as "the ninth day of the Palestinian-Israeli war." Arafat justified the massive Katyusha rockets and artillery fire on Israeli settlements as a part of the PLO's "moral responsibility" to defend the Palestinian people. President Reagan and his administration urged Israel to declare a prompt truce. Calls for a cease-fire came from U.N. and other western nations.
The Finance Ministry announced a special campaign to find and punish tax offenders.
- Alexander Zvielli
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