Month: September 2019

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El Salvador 1970, sitting out the Football War on a British Yacht

El Salvador in the 70s-80s was a warlike place. How does a patriotic young Salvadoran do his bit without getting himself killed in all the foolishness. Hm….. check your mailbox. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

Stamps that honor a countries military service also have the unsaid second job of military recruiting. This stamp is perhaps the most effective example of that I have ever seen. This ship makes no pretense whatever of being a warship. It is a patrol craft whose most important job is to show the flag. It’s summertime and the living is easy. Beats fighting your neighbor over footballs and land reform or gearing up for an endless left-right civil war. Join the Navy!

Todays stamp is issue A210, a 50 Centavo airmail stamp issued by El Salvador on May 7th, 1970. It was part of a 5 stamp issue in various denominations that honored the armed services. There is an overprinted version of this stamp from 1971 that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the El Salvadoran Navy.

El Salvador and Honduras were and still are desperately poor countries as can be seen by the recent mass migration north out of both countries. What more graphic indictment could there be of a failed state. In 1970 Salvador had a much higher population while Honduras had a much greater land mass. The 1960s saw a migration with Salvadorans squatting on Honduran land becoming over 20 percent of Honduras’s population. In 1962, Honduras passed a land reform plan  that intended to evict the Salvadorans and return the land to the large banana growers. This greatly angered El Salvador.

Into this anger came football (soccer). In a three game qualifier, Honduras faced  El Salvador. Honduras won the first match in Tegucigalpa. There was much violence in the stands and it shocked the country how many locals were not for the home team. There was then a second match in San Salvador won by El Salvador and again marker by anti Honduran violence. El Salvador broke diplomatic relations with Honduras after Salvadoran peasants began to be forcibly evicted from Honduras by citizens without the government lifting a finger to stop it, land reform being the law of the land. El Salvador won the third match in Mexico City and attacked Honduras. The armies fought on the ground but the interesting fighting was in the air where ancient American F4 Corsairs piston fighters handed out freely and stupidly by America to both air forces fought each other. America through the Pan American Union, see https://the-philatelist.com/2019/01/08/el-savador-1940-celebrating-the-pan-american-union-a-league-of-nations-that-actually-worked/ .quickly put a halt to the war after 100 hours and finally started an arms embargo. This was the last war where piston engine fighters fought each other. Both countries amazingly enough found some money in their pockets and bought out of date French jets from Israel, Oragons for Salvador and Super Mysteres for Honduras. Advantage Honduras.

Honduran Air Force F4 Corsair fighter showing Fernando Soto’s 3 Salvadoran kills. Notice also the old US Navy color. USA didn’t think to include paint in their aid

The patrol boat on the stamp was given second hand by the British. In the 80s they were replaced by American made patrol boats that previously served as service craft for offshore oil platforms. That sounds a little less yacht like=fail. The Navy also uses an ex USA coast guard cutter given in 2002. It was built in 1942! The Navy  has 870 personnel and has ordered bigger, new build!, Chilean patrol boats. We will see if they can actually pay for them at delivery time.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the sailors of both El Salvador and Honduras. Just remember if you see a boat in the drug trade, sail the other way, that way the living will always be easy. Wait, you already knew that. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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Germany 1943, U-boat wolfpacks bring the war across the sea

Here is another stamp where the lead times to produce a new stamp meant the story told by the stamp was out of date. Thus the early German optimism about the war is displayed just as Stalingrad had turned the tide. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

There were two series of this style of stamp from Germany. The early issue showed German forces victorious and on the march, including this U boat. They came out on Hero Memorial Day in 1943. For Hero Memorial Day in 1944 there was a new issue that was quite different. Gone was the blitzkrieg bluster replaced by determined, well armed soldiers clearly on the defense. In 1945 there was a stamp  honoring the Volksstrurm, a new army of children to resist the Russian advance from the East, as the situation went from bad to worse.

Todays stamp is issue SP189, a 3+2 Pfennig  semi-postal stamp issued by Germany on March 21, 1943. It was a 12 stamp issue in various denominations showing German war fighters from the various services. The surcharge benefited the families of the war dead. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $1.25 used.

Germany had great hopes that their Navy’s submarines would help insure a German victory in the war. Great Britain after all was an island and very dependent on supplies brought in by sea. The German war effort in World War I had been greatly damaged by the mainly British naval blockade. It was now time to return the favor. Unfortunately when the war broke out the navy only had 57 seaworthy U boats, and many were small coastal types. They all were not truly submarines in the modern sense, being able to stay under water for long periods. Instead they were more surface ships that could dive underwater for short periods with their engines off under battery power. Notice the cannon on the deck of the U-boat on the stamp. This was to attack a merchant ship on the surface without ever diving.

German production was gearing up fast. By 1943, Germany was able to field the 100 U boats concurrently at sea that German Admiral Donitz believed was key to success. U boats sank 3663 ships that added up 14 million tons of shipping. The cost however was 720 U-boats sunk. The surface journey in and out of base was becoming ever more treacherous. German ship builders were innovating new battery technology that would have kept the subs underwater longer where they were much less vulnerable. They required extra crew training and were only just coming into service at wars end.

At the beginning of May 1945, Admiral Donitz replaced Hitler as head of the Third Reich. One of his first orders  was that the U-boats and all other German ships except useful post war minesweepers be scuttled. On May 4th, in surrender talks that order was rescinded, but many ship Captains went ahead with the scuttling assuming the rescinding order was coerced. 238 of the 394 remaining U-boats were scuttled and 4 were turned over to Japan. This is indicative of both extremely high U-boat construction during the war and how around two thirds of them were lost.

Admiral Donitz surrenders to British soldiers on May 23, 1945. He was jailed till 1956 and lived till 1980. One of his aids had just killed himself rather than surrender.

The German technological progress with submarines was very influential post war. The West German, French and Soviet navies made submarines modeled on late war model U-boats. Even the USA started the GUPPY program that rebuilt World War II subs to incorporate German technology. Even as late as the 1980s, a Soviet Whiskey class sub was sneaking undetected into Swedish waters until underwater rocks found it rather than the Swedish Navy. The Whiskey class was a copy of the Type XXI U-boat.

Well my drink is empty and so I will wait till tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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Iran 1950, a new young Shah takes credit for an old Palace in former capital Isfahan

One problem with royalty is that sometimes a country is left with one too young for the job. As here where the young Shah shows off finery from 300 years before and a different Persian Empire with a different royal line and indeed even a different capital. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The state of the Iranian Royals lets down this otherwise well designed stamp. A young son Shah recently replaced his father who was a foot soldier in the Persian Army promoted to an officer since he was the only guy who figured out how to use the army’s sole Russian machine gun. As an officer he was mister coup man until he declared himself Shah. So much for ancient blue blooded royals. Are Iranians to believe this Shah will build great monuments like Shah Abbas II or the ancients like Darius and Cedric. The Shah might answer, don’t worry, I will build plenty of Palaces and steel mills and airports that will far outlast my line.

Todays stamp is issue A71, a 25 Dinar stamp issued by the Kingdom of Iran in 1949. The stamp showed the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan and was part of a 16 stamp issue in various denominations showing architectural wonders of Iran and Shah Pahlavi. I covered one of the others here,https://the-philatelist.com/2017/10/31/the-party-is-over-and-no-one-cleaned-up-the-mess/ . The stamp is worth $2 unused.

Isfahan was originally founded by Jews who had come from Babylon. The legend is that they had with them examples of the soil and water of Jerusalem and Isfahan closely matched it. Over time the city attracted Georgians and Armenians and had a golden period. In 642 Arabs captured the city and a decline set in. Around 1600 Persians under Shah Abbas  were inspired by the beautiful ruins and made Isfahan the new Persian capital. It was during this period when the Chetal Sotoun Palace( 40 columns) was built for the Persian Shah Abbas II to host foreign dignitaries. The insides were elaborately decorated with ceramic tile mosaics depicting history and allegories of love. Many of the tiles are still in place.

In 1722, Isfahan was looted by new invaders, this time from Afghanistan. Nobody will be surprised that they were not good stewards of the city. The Persian Empire capital left for Mashad never to return.

Shah Pahlavi turned out to be not such a bad steward of Isfahan. Under him the biggest steel mill in the middle east was constructed in Isfahan. The airport was expanded and the connected air force base contains many of the Iranian Air Forces F14 Tomcats acquired by the Shah to chase off Soviet cold war overflights by Mig 25s. You may remember the F14 from “Top Gun”. It is now 40+ years old and the Americans don’t use it anymore but the Iranians have found it irreplaceable. It is of course amazing they still fly without outside help.

The Shah’s everlasting swing wing F14 Tomcats based in Isfahan. Pilots probably not Maverick and Iceman

Well my drink is empty and it would be wrong to get a toasting regarding a Muslim city. So I will patiently wait till tomorrow when there will be another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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France 1968, French tourism invites you to check out the ancient stones of Carnac

Ancient stones lined up like an army turned to stone. Well you probably have heard of Stonehenge and Easter Island. Well France would like to remind you that the town of Carnac has it’s own stone mystery and invites you to come check it out. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

These tourism promoting issues are some of my favorite French stamps. It reminds the tourist that there is more to see than Paris. That in itself would make the stamps worth doing. What makes them even more special is that instead of photos, little paintings are done very much in the style of the impressionist, which remember itself had French origins. The reason the issues have been so long lived is in my opinion how effective they are to the French themselves reminding them of their patriotic feelings in a non political way.

Todays stamp is issue A440, a one Franc stamp issued by France on July 10th, 1965. It was a single stamp issue. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used. There is an overprinted version for use on the island of Reunion.

It is believed that the stones date back to 3300 BC. There are about 1000 stones still around, though some have toppled. An early theory of why they exist was put forth by Christians was that the stones were pagan soldiers in pursuit of Pope Cornelius around 250 AD when God saved him by turning the army to stone. Another legend that is more popular locally is that the stones are the remains of a Roman Legion that was turned to stone by Merlin. This legend shows how close Britany was tied in to Welsh and King Arthur style mysticism of the British isles.

Around 1800, French soldier and celtomaniac antiquarian de la Tour d ‘Auvergne put forth the theory that the stones were placed by ancient Druids. This theory is more in keeping with the age of the stones. The work was built upon to claim that stone placement was aligned with the astrology of the stars. This fits in with the revival among modern hippies of what they perceive of as druid roots to there own movement. Recently a group calling itself everyone-together collective stormed the visitor center of Kermerio Alignment of stones to demand more open axess to the stones so they be communed with and not just visited in organized tours. Haha.

Well my drink is empty and I expect the bartender will soon cut off the everyone-together collective so I think I will call it a day. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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Cameroun 1925, Bismarck decrees merchant first, soldier second then France reorders

Germany initiated the colony of what they called Kamerun. A skeptical Bismarck, to avoid a financial boondoggle, specified merchants being in charge. So when war came it was easily conquered. To prevent a German revival, France was quite militaristic and Bismarck would not have been surprised it became a boondoggle for them. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

This stamp shows that the French had at least the ambition to retain German productivity showing a large cattle drive in an area of agricultural richness. A cattle operation like this would have just been stolen from the civilian German farmer. The operation would have quickly  deteriorated without German efficiency and the will to use the old German methods that achieved it.

Todays stamp is issue A5, a 2 Centimes stamp issued by the French League of Nations mandate in Cameroun in 1925. It was a 42 stamp issue in various denominations issued over 15 years displaying the economic vitality of the colony. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.

German Chancellor Bismarck was very reticent about a German colonial empire. He had seen the weakness of France in the Franco-Prussian War while so much of it’s army was bogged down in far off colonies. Bismarck was nevertheless approached by German merchants, explorers, and adventurers telling him what could be accomplished in Cameroun. He agreed to a colony but informed the colonial authorities their job was to support the merchants. The occupying army was almost entirely part time militiamen farmers. It was not an easy go. The time of slavery was past and it was difficult to get the locals to work for the colonial operations, many of which were labor intensive. A British colony would have brought in Indian contract labor but the Germans had other more efficient ideas. The colonial authority simply mandated that the locals work. They kidded themselves that this was not slavery as the workers were paid and could theoretically change jobs. The productivity was great. Roads, bridges, and railroads were completed and the farming indeed proved lucrative with rubber and beef exports almost paying for all that required importation.

World War I saw Cameroun invaded by the British, conquered and then divided with the French. The British colonial office did a study of their new territory and decided the best course of action was to leave the German civilians in place to continue development. The French, understandably, were much more suspicious of the Germans. The economic properties were seized and taken over by a large French trading house. The practice of forced, paid labor was done away with. The occupation became much more militaristic. During World War II, the mandate was Free French but the military began public floggings of people believed pro German. This also may be understandable with German puppet Vichy France still claiming the place. The floggings however were of local blacks with Germans long gone.

Around 1960, French Cameroun and the southern part of British Cameroun reunited. The northern part was mainly Muslim and elected to join Nigeria.  A bit of the old German prosperity survived in the old British part. See below, amazing it still stands. West Germany was generous with aid to former colonies and I expect that has something to do with the survival.

German style hunting lodge in old colonial capital Buea

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast Bismarck for his sensibility about colonies. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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Ireland 1948, remembering Theobald Wolfe Tone for trying for French help in the Society of United Irishmen Rebellion

We think today of Irish Catholics rebelling against Anglican British rule. Earlier revolts were not so religious. We did an Irish stamp here  https://the-philatelist.com/2019/03/15/ireland-1967-100-years-later-irish-stampmakers-fantasize-about-alternate-history/  , that remembered the failed Fenian rebellion that was less about religion. In 1798 there was another rebellion, inspired by the French and American revolutions that sought an Irish republic and it’s leader was a Protestant. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist,

It is surprising to me how much this Irish stamp ascribes the 1798 Rebellion to the French. Tone was of French protestant heritage and spent the years up to the Rebellion serving in the French Army, while trying to lobby France to send troops to support an Irish Rebellion. The ship you see on the stamp is French. The rebellion failed though and Tone died in British custody.

Todays stamp is issue A22, a two and one half penny stamp issued by the Republic of Ireland on November 19th, 1948. It was a two stamp issue marking 150 years since the uprising of 1798. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.

Theobald Wolfe Tone was born into the Irish wing of a French Protestant family that emigrated to England to avoid religious persecution. English/ Irish aristocrat Theobald Wolfe was his godfather and perhaps natural father. Tone attended Trinity and became a lawyer and worked with a Belfast Society of United Irishman that wanted to expand the vote to all, at the time non Anglicans were excluded from voting. At first they worked within the British system and the right to vote was extended. At this point the group became more radical inspired by the American Revolution. France had agreed to support the American Revolution while letting the victorious Americans to be governed by the revolutionaries, not the French. Promoting Irish independence was illegal and United Irishman began to be rounded up.

Tone then emigrated to Philadelphia but found Americans even more repulsive than the British. No word on how repulsive Americans found Tone. Anyway, Tone was soon off to France where he joined the Army and began lobbying for French help in an Irish uprising. Tone had some success but the first French flotilla had to turn back having been caught by the Royal Navy. The French General in charge soon died and Napoleon came to power. Napoleon at the time was more interested in Egypt but agreed on a few naval raids that included Tone. The help was not enough and Tone fell into British hands and was sent to Dublin to be tried for treason. Tone’s perhaps half brother Judge Wolfe tried twice to issue a writ of habeus corpus to get Tone released but was unsuccessful as he was held by the Army. Tone did not regret his actions but asked to be shot as a soldier rather than hung as a spy. He had a case for this as he was captured wearing a French uniform. This was not granted but Tone died in custody before he could be hung. The Wolfe family maintained and flowered Tone’s grave as if he was one of them.

Prisoners from the rebellion were treated harshly as traitors to the Crown rather enemy combatants and Irish in turn did likewise. A British Union Act banned discrimination against Irish Catholics but hostility persisted now often on grounds of taxation  and evermore on sectarianism.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the efforts of Judge Wolfe. It is going above and beyond to put his neck out for his brother by another mother on the other side. The United Irishmen still resented his presiding in trials of others of them. In 1802 during another rebellion, he was pulled from his carriage and stabbed to death. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.