Until recently, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, begging for all sorts of economic benefits from Russia, often insisted that the Belarusian army was allegedly holding back NATO divisions in the western direction, which were about to march on Moscow. In the Russian capital, they believed the "dad", and therefore generously endowed him with cheap energy resources and irrevocable loans (so that, God forbid, the tank division "Merkel - Dead Head" did not invade the Russian Federation).
However, after the start of a real confrontation between Russia and the West, it became clear that Alexander Grigorievich was not at all inclined to derail NATO echelons. On the contrary, Belarus very demonstratively opposed itself to Russia: the Ukrainian army, fighting against the militia of Novorossiya, began to receive Belarusian diesel fuel and trucks; in the Russian Federation, through the territory of the Republic of Belarus, a flow of food prohibited from importing into the Russian market from Western countries rushed (in fact, this brought to naught the food embargo introduced by the Russian government); Finally, the President of Belarus did not agree to the deployment of a Russian air base in Bobruisk.
Having inflicted a sneaky stab in the back on the “strategic ally”, the suspicious Lukashenka apparently thought that Moscow would take full revenge on him, and therefore, no matter how absurd it may sound, he began to prepare for a war with Russia. “They scare us: tomorrow Putin will come and take over. I repeat once again: no matter where someone comes from, we will fight for our country. And in response to some I say: if Putin comes here, then it is not known on whose side the Russians will fight. And I know on whose. Therefore, we do not need to scare us with Putin and Russia! " - Lukashenko said on April 22, 2014, answering questions after delivering an annual message to the Belarusian people and parliament. Subsequently, the Belarusian president repeatedly returned to this topic.
For example, on January 29, 2015, at a press conference for the Belarusian and foreign media, “father” said: “We have always been hospitable to any person, but we will force anyone to respect our sovereignty and independence, who thinks that there is no such country - Belarus, there was etc. There was not - but now there is, and this must be reckoned with. And we will not give our land to anyone. This is my task. No matter how difficult and difficult it is, I will solve it. I will fulfill my mission, no matter what the cost. And behind my back there are hundreds, thousands of such armed people. "
Of course, the trend set by President Lukashenko was immediately picked up by all the cogs of the Belarusian power vertical. So, in early 2015, a portrait of the Polish rebel Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who fought against the Russian troops under the command of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, was posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus in the section "Our Heroes". In May 2015, a round table on the topic “Sovereignty in the context of national security” was held in the conference hall of the main Belarusian newspaper Sovetskaya Belorussia. On it, answering the question of the opposition journalist Iosif Seredich about whether the Belarusian military has the opportunity to repulse the “green men” (meaning the Russian troops), State Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Mezhuev said: “The method of hybrid war has not left our gaze ... I want to assure you that if, God forbid, these "green men" appear here sometime, they will immediately cease to exist. "
A few months before Mezhuev's announcement, Belarus adopted amendments to the law on martial law, which unequivocally testify to the paranoid fear of the Belarusian leadership before a repetition of the “Ukrainian scenario” in Belarus. A military threat serving as the basis for the imposition of martial law is now considered "the concentration of the armed forces of another state (other states) along the State Border of the Republic of Belarus, indicating a real intention to use armed force against the independence, territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order of the Republic of Belarus", and "An attack, regardless of the declaration of war by another state" is recognized as "sending by another state (other states) or on behalf of another state (other states) into the territory of the Republic of Belarus armed bands (groups), irregular forces, mercenaries or units of regular troops using armed force against The Republic of Belarus".
Also very indicative is the report of the pro-government Belarusian Center for Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies “Belarus in the context of the Russia-NATO confrontation: Threats and challenges to sovereignty, independence and national security. Strategic conclusions and recommendations ”, published in the summer of 2016. The essence of the report is expressed in this marvelous passage: “An extreme manifestation of Moscow's pressure on Minsk was the deployment of Russian troops on the border with Belarus in an amount potentially sufficient to implement“ hybrid war ”measures on the Belarusian territory, similar in scale to those that were implemented in the east of Ukraine ”.
You ask, how is the 50,000-strong Lukashenka army going to fight against Russia, which has strong weapons and an 800,000-strong army, which has brilliantly shown itself in a number of recent armed conflicts? Well, let's start with the fact that Belarusian craftsmen have made such a formidable weapon, which, according to Lukashenka, is capable of "inflicting irreparable or unacceptable damage to the dreamer-aggressor." We are talking about a multiple launch rocket system "Polonaise", the name of which refers to the famous "Polonaise Oginsky", written by one of the leaders of the anti-Russian uprising of Tadeusz Kosciuszko - Mikhail Kleofas Oginsky (in the early 1990s, local nationalists even proposed to make the "Oginsky Polonaise" Belarus). The first successful test of the Polonez took place on June 16, 2016. As Lukashenko said, the new MLRS is a gift to the delegates of the Fifth All-Belarusian People's Assembly and the whole country.
In addition to the anti-aircraft missile system named after the Polish dance, Commander-in-Chief Lukashenko has another trump card up his sleeve - useful idiots from among the radical nationalists who previously hated the "dictator" fiercely and were repressed by the "regime". In February 2015, the nationalist resource "1863.com" published an anonymous article "The Last Chance Before the War", which said: country, but also makes certain - albeit not very bold and decorative - steps in this direction. And if he clearly knows and understands his goal - to keep and strengthen the state and his position in it, then many patriots and nationalists either find themselves in a stupor from breaking their own stereotypes, or act according to a template developed over 20 years: the regime cannot be good, but Lukashenka wants to keep power. Of course he does. Nobody will argue with this.
But the preservation of Lukashenka's power is possible only if the independent Belarusian state is preserved. He understands this. It's time to understand also for us - for those who are not indifferent to this state. If this task is more important for us than disagreeing with the authorities, then we may get a historical chance to realize it. Immediately after understanding this fact, several questions arise. The first one is the most important. The authorities are already successfully maintaining independence - albeit flawed in the eyes of a part of the population. Do they need helpers? Yes, we do. Lukashenka and Belarus need those who are ready to defend the state at a crucial moment, not for money and material benefits, and not under a stick. We need people who are ready to die for the country's independence. "
A month and a half after the publication of this article, former Belarusian “political prisoner”, member of the “Young Front” organization Eduard Lobov said in an interview with “Nasha Niva” about the possibility of “uniting with Lukashenka against Putin” and readiness to “defend the independence of the motherland with arms in hand”. After that, Lobov went to Ukraine to, as he put it, "to help the fraternal people in the struggle against the common enemy - the Muscovites."
At the end of November 2015, Young Front activists announced the creation of the Vayar military-patriotic club, where people with combat experience were invited as instructors. The leader of the Young Front members Dmitry Dashkevich formulated the goal of this club in the following way: “Confrontation between the fifth pro-Kremlin column in Belarus and the Russian aggression that this fifth column is preparing”. Judging by the pages of the Vayar club in social networks, its members regularly hold military-sports camps, and the state bodies of Belarus do not interfere in any way. At the same time, the participation of teenagers from Belarus in similar training camps in Russia causes an extremely negative reaction from the Belarusian media and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
President Lukashenko expressed his attitude to the military-sports activities of nationalists in his speech at the All-Belarusian People's Assembly on June 22, 2016: “We will not have the same as in some countries: hurray-patriots, sitting in front of the TV, are fighting in such a way that the whole world would captured. God forbid, something happens, we will give them the right to attack first. " That is, the "dad" made it clear to his "fellow" lads that if something happened, they could, following the example of their Ukrainian brothers-in-arms, create volunteer battalions to fight the "Muscovites".
It seems that the games of the Belarusian president in "war" have nothing to do with reality. Moscow does not and has never had any aggressive plans in relation to Belarus. On the contrary, Russia for 25 years, in spite of everything, has been the main sponsor of the Belarusian "Independence". It is Russian taxpayers who pay for the existence in the west of historical Russia of an independent, but not self-sufficient Belarus. At the same time, ordinary Belarusians suffer from Lukashenka's paranoia, whose material well-being is rapidly deteriorating against the backdrop of growing spending on the mythical war with Russia. In addition, the flirting of the “dad” with local nationalists can only destabilize the Belarusian society, which is predominantly pro-Russian.
Kirill Averyanov-Minsky
This picture tells us about the revolution of 1835. It was at that time that Texas decided to secede from Mexico, in connection with which there was a short war of independence. Against the background of all that is happening, the viewer will have a great opportunity to reveal the secret of the appearance of the Texas Rangers.
Original: Texas Rising
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Released: 2015
Director: Roland Joffe
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Good day! You know, sometimes filmmakers or writers are asked how they came up with such a film or book. What was the muse and material for creating their work, what feelings filled them, where they took inspiration. The authors, with eyes of complete happiness, are only happy to tell, all their sources, list names for a long time, thank many people. The creators of this series did not have to answer this question for a long time. Since it is clear that they were not visited by an idea, but by the desire to do something similar to the "Game of Thrones" TV series after watching it. I'm sure that since Game of Thrones, many non-professional screenwriters decided that they could take some historical period in which it was creepy and scary, and after those events they create adventures. They necessarily include something inexplicable and mystical. They also add Native American criminals, Mexican ambition, Texas independence, and American negotiation skills. All these Texas Rangers are running to save General Houston, who is diluting his thoughts with hard liquor. If in Game of Thrones even the worst showdowns were part of the atmosphere, they did not claim to be historical fact. That in this series, not only are historical events affected, but they also mock history. They represent the Texas War as some kind of ranger raids, some of the participants give themselves to their people, and some stuff their wallets, only occasionally matching the story of the loyalty of these people. And if someone does not understand historical events at all, then the series can seem like a very exciting series. As if this is just a work of art, in which everything can be. For those who don't live in the United States of America, it's still bearable to watch. But how to react to the unfolding events for people who respect the Alamo, their Texas relatives. It seems to me that this project can be successful among foreign citizens who will appreciate the spectacle and atmosphere of what is happening, heroes with different characters, all kinds of military, wise and vengeful characters. Heroes fight for their ideas, families, houses and land ... The authors touched on many topics, so if you work out some of the heroes and their stories to the end, it would be interesting. But the development of the heroes is somewhat limited because the fictional stories must be kept to a minimum. The audience of the History channel demands it ... It's a pity
Date of publication on the site: 28.08.2015
Quite recently I watched a series that I had been waiting for a very, very long time. I was delighted with how it was shown and how this fascinating spectacle was shown to us. I really liked the first episode, and from the second I was already drawn in, but such a drag was just a warm-up before the real viewing! I could not tear myself away after the third episode. The project attracted me so much, so pleased me with its diversity and originality that I don't even know what else to say! The plot focuses on the story of the war between Texas and Mexico. It is here that the formation of Texas as an independent state begins. It is here that "The Texas Uprising" shows us what people lived at that time, and indeed what was happening in the world then. I liked the project for its style. A kind of correct western in its best performance. This interpretation and film adaptation of real historical facts makes the series hugely popular. True, the project is separated from the historical reality by characters who do not correspond to the facts. That is, they are fictional, in general. The main advantage of the series, I would say, is the cast. The performers, perhaps, did everything to show their greatest strengths! Charismatic actors such as Bill Paxton, who flawlessly played the role of Sam Huston, and Olivier Martinez, who coped with the role of President of Santa Ana, are simply dragging the show. It's a sin not to mention such amazing personalities as Ray Liotta in the role of Lord and the beautiful Brandan Fraser, who played Bill Anderson. Do NOT forget about such great actors as Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Def Smith and the beautiful Cynthia Adai Robbinson, too. She plays the role of Emily West perfectly. And it's just that this performer makes me very happy. Well, you know, the list of outstanding actors and their roles can be continued for a very, very long time. Let me do this as quickly as possible so that I can mention each one and not forget anyone. Jeremy Davis as Ephraim Knowless, Robert Knepper in his typical role of the git Buckley, Christopher MacDonald as Henry Carnes, Max Thiriot and Robert Baker as Jack Hayes and Bigfoot Wallace, respectively, and of course Thomas Jane, who was obscenely small, but still he was good. In general, the entire cast came out amazing, it's hard to even identify any weak link, or something, because everyone is playing just fine. The main disadvantage of this project is that there are so many characters that each has a separate storyline, and this, you know, piles up the plot. The dramatic component disappears somewhere, completely evaporates. At the same time, the heroes are too distant from each other. And the events are too scattered throughout the project. Texas turns out to be very large in this series. If the series lasted a little longer, not as the authors did, then we would be able to see what we have not yet noticed. In general, almost all the main characters take up the airtime they should in principle. The main characters are well revealed, which is good news. At the same time, it's nice that from all the characters in the leading plan they don't single out any one - here everyone looks great, it seems to me. But in order to show us each character, we need a lot more episodes than there are now. The plot of the project can hardly be called new. Most likely, we have forgotten it well enough, but at the same time it looks fresh. The scenes of the battles, oddly enough, amazed with their scale and quality staging. I was completely delighted with what I saw. YES, and in some places extremely high-quality humor slips through, which I really like. The atmosphere is very, very pleasant in the series. The gunfights and horse chases were very atmospheric. It seems to me that just such a series should be on the list of favorites for every viewer. It is in it that all the main features of projects of this genre are revealed. The actors play insanely well, and the atmosphere fills the series with new colors. Well, I want to recommend the project to everyone. I give it eight out of ten and praise each creator for such an amazing and outstanding work.
"Shortly before my arrival, San Antonio was visited by a conservative senator,
known for his extremely advanced age and right-wing radical views.
In his speech, he made a wondrous Freudian slip by saying,
happy to be in the "city of the Alamo" where a handful of Americans fell in
an unequal battle with three thousand Russians. "
Russian teacher from memories of Texas
The Texas War of Independence is a clash between Mexican troops and settlers in part of the Mexican State of Texas. It lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836, but sea clashes continued even in the 1840s.
Prehistory of the conflict.
The Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821) resulted in the loss of most of New Spain by the Spanish, and Mexico was formed in these territories. On October 4, 1824, Mexico adopted a constitution that proclaimed Mexico a federal state of 19 states and 4 territories. The former Spanish Texas became a new state with its capital in Saltillo, a city hundreds of miles from the former capital of San Antonio de Bejar.
The newly formed state had no funds. Meanwhile, the raids of the Indians were forced, having no money for the regular army, to form self-defense units from the settlers. However, they were negligible - Texas was sparsely populated. To stimulate the influx of settlers, Spain in 1821 declared the vast, sparsely populated territory of Texas open to settlers from the United States. Mexico, which gained independence in the same year, continued this policy. Moreover, a campaign was carried out to attract settlers to Texas and from Mexico itself.
In the first half of the 1820s, about 200 American families, led by Hayden Edwards, established a colony near the town of Nacogdoches, in eastern Texas. Land disputes arose between American and Mexican settlers. The Mexican government sided with the Mexicans and demanded that Mexico be cleared. Then Edwards captured Nacogdoches on December 21, 1826, declared the independent republic of Fredonia, where the Mexican constitution of 1826 was in force. He managed to conclude an agreement with one of the Cherokee tribes. However, representatives sent from Mexico and respected Sheriff Stephen Austin were able to convince the tribal leaders to annul the treaty. On January 31, 1827, 100 Mexican soldiers and 250 Austin Rangers marched at Nacogdoches to restore order. Edwards' army of 200 and some of his Cherokee supporters were defeated. His supporters and he himself "made legs" in the United States. The survivors were sentenced to death, but pardoned.
Stephen Austin
The uprising forced Mexican President Victorio Guadeloupe to increase his military presence in the region, as a result of which the attacks of the Indians subsided. The Comanche tribe entered into an agreement with the settlers. Fearing that by exploiting instability, the United States would try to drag out Texas, the Mexican government began to take measures to reduce emigration of American settlers to Texas.
However, those already outnumbered the settlers from Mexico. To change the situation, President Anastasio Bustamante took a number of measures on April 6, 1830. Chief among them was the ban on emigration from the United States to Texas, but this ban did not apply to other parts of Mexico. In addition, the property tax law, which exempted immigrants from it for ten years, was canceled, and duties on goods from the United States were increased. Bustamante also demanded that the settlers enforce the ban on slavery and dueling. However, the settlers ignored his laws.
In Mexico itself, the political and economic situation was unstable, which contributed to the separatist sentiment of Americans in Texas. The abolition of the liberal constitution of 1824, and most importantly, the abolition of slavery in Mexico in September 1829, became unacceptable living conditions for American settlers, whose economy was agrarian. But they were not going to leave Texas either. Now everything depended on the position of Washington. One word from the American president was enough to spark a revolution, which was immediately supported by well-armed American volunteers.
By 1834, the number of English-speaking Texans had reached 30,000. While there were 7,800 Hispanics. By 1834, the number of slaves had already reached almost 5,000.
Discontent with the government grew among Texans. Many of the Mexican soldiers stationed in Texas were sent there to serve as punishment for crimes at home. Many Texans were unhappy that the state capital, which alternately became Saltillo and Monclova, was in both cases too far south, near the Mexican borders; they wanted to create another state with its own capital. There were also religious contradictions - Mexico did not pass the law on freedom of religion, and tried to impose Catholicism. According to Mexican law, church tithes were to be paid.
Economic reasons for the conflict.
Cotton was in great demand in Europe and was the most important source of US income. Texas land met the requirements for cotton farming, but slave labor was the most profitable way of cultivating cotton plantations.
The Mexican government attracted emigrants on the condition that they would start producing food. American settlers found it unprofitable and insisted on the resolution of slavery, ignoring their obligations. If they were forced to comply with the conditions, Texas planters suffered serious losses. Although most English-speaking Texans did not have slaves, the few who did held the entire economy and politics in their hands, enjoying increasing influence. So the current ban on slavery was essentially nominal in Texas.
Texans continued to lobby for the repeal of the 1830 laws. In April 1833, they called for the discussion of amendments to the laws on emigration, court and other issues. In addition, the delegates demanded the autonomy of Texas and sent Austin with this proposal to Mexico City. The new president, Antonio López de Santa Anna, approved many of the proposals, but rejected autonomy because it required a population of 80,000 and Texas had 30,000. When Austin wrote a letter calling for Texas to unilaterally secede from Mexico, he was arrested.
General Santa Anna was never scrupulous. First he fought on the side of Spain against the Mexicans, then on the side of Mexico against the Spaniards. He swore an oath of allegiance to the Mexican emperor and then organized an uprising against him. In 1833 he became "el-president", dictator of Mexico.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
In 1834, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was forced to dissolve parliament due to a crisis in the government. disarm the police and abolish the 1824 Constitution. He closed ports, began collecting land rents and took over the entire tax system, and arrested many planters who refused to donate cotton for export.
Deployment
In early 1835, the Mexican government switched from a federal to a centralized model. Cautious Texans began to set up self-help committees.
Their activities were coordinated by the central committee in Sant Filipe de Austin. Austin himself was released in July 1835, in August he already took an active part in this. In June, Texans staged a small revolution against tariffs, and the Anahuac riots forced the president to send additional forces to Texas. In July, Colonel Condell led 200 soldiers to Fort La Baia. The following month, a detachment of soldiers with Colonel Domingo de Ugartey arrived in Bejar. Fearing more serious action would be needed, Santa Anna dispatched his son-in-law, General Martin Perfecto de Cos, to Texas, who landed in Copano with 500 troops on September 20.
In response to Santa Anna's call for the civilian militia to disarm, Colonel Domingo Ugarteya, stationed in San Antonio, demanded the Texans return the cannon they had previously received from Mexico City. They refused. Ugartea sent Lieutenant Francisco Castaneda with 100 dragoons to take her away. When he arrived on the flooded Guadeloupe River in the Gonzalez area, there were only 18 Texans on the other side. Unable to get across, he encamped while the Texans hid the cannon and called in volunteers. This continued until reinforcements arrived at the Texans. On the morning of October 2, the Texans attacked. The Battle of Gonzalez ended with the Mexican retreat. The Mexicans had losses - two were killed, the Texans had one wounded (accidentally fell from a horse). Over the next days, Texans continued to concentrate in Gonzalez.
Upon learning of the embarrassment, Kos hurried to Behar. He set out with most of the forces on October 5, but since he could not find the carts, most of the supplies remained at La Bahia. Unaware of the departure of Kos, on October 6, the Texans marched against the Mexican garrison at Fort La Baia. They plotted to kidnap Kos and the $ 50,000 rumored he had. On October 10, the Texans attacked the fort, and it surrendered after a half-hour battle. One Texan was injured, and Mexican casualties were 3 killed and several wounded. 20 soldiers fled; they informed the garrisons of Copano and Refugio of the advance of the Texans. These garrisons left their posts and joined forces at Fort Lipantitlan, near San Patrizio.
The Texans seized $ 10,000 worth of food, blankets, clothing and other supplies. Over the next three months, these supplies were distributed among the Texas troops. Austin ordered a hundred men to settle in Goliad under the command of Captain Philip Dimmit, and the rest to join the Texas army and advance on Behar. Dimmitt suggested attacking Fort Lipantitlan, arguing that its capture would help defend the border and encourage the Mexican federalists. The Mexicans in this fort kept the locals from openly supporting the federalists.
On October 31, Dimmit sent a detachment led by Ira Westver to capture the fort. On November 3, they suddenly appeared at the target and took the fort without firing a shot, and the next day they razed it to the ground. Just as they were about to leave, a detachment of Mexicans returned from patrol. After a short battle, the Mexicans retreated. As a result, only Kos's detachment remained in Behar. Since the Texans controlled the coast, reinforcements could only come in bypass through the depths of the territory. Which deprived Kos of the hope of quickly waiting for reinforcements.
While Dimmitt held the coast, Austin managed to organize from the Texans gathered at Gonzalez. regular army. On October 13, he led his newly formed army to Behar. A week later, they reached the Gulf of Salado and began a siege of Behar. Seeing that a gap arose between the Texan forces when their part was stationed in Concepcion, Kos sent 275 soldiers and two cannons with Ugartea to Concepcion. On October 28, a battle took place in which the Mexicans were defeated and fled, losing guns, 14 killed and 39 wounded. This was the first real fight.
Meanwhile, in San Filipe de Austin in November, a Provisional Government was created, which did not set itself the final separation from Mexico, but only the opposition to the centralists. Henry Smith became Governor, and Sam Houston became Commander-in-Chief. Since there was still no regular army, Sam Houston began to create one. Land was provided to those entering the army. The US was asked for a loan of $ 100,000. Hundreds of copies of military textbooks were also subscribed.
Sam Houston
On November 18, a group of volunteers from the United States joined the besiegers. They wore uniforms, had excellent guns and military discipline, standing out sharply among the Texans. Meanwhile, Austin left the post of Commander and went to the United States as envoy, and Edward Burleson was promoted to the post of commander. Meanwhile winter came, the morale of the besiegers, forced to suffer from the cold, plummeted. The question arose about lifting the siege. At the war council. listening to the altercations, old Colonel Ben Millam yelled - "Who with me, old man, will go to the assault?" - and several hundred soldiers, including the entire detachment from the United States, agreed to go into the attack, which began on December 5. For the next few days, the attackers fought their way in two columns, from house to house, to the fortified plaza, where the Mexicans settled .. On December 7, the colonel was killed. On December 9, Kos and most of his people departed for the Alamo Mission, on the outskirts of Vehar. Kos offered to launch a counterattack, but the officers refused. About 175 cavalrymen galloped south. On December 11, the Texans surrounded the Alamo and demanded that Kosa surrender. Under the terms of the surrender, Kos and his people left Texas and refused to participate in the war. Many Texans believed the war would end there. Burleson resigned. People went home, only 400 fighters remained. Soon, however, a new squadron of Texans and Americans arrived with heavy artillery. There were many plans to bring the war to Mexico, but not one came true. Small expeditions ended in failures, and for a serious one there was not enough strength and unity of commanders.
The President of Mexico and the Mexican Congress have formally warned foreigners staying or planning to land in Texas:
Foreigners landing on the coast of the Republic or invading its territory by land, armed, and with the intent of attacking our country, will be deemed pirates and dealt with as such, being citizens of no nation presently at war with the Republic and fighting under no recognized flag.
All foreigners who shall import, by either sea or land, in the places occupied by the rebels, either arms or ammunition or any kind for their use, will be deemed pirates and punished as such.
Captured pirates, as usual, were immediately to be hanged. The resolution gave the Mexicans the right not to take prisoners. Santa Anna also announced this in a letter to Andrew Jackson.
Invasion
In December 1835, 6,000 soldiers were assembled in Sal Luis Protos to invade Texas. Some commanders suggested advancing along the bay, which would make it possible for reinforcements from the sea. Instead, Santa Anna ordered an attack on Bejar, a political center and a recruit training center. Santa Anna wanted to restore a reputation tarnished by his son-in-law's infamous surrender. A long march would also give the recruits time to drill.
We moved slowly. There were not enough mules, civilian drivers left if their salaries were delayed. The large number of female soldiers and children accompanying the army exacerbated the situation. The diet became scarce. Out of Saltillo's reach, the army stopped for two weeks - Santa Anna fell ill. Recruits were trained. Many recruits had no idea what the scope was for and were afraid of the recoil of the shot. On January 26 we set off again. 12 February crossed the Rio Grande. The temperature is low. Some recruits from the tropical Yucatan were dying of hypothermia. Dysentery spread, and as they advanced, the locals abandoned their homes and fled north. The lagging Mexicans were trapped and killed by the Comanches.
General José Urrea moved to Texas from Matamoros, sticking to the coast and preventing foreign ships from assisting the Texans and leaving the Mexican fleet to resupply the army. After defeating several small groups of Texans, Urrea went to Goliad, where there were 450 Texan fighters led by Colonel Fanning. The latter divided his forces, sending 148 people to Refugio, but this detachment was destroyed by the troops of Urrea, and the survivors were taken prisoner.
Fanning was ordered to leave Golead and retreat to Victoria, but he hesitated until March 19. His forces of 300 were intercepted on the open prairie near Coleto Creek. The Texans lined up in a square, and in three attacks the Mexicans were unable to break through. During the night, Mexican snipers killed many Texans with their fire. Not having enough water for the wounded and to cool the guns, the Texans found themselves in a hopeless situation and surrendered on the morning of March 20.
The 342 prisoners captured by Urrea were executed by order of the President of Santa Anna on Palm Sunday.
Combat map
Alamo
Meanwhile, the Mexican army arrived in San Antonio de Bejar on February 23rd. The Texas garrison was decidedly unprepared for an attack and began to swiftly demolish food and supplies in the Alamo. By nightfall, Bejar was busy with 1,500 Mexicans. For the next 13 days, the Mexicans besieged the Alamo.
The Alamo can only be called a fort at a stretch - it is a Catholic mission, which by 1835 was more than 100 years old. Before the uprising, there was a small Mexican garrison here. Fortifications of the Alamo would rather be saved from the Indian raid, but no more. The Alamo is protected by 800 meters of adobe walls. Their height in some places reaches 180 cm, and in some places even 4 meters. The north side of the fort collapses and the defenders decide to fill the space between the wooden palisade with earth. The same picture at the southeast wall.
Storming the Alamo
The main building of the Alamo is a dilapidated church. Its walls are 120 cm thick, but everything has subsided and dilapidated. An earthen ramp and nave give access to the platform on which the artillery is mounted. Two rooms on both sides of the entrance to the church have a roof and are protected from the elements. The rebels keep supplies of gunpowder there. A little further back in the church, there are rooms where 14 women and children are housed.
The most efficient part of the Alamo garrison was the Tennessee volunteers led by Davy Crockett. It was they who covered the southeast wall.
Davy Crockett was by that time a very famous person - he was famed for his exploits during the company of Andrew Jackson in the war against the Creek Indians, as well as various stories: Davy himself claimed that he somehow shot 47 bears in one month, that he eats an alligator at a time etc. Unable to get into the Senate, Crockett swore allegiance to the Texas government and volunteered for 6 months.
Jim Bui was born in Louisiana, where he made a fortune in the slave trade with the pirate Jean Lafitte. In 1828, Bui moved to Behar and married the daughter of a Texas lieutenant governor. He began to invest in the mythical lost silver mines, but his wife soon died, his fortune melted and he began to drink heavily. Three months before the start of the siege, Bui took part in the capture of the Alamo. However, his health was poor and the last 11 of the 13 days of the siege, Bui will spend in bed, dying of a fever.
William Travis was born and raised in South Carolina. Then he moved to Alabama, where he practiced law, taught at school and published in a newspaper. In 1831, he unexpectedly left his wife and young son and left for Texas. There he organized a detachment of local militia, and he himself became a captain. In January 1836, he arrived with his detachment for reinforcements at the Alamo. Soon, Travis will become garrison commander and colonel.
On the morning of February 24, a Mexican battery consisting of two 8-pounder guns and one mortar opened fire on the fort. But the Mexican guns are weak - Santa Anna is waiting for the 12-pound guns. As night falls, Travis dispatches a messenger to Gonzales, 70 km away, with an appeal to "the people of Texas and the Americans of the world":
"Thousands of Santa Anna soldiers besiege me, artillery fires at me for days, but I have not lost a single person. I will never give up and will not retreat. And now I call on all Americans, for the sake of freedom, patriotism and all that is dear to Americans, to help and send troops. If this does not happen, I will perish, as befits a soldier, remembering my honor, duty and my country. Freedom or death !!! "
On the night of February 25, several besieged sally sallied and set fire to the village of La, the only place where troops could be secretly concentrated for an attack, in a bare as prairie table.
Time past midnight March 1, 1836. Each Sentinel Alamo carries 4-5 long-barreled rifles - one of them fired. One of 32 Texans who had leaked through Mexican patrols from Gonzales was injured.
On March 2, 1836, in Washington-on-Brasos, the Texas House of Representatives, with 59 delegates, declared the independence of Texas. David G. Burnet became Interim President of the Texas Republic, Stephen Austin became US Special Commissioner for Strategic Assistance and Volunteer Recruitment. Sam Houston was appointed commander-in-chief, he was supposed to march, but the performance was postponed because Houston wanted to be present at the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, scheduled for March 6.
On March 4, his best battalions approached Santa Anna, now the general had almost 3 thousand people. Santa Anna decided to prepare for the assault without waiting for the arrival of heavy artillery.
On March 5, according to legend, Colonel Travis lined up a garrison in Alamo Square, then drew a line in front of the formation with his broadsword, urged them to rally before the last battle and cross the line. Those who wanted to could leave the fort. The only person who did this was Louis Rose on whose stories the legend is based. At night, Travis sends out a final call for help, carried by Jim Allan, a student at Kentukian college. So, the Alamo is surrounded by 6 Mexican batteries. The battery is in the northeast, just 240 meters from the wall. At 3 am on March 6, General Santa Anna is among the troops. By 5 a.m., Mexican troops were in position.
At 5.30 the assault began. 2 thousand soldiers went to the assault. The main blow falls on the weakly fortified North Wall. The defenders managed to repulse two attacks, in the confusion of the battle the Mexicans opened fire on each other, creating a real blockage of corpses near the North Wall, but soon they kill Travis, and the Mexicans regroup and, climbing the palisade, rush into Alamo Square. Buoys are killed right in bed, while trying to set fire to a powder store, they will kill a certain Andrew Evans. By half past 7 in the morning on March 6, it's all over. The Mexicans lost 600 people killed and wounded, many more will then die from lack of medical care. Seven defenders of the fort were taken prisoner, including Davy Crockett. Santa Anna ordered everyone to be shot. All the defenders of the Alamo were killed: either 183, or 189 people.
After Bejara, Santa Anna divided the army and sent three flying units inland. General José de Urrea advanced eastward, Sata Anna and General Aaquín Ramirez y Sesma advanced in the center, and General Antonio Gaona advanced in the north on Nagaydoches, and then had to prevent the enemy from retreating to Louisiana.
Sam Houston immediately realized that his small army could not face Santa Anna in open battle. The Texans were especially afraid of the experienced Mexican cavalry. He had only one option - to retreat east. He ordered to advance to the US border. and many of the inhabitants also followed him. According to one of the possible scenarios, he was going to leave Texas and go to the territory of Louisiana - as one of the versions says. On the way towards Louisiana, a scorched earth policy was implemented. Soon the roads became impassable from the rains. Cold and dampness weakened both armies.
The army of Santa Anna was advancing on Houston's heels; the city of Gonzalez was not defended and was set on fire. The same fate befell San Felipe de Austin. Despair grew in the ranks of the Texans, and some of their hostility was directed towards the commander. Little streams stood in the way of Santa Anna, which gave Houston an opportunity to rest and train soldiers. The retreat was preceded by crowds of refugees.
The Gaona's army changed its original direction and, turning to the southeast, joined forces with General Sesma in San Felipe, not suspecting that it had missed the Houston camp on the march. For two weeks, the Texans remained undetected, training soldiers and recruiting volunteers. In early April, the Mexican army had no idea where the main forces of Houston were, while the Texans knew every movement of the Mexicans. In the end, in Harrisburg, Santa Anna received information about the location of the Texans, but he learned about this from the Houston scouts and, forcing the Brazos River, moved strictly to the east. However, Santa Anna did it rashly. He sought to seize the Texas interim government and with only the best units, leaving most of the army behind, he hurried to San Jacinto. At the same time, Houston suddenly turned back southeast, towards Harrisburg. Houston was advancing!
San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
Houston learned of Santa Anna's unexpected maneuver. Santa Anna's 700-man column was moving east of Harrisburg. Without Houston's approval, 900 Texans followed. Houston had no choice but to follow them. On April 20, the armies met on the San Jacinto River. They were separated by a slope covered with tall grass, which the Texans used for shelter. Santa Anna gleefully contemplated at last the Texas army, awaiting reinforcements led by General Kos. Much to the dismay of the Texans, the latter managed quickly and brought in 540 more soldiers, increasing Santa Anna's forces to over 1,400. Embittered by Houston's indecision and lost chance, the Texas Army decided to attack. On April 21 at 4:30 am, the Texans set fire to the bridge, which was the only way to get reinforcements or escape for both armies, and rushed into the front, covered with tall grass. Their appearance took the enemy by surprise. Thrown back into their camp by an unexpected blow, the Mexicans were killed or taken prisoner in an 18-minute skirmish. The losses amounted to 700 Mexicans killed and the same number of prisoners. Santa Anna disappeared during the battle, taking off his presidential uniform. Unfortunately for Santa Ana, he wore silk underwear, which they figured out for him. He was taken to Houston, wounded in the leg. Santa Anna agreed to end the war.
On May 14, 1836, Santa Anna signed the Velasca Treaties. The signatories were represented by Interim President of Texas David Burnet and Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The treaties outlined the end of hostilities between the warring parties and offered the first steps towards the official recognition of the independence of the breakaway Republic of Texas. Open and secret agreements were signed. The treaties have not been ratified by the Mexican government.
Although General Vicente Filisola began withdrawing troops on May 26, the government of President José Justo Corro in Mexico City decided on May 20 to withdraw from all of the commitments made by Santa Anna while he was in captivity. Mexico's position was that Santa Anna had no legal right to accept those terms; Santa Anna's position - or at least as he later stated when he returned to Mexico - was that he signed the documents under duress as a prisoner of war, not a capitulating general under the laws of war. Indeed, according to the Mexican constitution, he did not have the authority to sign the treaty, and in any case, the treaty was not ratified by the Mexican government.
Santa Anna was not released to Veracruz. He remained a prisoner of war ("shackled for 6 months," he later said) in Velasco and later in Orisimbo, before being sent to Washington, USA to meet with President Andrew Jackson (ostensibly to discuss a lasting peace between Mexico and Texas, in which the United States acted as an intermediary). Sailing aboard the American frigate Pioneer, a guest of the American fleet, Santa Anna did not return to Veracruz until February 23, 1837.
Conflict with the European Union following the elections
One of the first and most notorious international scandals involving Belarus - after the 1996 referendum - took place in 2001, when the next presidential election took place. Then Alexander Lukashenko showed an almost "elegant" result of 75.65% of the votes.
European observers suspected something was wrong and accused the Belarusian officials of “falsifications, numerous violations and non-compliance with democratic standards”. It was from this moment that the Belarusian-European relations finally deteriorated, which led to political and economic sanctions against our country.
"Quarrel" with the United States
Until 2004, the Belarusian-American relations developed quite calmly, albeit with varying degrees of success. However, the Belarusian "problems with democracy" gradually accumulated, which resulted in the famous "Act on Democracy in Belarus", which was adopted by the US Congress.
- We will fight for Belarus to free itself from tyranny. The change of the regime of President Lukashenko is planned not by armed means, but with the help of international pressure, the senator said then John McCain.
Among other things, the adopted Act demanded that the Belarusian authorities release political prisoners and stop the persecution of opposition politicians and independent journalists.
"Showdown" over the Union of Poles
For a long time relations with Poland were among the priorities of Belarus - exactly until the moment when the Belarusian authorities in 2005 struck a blow at the public association “Union of Poles in Belarus”.
The association, which was mainly involved in supporting the Polish language and culture, was at the center of a scandal. The Belarusian Ministry of Justice then refused to recognize as the head of the organization Angelica Boris, elected by the delegates of the congress of the Union of Poles in Belarus, despite the recommendations from Minsk. As a result, with the support of Belarusian officials, an “alternative congress of Poles” was held in Belarus, which elected its leader, whom Warsaw, for obvious reasons, categorically refused to recognize.
The reluctance of the two countries to give up their principles led to a long "cold war" between Belarus and Poland.
Diplomatic conflict with Sweden
Following the expulsion of the American ambassador from the country in 2008, the Belarusian authorities decided a couple of years later to repeat this trick with diplomats from Sweden.
After the landing of the “plush trooper”, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it announced that the entire staff of the Belarusian embassy in Sweden had been recalled from this country. In turn, the Swedish side was asked to take similar measures and recall all its diplomats from Minsk.
Prior to that, the Ambassador of Sweden urgently left Minsk Stefan Eriksson, who was denied the accreditation extension by the Belarusian authorities and accused of “destructive activity”.
Trade wars with Ukraine and not only
As it became known recently, the interdepartmental commission on international trade made a decision from January 20, 2015 to introduce a special duty of 39.2% on a number of Belarusian goods, which will be a response to “unfriendly actions” on the part of Belarus.
In fact, this case illustrates well what has repeatedly happened in the Belarusian-Ukrainian economic relations. For example, not earlier than in July a similar dispute arose between Belarus and Ukraine, when Belarusian officials introduced licenses for the supply of certain types of Ukrainian products.
Difficult moments between the two countries were also on the political plane, for example, when Lukashenka did not come to the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and properly “walked” over the then Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.
- Unfortunately, the current leadership of Ukraine has enough lice. I'm not going to ask anyone. And I'm not going to be some kind of a singer either, - the head of the Belarusian state said then.
Long-standing "friendship" with Russia
Surprisingly, best of all Belarus manages to quarrel with “fraternal Russia”. Suffice it to recall the regular gas, milk and other food wars, as well as information wars with screenings about the head of Belarus. Or the potash conflict with the arrest of a Russian. Even the position of Belarus on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict last year made our eastern neighbors seriously nervous.
Well, as they say at harsh Belarusian weddings, the main thing is that without stabbing.