The South China Sea raid was conducted by the United States Third Fleet between 10 and 20 January 1945 during the Pacific War. Undertaken to support the liberation of Luzon in the Philippines, it targeted Japanese warships, supply convoys and aircraft in the region. After attacking airfields and shipping at Formosa and Luzon, the Third Fleet entered the South China Sea and aircraft from its carriers attacked Japanese shipping off French Indochina on 12 January, sinking 44 vessels. The fleet then sailed north and attacked Formosa again on 15 January. Further raids were conducted against Hong Kong, Canton and Hainan the next day. The South China Sea raid was highly successful as the American force destroyed a large number of Japanese ships and aircraft, while losing relatively few aircraft. According to historians, the destruction of cargo vessels and oil tankers was the most important result of the raid, as these contributed to closing a supply route which was vital to the Japanese war effort.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Sea_raid
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1895:
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, was founded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Places_of_Historic_Interest_or_Natural_Beauty
1911:
The University of the Philippines College of Law, from which many leading Filipino political figures have since graduated, was founded in Quezon City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_the_Philippines_College_of_Law
1964:
Rebels led by John Okello overthrew Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah, ending 200 years of Arab dominance in Zanzibar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanzibar_Revolution
2010:
An earthquake registering 7.0 Mw struck Haiti (damage pictured), affecting an estimated three million people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
charlotte russe: A dessert of custard or whipped cream enclosed in sponge cake, often in the form of ladyfingers. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/charlotte_russe
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle. It is not enough in a situation of trust in the commonwealth, that a man means well to his country; it is not enough that in his single person he never did an evil act, but always voted according to his conscience, and even harangued against every design which he apprehended to be prejudicial to the interests of his country. This innoxious and ineffectual character, that seems formed upon a plan of apology and disculpation, falls miserably short of the mark of publick duty. That duty demands and requires, that what is right should not only be made known, but made prevalent; that what is evil should not only be detected, but defeated. --Edmund Burke https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Edmund_Burke