The Ba Congress was a meeting of representatives of the Chetnik movement led by Draža Mihailović (pictured) between 25 and 28 January 1944 in the village of Ba in German-occupied Serbia during World War II. The congress advanced a political alternative to the communist-led Anti- Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) of the Yugoslav Partisans. In December 1943, the major Allied powers had decided to provide their exclusive support to the Partisans and withdraw support from the Chetniks, as they had concluded that the Chetniks were more interested in collaborating with the Axis powers against the Partisans than fighting the Axis. The congress denounced the decisions of the AVNOJ, re-asserted its full support for the Yugoslav government- in-exile and opposition to the Axis, and proposed a Serb-centric vision for the political and socio-economic future of Yugoslavia. However, with the Allied policy change, nothing could be done to improve the position of the movement.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba_Congress

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1820:

A Russian expedition led by naval officers Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev made the first sighting of the coast of Antarctica. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica

1945:

The Soviet Red Army liberated about 7,000 prisoners left behind by the Nazis in Auschwitz concentration camp (entrance pictured), in present-day Oświęcim, Poland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auschwitz_concentration_camp

1974:

Brisbane, Australia, was flooded when the Brisbane River broke its banks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_Brisbane_flood

2003:

The first selections for the United States National Recording Registry were announced by the Library of Congress. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Recording_Registry

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

kaddish: (Judaism) A Jewish prayer of praise to God recited during services, and specifically when mourning the death of a close relative. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kaddish

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I am such a great exponent of stopping this whole nonsense of war. Unfortunately limits — attempts to limit war have always failed. The lesson of history is when a war starts every nation will ultimately use whatever weapon it has available.   --Hyman G. Rickover https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hyman_G._Rickover