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The United States Navy ferries troops across the Rhine at Oberwesel.

American logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany supported operations in Northwest Europe during World War II from January 1945 until the end of the war in Europe on 8 May. The Allies had to advance across the Rhineland, which was in the grip of thaws, rains and floods. They were then confronted by the Rhine, the most formidable barrier to the Allied advance since the English Channel. The river was crossed and bridged, and railways and pipelines were run across it. Most supplies were delivered by rail. In the final advance into the heart of Germany, combat losses and ammunition expenditure declined, while shortages of fuel and spare parts developed, as was to be expected in fast-moving mobile operations. Railheads were pushed forward, with the rehabilitation of the network keeping pace with the advance, while the Motor Transport Service organized an express service that moved supplies from the railheads to the forward units. (Full article...)

Desert columbine flowers

• ... that mining engineer William H. Shockley found specimens that were used to describe Aquilegia shockleyi (pictured) and Lupinus shockleyi?
• ... that the only surviving autograph pages of one of Bach's chorale cantatas ended up in three libraries on two continents?
• ... that Kilmer Armado Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March 2025 due to an "administrative error" by the U.S. government?
• ... that the Oregon Garden obtained the Gordon House because of a misunderstanding?
• ... that a statue of German-born missionary Johann Gottlieb Schwarz was commissioned by Prabowo Subianto, later president of Indonesia?
• ... that the murder of Patricia Jeschke resulted in the longest prison tenure for a wrongfully convicted American woman?
• ... that Belize's Toledo Progressive Party was accused of being funded by the government of Guatemala?
• ... that swimmer Yuri Hosei was studying at a restaurant when she learned that she had qualified to represent Palau at the 2024 Summer Olympics?
• ... that instead of drinking liquor with prospective clients, Arthur Harrison Motley sent them notes written in red pencil crayon, 10,000 times a year?

Friedrich Merz

• Friedrich Merz (pictured) is elected Chancellor of Germany and sworn in alongside his coalition government.
• India conducts missile strikes on Pakistani targets, and Pakistan retaliates.
• Zhao Xintong defeats Mark Williams to win the World Snooker Championship.
• In the Singaporean general election, the People's Action Party retains a supermajority of seats.

May 8: Anniversary of the birth of Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico (1753); Victory in Europe Day (1945)

Lady Blanche Arundell

• 1643 – First English Civil War: The first siege of Wardour Castle ended after six days with the surrender of the Royalist garrison under Lady Blanche Arundell (pictured).
• 1842 – A train derailed and caught fire near Versailles, France, killing at least 52 people.
• 1927 – French aviators Charles Nungesser and François Coli aboard the biplane L'Oiseau Blanc took off from Paris, attempting to make the first non-stop flight to New York, only to disappear before arrival.
• 1963 – In Huế, South Vietnam, soldiers opened fire into a crowd of Buddhists protesting against a government ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Phật Đản, killing nine and sparking the Buddhist crisis.
• 1972 – Four members of Black September hijacked Sabena Flight 571 to demand the release of 315 Palestinians convicted on terrorism charges.