QUOTE
U.S.'s 'Iron Hammer' Code Name 1st Used by Nazis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military's code name for a crackdown on resistance in Iraq (news - web sites) was also used by the Nazis for an aborted operation to damage the Soviet power grid during World War II.
"Operation Iron Hammer" this week launched the 1st Armored Division's 3rd Brigade into the roughest parts of Baghdad to ferret out the attackers who have killed scores of U.S. troops since Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) was ousted in April.
A Pentagon (news - web sites) official said the name was chosen because of the "Old Ironsides" nickname of the 1st Armored Division. He was unaware of any connection to any Nazi operation.
"Eisenhammer," the German for "iron hammer," was a Luftwaffe code name for a plan to destroy Soviet generating plants in the Moscow and Gorky areas in 1943, according to Universal Lexikon on the www.infobitte.de Web site.
A researcher at Britain's Imperial War Museum confirmed the existence of Eisenhammer.
The Nazi's long-range bombing operation was repeatedly postponed and was finally scrapped after an allied air assault destroyed many of the German planes on the ground in 1945, shortly before the defeat of Germany.
After it declared war on terrorism, U.S. officials changed the code name for its impending attack on Afghanistan (news - web sites) to Operation Enduring Freedom.
The original name, Operation Infinite Justice, was jettisoned amid fears that the Muslim world, already leery of U.S. intentions, would object on the basis of Koranic teachings that only God can provide infinite justice.
http://story.news.ya.../iraq_hammer_dc
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military's code name for a crackdown on resistance in Iraq (news - web sites) was also used by the Nazis for an aborted operation to damage the Soviet power grid during World War II.
"Operation Iron Hammer" this week launched the 1st Armored Division's 3rd Brigade into the roughest parts of Baghdad to ferret out the attackers who have killed scores of U.S. troops since Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) was ousted in April.
A Pentagon (news - web sites) official said the name was chosen because of the "Old Ironsides" nickname of the 1st Armored Division. He was unaware of any connection to any Nazi operation.
"Eisenhammer," the German for "iron hammer," was a Luftwaffe code name for a plan to destroy Soviet generating plants in the Moscow and Gorky areas in 1943, according to Universal Lexikon on the www.infobitte.de Web site.
A researcher at Britain's Imperial War Museum confirmed the existence of Eisenhammer.
The Nazi's long-range bombing operation was repeatedly postponed and was finally scrapped after an allied air assault destroyed many of the German planes on the ground in 1945, shortly before the defeat of Germany.
After it declared war on terrorism, U.S. officials changed the code name for its impending attack on Afghanistan (news - web sites) to Operation Enduring Freedom.
The original name, Operation Infinite Justice, was jettisoned amid fears that the Muslim world, already leery of U.S. intentions, would object on the basis of Koranic teachings that only God can provide infinite justice.
http://story.news.ya.../iraq_hammer_dc
That's splendind.
Military Advisor #1: I'm not sure about this "Operation Infinite Justice" thing. It turns out that in some book called the Koo Ran or the Door Man or something--I dunno, the Mooslams seem to like it--they say that only God can provide infinite justice.
Military Advisor #2: Hmmm. Good catch, Ruggles. WE should change the name then. How about this old aborted Nazi strike called "Operation Iron Hammer"?
Military Advisor #1: I dunno. Do you think that using a Nazi operation name might not be such a good idea? I mean, that's a touchy subject.
Military Advisor #2: Huh? Oh. Ha ha ha! Oh Ruggles, you have a lot to learn about the world and history. That was the Jews that had problems with the Nazis. Not the Muslims.
Military Advisor #1: Oh yeah, I think you're right. Well in that case the Muslims will probably approve of that.
Military Advisor #2: Now you're getting it, Ruggles. Now you're finally getting it.