@lsureveille Another piping hot take from a poorly written and informed opinion article.
Let’s break it down. https://www.lsureveille.com/opinion/opinion-out-with-the-old-skule-in-with-the-new/article_b6e43c9e-34f4-11eb-938d-f3938e5d8e75.html
Let’s break it down. https://www.lsureveille.com/opinion/opinion-out-with-the-old-skule-in-with-the-new/article_b6e43c9e-34f4-11eb-938d-f3938e5d8e75.html
It is extremely frustrating that the military history of LSU is everyone’s initial finger pointing when we talk social reform. We got some really cool history that is intertwined with Louisiana politics, reconstruction and southern hate towards Union generals.
Taking Middleton down was a good thing. It’s true. He was racist. See ya.
Every male that enrolled in LSU was mandated to conscript in the military program on campus for 2 years with the ability to opt in to the ROTC program to commission as an Officer in 4 years.
Until 1969, LSU was the same size program as TAMU, producing quality Officers and was on track to become a Senior Military College until student body reform removed the mandatory 2-year conscription and defunded the ROTC/drill program.
Let us not forget that LSU, with how dramatically underfunded it is, is a Land, Sea, Space Grant University. It literally only exists at the hands of the Department of Defense. It is required and forever will have an ROTC program on campus.
First thing first. LSU exists only because of its military foundation. Founded in 1860, the program was cradled by William T Sherman a US General who played a heavy role in ending the Civil War and who returned to rebuild the state and continue teaching.
I can’t get over how incredibly wrong this kid is when it comes to these cannons. I originally thought they were 12 pounder napoleons when I did a report on them. But nope.
The cannons in front of the MSB (Military Science Building) are 14 pounder Ames cannons. Their 1861 casting stamp from the yards in Union-owned Philadelphia makes it impossible to be captured by Confederates and used at Ft Sumter. It’s folklore. A legend.
There is a very good chance these cannons never fired a shot in the war. The current condition of them and the dating/factory dates in the LSU archives shows that they were created in the arms rush for the war but never made it out of Union territory.
They were donated to the school as display pieces when Union occupying forces dissolved.
Second. Between LSU and its sister university, TAMU, both schools were producing and commissioning more Officers during WW1 than West Point. Fighting in Cantigny. Belleau Wood and Argonne.
Second. Between LSU and its sister university, TAMU, both schools were producing and commissioning more Officers during WW1 than West Point. Fighting in Cantigny. Belleau Wood and Argonne.
LSU has not dedicated a single piece of terrain or infrastructure to its founder, first superintendent Will T Sherman. As they should.
The Flying Tigers of Chenault’s volunteer pilots that fought for the free Chinese army during the beginnings of WWII is where I consider ourselves tigers. Chinese Bandits.
I accredit the Flying Fighting Tigers with the LSU name than the drunk regiment of misfits that were known for war crimes.