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Reynolds, John Fulton

(Encyclopedia)Reynolds, John Fulton, 1820–63, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Lancaster, Pa. He distinguished himself in the Mexican War. In the Civil War, Reynolds was made (Aug., 1861) a brigadier g...

Rickenbacker, Edward Vernon

(Encyclopedia)Rickenbacker, Edward Vernon, 1890–1973, American war hero and airline executive, b. Columbus, Ohio. He became a car racing driver at 16 and set numerous speed records. In World War I he volunteered ...

Rodgers, Christopher Raymond Perry

(Encyclopedia)Rodgers, Christopher Raymond Perry, 1819–92, American naval officer, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. Appointed midshipman in 1833, he served in the Mexican War. In the Civil War he took part in the Union reductio...

Sedan

(Encyclopedia)Sedan sədäNˈ [key], town (1990 pop. 22,407), Ardennes dept., NE France, on the Meuse River. A noted textile center since the 16th cent., Sedan also has metal and brewing industries. The town became...

Vereshchagin, Vasily Vasilyevich

(Encyclopedia)Vereshchagin, Vasily Vasilyevich vəsēˈlyē vəsēlˈyəvĭch vyĕrĭshchäˈgĭn [key], 1842–1904, Russian painter, soldier, and traveler. He is best known for his military pictures, which portra...

Shamyl

(Encyclopedia)Shamyl or Shamil both: shäˈmĭl [key], 1798?–1871, imam (religious and political leader) of the E Caucasus. From 1834 to 1859 he led the Muslim tribes of the E Caucasus in their holy war to resist...

Alanbrooke, Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Alanbrooke, Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount ălˈənbro͝okˌ [key], 1883–1963, British general. He entered the field artillery in 1902 and served with distinction during World War I. In the 1930s...

Davis, Elmer

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Elmer, 1890–1958, American newspaperman, radio commentator, and author, b. Aurora, Ind. Davis was a Rhodes scholar (1910–13) at Oxford. For 10 years (1914–24) he was on the staff of the N...

excess profits tax

(Encyclopedia)excess profits tax, levy on any profit above a standard level. Chiefly a wartime phenomenon, it is intended to increase revenue during periods of distress and to prevent businessmen from taking unfair...

Trochu, Louis Jules

(Encyclopedia)Trochu, Louis Jules lwē zhül trôshüˈ [key], 1815–96, French general. He fought in Algeria, in the Crimean War, and in the Italian war of 1859. In L'Armée française en 1867 (1867), he criticiz...