Summit Gist

Polish women led to execution site in a forest near Palmiry village close to Warsaw. Woman in the foreground was identified after the war by her checked coat as Janina Skalska, age 38, miller's wife from Piaseczno. Palmiry, Poland, 1940. The Palmiry Massacres Palmiry has become, as Richard C. Lukas puts it, "one of the most notorious places of mass executions" in Poland. It is also one of the most famous sites of Nazi crimes in Poland. Along with the Katyn Forest, it became a symbol of the martyrdom of the Polish intelligentsia during the Second World War..... Read more In 2011 Polish president Bronisław Komorowski said, "Palmiry is to some extent the Warsaw Katyn." Massacres of Poles had been taking place since the invasion of Poland.   Poles were the first victims of the Germans in Poland from the start of the invasion on September 1, 1939. One of the best-documented cases of these massacres took place on 20–21 June 1940, when 358 members of the Polish politic...

The March against Fear, 1966 In this picture, civil rights activist James Meredith is shot in the head, back, and neck by a sniper who ambushed Meredith when he led a March to spread awareness of racism.  Meredith is a veteran air force pilot. He was the first black man to attend the University of Mississippi in 1962. He was initially accepted; however, when his race was discovered, he was denied entry. The US Court found that the university discriminated against Meredith, allowing him access to the facility. Meredith was escorted by police on his first day as there was a high threat level against Meredith by racists in the area.... Read story  In 1966, Meredith participated in a March that he created called "March Against Fear," in which he was the only participant. The March would last 220 miles. He began his March on June 5, intending to spread awareness against racism and get African Americans to vote for politicians supporting their rights in the upcoming elections. On t...

Florida's Messiest Execution On July 8, 1999, the execution of Allen Lee Davis set off a shock wave that rippled around the world. During his time in the electric chair, Davis bled profusely from the nose and suffered burns to his head, leg, and groin area. As the switch was thrown, the “Tiny” Davis, who was executed for the May 11, 1982, murder of Nancy Weiler and her two daughters, reared back against the restraints, giving witnesses a chilling glimpse under a black hood designed to hide the faces of the condemned. Blood poured from his vivid purple nose, ran down the wide leather strap that covered his mouth and soaked the white shirt. After the power was turned off, Davis was still alive. Witnesses said his chest rose and fell about 10 times before he went still. After the execution, state prison officials and Governor Jeb Bush said the Old Sparky functioned properly. Three photos of the incident have been published on Florida’s High Court official website in an attempt to argu...

An accidental selfie was taken by Tsar Nicolas II, the last tsar of Russia. It is possible that he accidentally took a photo of himself, or that his camera has just randomly captured a photo, nonetheless, it is relatable to modern times. Nicolas II was the last tsar of Russia and the last Tsar of the Romanov royalty family line, and is known in history for being a particularly poor leader. When communist organizations such as the Bolsheviks grew in power in Russia during the early 1900s, they took control of Russia in October 1917, which became known as the October Revolution. This rebellion was largely due to poor infrastructure, the effects World War I was having on Russia, and the lack of access to food to the general public, as well as the terrible economy at the time. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power in Russia after the Russian Republic was established after the abdication of the Tsar. Lenin's seizure of power would lead to the establishment of the Soviet Un...

‘Naked dead woman’ lying on beach turns out to be a very realistic sex doll Tourists in Thailand were left horrified last week after stumbling across what they thought was a nude corpse on the beach. Pictures show what appears to be a naked body with an uncovered leg lying on the ground with a grey dress covering the top half of the body. The images were taken on Bang Saen beach in the Thai province of Chon Buri last Thursday. But thankfully the ‘body’ turned out to be something far less sinister. Naturally panicking, some worried beachgoers called the police to report the body. Paramedics and cops rushed to the scene to find the victim – and soon discovered it was just a realistic sex doll without a head. It is thought to be a Japanese model called the ‘AV Idol’. The doll is estimated to cost around 20,000 Thai baht – the equivalent of £469. Police think the doll may have been dumped in a canal or river and eventually ended up being in the sea, before being washed up on the beach. The...