Bazaine, Achille. 1811-88. French marshal, surrendered Metz, 1870. Condemned as traitor. Escaped 1874.

Beauregard, Pierre. 1818-93. Confederate general. Ordered attack on Ft. Sumter.

Beckett, Samuel. 1906-89. English/Irish novelist, dramatist expressing man’s suffering: Waiting for Godot 1952. Endgame.

Beer Hall Putsch. 1923. Hitler’s unsuccessful Munich uprising. Wrote Mein Kampf while imprisoned 8 months.

Bellarmine, St. Robert. 1542-1621. Italian Jesuit defender of RC church vs Protestantism, Copernican theory, heretics. Galileo.

Belle-Isle, Charles. 1684-1761. French marshal. Involved French in Austrian Succession War.

Bellerophon. Pegasus’ rider, destroyed the Chimera.

Bellini, Giovanni. c1429-1516. Venetian Renaissance painter. New sensuous realism of form and color. Adoration of the Magi. St. Francis 1480.

Berengar of Tours. c999-1088. Questioned transubstantiation 1044.

Bergman, Ingmar. 1918-. Swedish filmmaker dealing with moral issues, psychoses. Persona 1966.

Berlin Blockade. 1948-9. Russia’s winter blockade is thwarted by US, British airlift of supplies.

Berlin Conference. 1884. Bismarck called 15 nations to resolve African issues. Congo granted independence. Slavery suppressed.

Best, Charles. 1899-1978. Canadian. insulin discoverer. Banting.

Beveridge Report. 1942. Advocated ‘cradle to grave’ social insurance in Britain.

Biafra. 1967-70. Ojukwu-led Ibos try to secede from Nigeria resulting in famine.

Bichat, Xavier. 1771-1802. French anatomist. “Life is the sum of the forces that restrict death.”

Billettes. Brothers of Charity, 14C religious order succeeded by Carmelites.

Black and Tans. 1920-22. Brutal British police sent to suppress Irish unrest. Irish Free State.

Blanqui, Louis. 1805-81. French militant socialist. Coined: “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”, “Industrial Revolution”, 1837. Unsuccessful uprising 1839. Commune leader. Secret societies.

Blenheim, Battle. 1704. Bavaria. Marlborough’s victory in War of Spanish Succession. First French defeat in 50 years, saves Vienna.

Bliss, Arthur. 1891-1975. English subjective composer. Colour Symphony 1922.

Blitzkrieg. 1938-45. German battle tactic. Rapid, deep assault with tanks supported from air.

Bloody Sunday. 1887. Police kill 2 Socialists in Trafalgar Square Riot. 1905. Slaughter of petitioners to Winter Palace of Nicholas II leads to Russian Revolution. 1972. 13 killed in Londonderry riot.

Blue Laws. US laws that control Sunday activities. 1781 originals on blue paper.

Bollandists. 1629-. Belgian Jesuits. Update Acta Santorium, (Lives of Roman Catholic saints).

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