r/HistoryGaze

Older computer code often used only the last two digits of a year to save memory, leaving systems potentially unable to distinguish 2000 from 1900.

Experts feared catastrophic failures in critical infrastructure, including power outages, transportation shutdowns, financial system failures, and banking crises.

An estimated $300 - $600 billion was spent globally on fixing, updating, or replacing software and hardware.

The public stocked up on food, water, and cash; some predicted the apocalypse, with one fear-inducing acronym being "TEOTWAWKI" ("the end of the world as we know it").

The transition passed largely without incident due to extensive, last-minute IT work, though some minor glitches occurred, as detailed in.

The Futai brigade was part of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or "KMT") that fought in the Chinese Civil War in the early 20th century. Upon the KMT's defeat and subsequent withdrawal to Taiwan, the Futai brigade became trapped in southern China near the Vietnam border. The quick approach of the CCP army forced them to cross into Vietnam in December 1949.

France controlled Vietnam at this time, and was allied with the KMT. The French originally agreed to split the brigade into 500 smaller units who would be temporarily disarmed and then subsequently transferred to Taiwan.

However, those plans changed once the group arrived in Vietnam. The entire force and their dependents (~30,000 people) were detained by the French on Phu Quoc island in Vietnam for over 3 years before being allowed to travel to Taiwan. The French used them as a negotiating tool to appease the CCP and to acquire more weapons from the United States, with the former working to prevent them from traveling to Taiwan and the latter pushing for the opposite.

Phu Quoc had almost no infrastructure. The troops were kept under harsh conditions in an abandoned mining district where they had to construct their own barracks using crude tools. The harsh conditions and lack of supplies (including fresh water) meant that many of the soldiers became sick and died.

You can read more about this event here: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2019/06/30/2003717840

The date of Good Friday changes every year to coincide with the Friday before Easter Sunday.

Good Friday is marked by a somber and quiet atmosphere, distinct from the joyous celebrations of Easter.

Many churches hold special liturgies between noon and 3:00 PM, the hours Jesus is traditionally believed to have hung on the cross.

A common ritual where worshippers approach and touch or kiss a crucifix as a sign of reverence.

A 14-step devotional practice that retraces the final steps of Jesus leading to his burial.

Many Christians, particularly Catholics, observe a strict fast and abstain from eating meat.

Many cultures, believers hold "Way of the Cross" processions, often featuring life-sized statues or dramatic re-enactments of the Passion.