How the Allies Smashed the Nazi German Military Industry
WWII was a war between industries as much as it was between nations. From tanks and planes to bullets and bombs, the materials of war…
Operation Thursday: Orde Wingate, Building Fortresses Behind Enemy Lines in WWII
Building a fort behind enemy lines sounds like an impossible challenge. It was the tactic developed by Orde Wingate during the Second World War and…
WWII 1944: The Assault on Myitkyina was a Failure of Leadership
In May 1944, the Allies assaulted Japanese-held Myitkyina in Burma. It was an attack that brought successes despite significant failures of leadership and coordination. Stilwell…
The Battle of Menin Road, 1917 – The third Ypres – A gargantuan effort in WW1
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Menin Road was a testing place for the British. They countered a tactic that had…
The bloody reputation of Passchendaele Ridge – Hell on Earth during the First World War
The name Passchendaele sounds as though it should refer to a place of great beauty. It evokes a sense of romance and the peace of…
The Battle of the Ourcq – The Americans make their presence felt at the Marne
Although they only arrived in the final year of the First World War, the Americans made their presence felt. The volume of manpower and resources…
Amiens: the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive – The Allies brought enormous resources to bear
In August 1918, the Allied forces began their final great push of the First World War. Later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, this series…
Orde Wingate: The Most Controversial British Commander of WWII
Orde Wingate was the most unusual British commander of World War Two. Loved by some of his colleagues and hated by others, his reputation remains…
When Irregular Forces Won The Day Against Professional Armies
Massed professional armies do not always win wars. Irregular troops sometimes win; whether volunteer forces or specialists trained in unconventional ways of war. They are…
Operation Cobra, 1944: Breaking Out of Normandy
In July 1944, Normandy was the scene of fierce fighting. Operation Neptune had seen the Allies land on the coast on June 6, D-Day. Following…
Nations Which Were United As A Result Of Wars
Wars often tear nations apart. Sometimes they unite them. Whether by alliance or by conquest, countries have evolved from the heat of battle. England and…
Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Guerrilla Commander Who United Italy
Giuseppe Garibaldi is one of the most outlandish figures of 19th-century history. A passionate Italian nationalist, he was constantly at odds with the politicians who…