10 Countries Invaded by Fascist Italy and Why They Invaded Each One
From the moment it was unified in the mid-19th century, Italy began to harbor dreams of empire. Under the fascist dictator Mussolini, these dreams were…
Seven Very Different Opponents Faced By Victorian British Armies
Maintaining your status as a global power is no easy thing. The British Victorian Army was one of the best equipped and most experienced in…
Why the Allies did not see Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive coming
On December 16, 1944, Allied troops were caught by surprise. A massive offensive by German forces struck west out of the Ardennes region, smashing into…
Samurai, Ninja, Ronin, And More – Seven Different Warrior Classes Of Feudal Japan
Feudal Japan is remembered as the era of the samurai. Like the knights of feudal Europe, they were the expensively equipped warrior aristocracy. They were,…
When Allies Fight: Operation Torch and the Taking of North Africa
North Africa was one of the great battlegrounds of the Second World War. From early on, British and Commonwealth forces faced German and Italian troops…
Nine Ways the Victorian British Army Made Life Better for its Soldiers
Soldiers were seldom treated with great respect by the Victorian British establishment. Despite the prestige given to great acts of heroism and important leaders, the…
12 Ways the British Army Adapted to Fighting in the Americas
Fighting in the Americas was the great challenge facing the 18th-century British army. Whether confronted with French, Spanish, native or colonial troops, they had to…
When Malaria Sided With Napoleon: The Doomed British Walcheren Expedition That Cost 4,000 Lives
The British expedition sent to Walcheren in the Netherlands in 1809 was one of the boldest moves of the Napoleonic wars. Unfortunately for the soldiers…
Japan’s Onin War – A Vital Moment In The History Of Japan
The Onin War was a vital moment in the history of Japan. It saw the collapse of central authority and the descent of the nation…
Nine Reasons Why Hitler Believed That D-Day Was a Feint
One of the most extraordinary things about the D-Day landings of 1944 was Hitler’s response. The German Fuhrer was utterly convinced the attack was a…
10 Facts: The Duke of Wellington, Napoleon’s Arch-Enemy
Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, was Napoleon’s most famous opponent. In 1808 he led the British, Spanish, and Portuguese forces that defeated the French…
Life in Hitler’s Wartime Headquarters
During WWII, Adolf Hitler governed Germany from a series of specially prepared bases. Often located far from cities and the front lines, those places took…