The Equipment of the Samurai – Fearsome Warriors Armed to the Teeth
Samurai were the elite warriors of feudal Japan; as dominant as knights were in Europe. Their equipment was as much a display of their status…
In Feudal Japan, This Ambitious Warlord Rose To Blood-Soaked Victory, Then Was Betrayed
During the 16th century, Japan was politically fragmented. Warlords fought for control of local provinces. The weak government of the shogun could not maintain the…
10 Facts – Here’s Why William Wallace Won At Stirling Bridge In The Face Of Overwhelming Odds
On 11 September 1297, an outnumbered Scottish army defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The most spectacular victory of William Wallace, the…
The Channel Dash – A Fast-Moving Naval Battle Of WWII
Most of the naval action of WWII took place in the vast spaces of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but there were also confrontations in…
Six Times Hitler Refused to Face the Reality of his Military Situation
As Fuhrer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler was Nazi Germany’s supreme military and political commander. Unfortunately, he could also be obstinate to the point…
The Mongol Invasions of Japan and the Origin of the Word “Kamikaze”
In the 1270s and 1280s, the menacing forces of the Mongols attacked Japan. Through courage, determination, and good luck, the Japanese drove them off. It…
Three Ways Germany Weaponized Rockets in World War Two
Hitler and the Nazis were fans of new weapons technology. Germany had been at the forefront of aerial warfare and other important technologies in WWI.…
Vinegar Joe Stilwell – a tough, brilliant, but difficult commander in World War Two
General Joseph Stilwell, widely known as Vinegar Joe, had one of the strongest personalities of WWII. As American commander in Burma, he showed incredible insight…
7 Clashes Between Allies in the Second World War
WWII was the most destructive event in human history. To face such a challenge, soldiers, and politicians from different nations needed to come together. Only…
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…
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…
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…