A New Breed of Soldier: How the French Revolution Made Napoleon’s Career Possible
Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power marked the death knell of the French Revolution. His autocratic government ended the attempts at increased democracy that had shaken…
7 Ways English Lords Fought Against Welsh Raiders
Throughout the 13th century, there was conflict in the border region between England and Wales. This area, known as the Welsh March, contained both English…
The Empire Of Japan & The Invasion Of The Philippines In WW2
On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines. A mix of local and American forces, most without combat experience, rushed to hold off the professional…
5 Types of Wargames From Medieval Tournaments
The heart of the high medieval army was its knights and men-at-arms, heavily armoured soldiers from wealthy backgrounds who often fought from horseback. Using lances…
12 Key Moments in the History of Artillery
In creating gunpowder weapons, European engineers took a Chinese innovation and made a deadly weapon of war. From the start, this was as much about…
Powerful Hardware After WWII – Soviet Tactical Ballistic Missiles of the Cold War
Missiles were a vital part of the Cold War. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) threatened to hurl nuclear payloads from one side of the globe to…
The US 503rd Parachute Battalion Seize the “High Ground” From the Axis
When American forces arrived in North Africa in November 1942, the 503rd Parachute Battalion were among the first troops on the ground. A week later,…
Military Reforms of King Henry The Eighth – He Built Up A Modern Fighting Force In Medieval England
When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, he inherited a nation that was not strong in war. England’s recent wars had mostly been…
Breaking The Deadlock – Machine Gun Tactics of WWI
The machine-gun was possibly the most valuable weapon in defining the fighting of WWI. Its massive firepower devastated infantry formations and virtually eradicated the use…
The Sub-Machine Gun – A New Kind Of Weapon For A New Kind Of War
Born from Trenches WWI created a new sort of fighting. Weapons that could deliver high volumes of fire were essential to defending trenches. If they…
The Battle of Pliska – a Byzantine military disaster
Though they clung to the name of the Roman Empire, the Byzantines never achieved the glory of their predecessors. Theirs was an empire in slow…
10 Key Developments in the History of Cavalry
Devastating in their impact, terrifying for both their enemies and their steeds, cavalry units have been a key component of war for most of military…