These Five Generals Started In The Military And Went on to Lead Nations
In the modern world, it is unusual for a general to become the leader of an important nation. Political and military leadership have become two…
The Beautiful USS Constitution Was Built in 1797 & is Still Afloat Today
“Old Ironsides”, the USS Constitution, has been through it all and lived to tell about it – as her nickname suggests. Built of a study oak,…
Looking Back On The Hunt For The Buried Spitfires
Some years ago an aircraft enthusiast got media coverage around the world by claiming the existence of a mysterious Spitfire burial ground in Myanmar, which…
Napoleon – The Great Conqueror Should Have Lost in Italy
From 1792 to 1797, France fought a multi-fronted war against the First Coalition, the first of many attempts to bring the revolutionary nation to heel.…
The Rapid Rise of Naval Air Power Over Two World Wars
An aircraft carrier and its complement of planes is perhaps the most powerful military formation in the modern world. With it, a nation can reach…
Normandy Invasion Beaches From a Different Angle
Ten years or so ago I was lucky enough to fly along the invasion beaches at 800′ in a C-47. If you ever get the…
Corporal Dunham: He Was The First Marine to Receive Medal of Honor Since The Vietnam War
In the decades following the Vietnam War, there would be conflict, battle, and loss of life. But for the United States Marine Corps whose tradition…
Japanese-American Soldiers, The Nisei: The Purple Heart Battalion
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japanese-Americans became enemy aliens and were sent to internment camps. One responded in a most spectacular way. Daniel…
“My plans are perfect” – The Victorian Generals Disastrously Promoted Beyond Their Abilities
“Brains! I don’t believe in brains.” – Prince George, Duke of Cambridge and Commander-in-Chief of the British army until 1895. The “Peter Principle”, where people…
Over The Years, Many Moments In Military History Have Inspired Great Works of Art
With its drama, spectacle, and significance for human life, war has always inspired art. From cave paintings of stone age skirmishes to abstract explorations of…
Machine Guns – Rapid Early Development Of A Deadly, Game-Changing Technology
In the second half of the 19th century, industrialized nations entered an arms race to produce the best machine-gun. This new type of weapon was…
Crazy Impractical German Inventions from World War Two
During WWII, scientists and inventors on both sides of the conflict raced to develop new and terrifying weapons that might tilt the balance in their…