History | War History

The Perfect, Unkillable Soldier – He Fought In Wars For Almost Fifty Years

Some men have no fear of death, while others have no fear of personal injury. One man snubbed his nose at both, which was why…

Some Of The Most Disastrous Leadership In Military History

Andrew Knighton

There are few figures more inspiring than a great commander and few disasters worse than putting the wrong man in charge. Publius Quintilius Varus A…

The History Of Dog Tags – A Feature Of Warfare Since Before The First World War

Lincoln Riddle

Dog tags have a simple purpose; they exist to identify people. The term “dog tag” is informal, but it is the nickname for those two pieces…

Heinze And Reinhard Heydrich – A Tale Of Two Brothers Who Went Different Ways In WW2

In 1918 two teenage brothers posed for a photograph. The older brother has his arm protectively around the younger one. They are Heinze and Reinhard…

The Unknown History of US Coast Guard Intelligence Operations

History often overlooks the Coast Guard’s role as an intelligence-gathering operation. This small service, with its unique combination of military, law enforcement, and humanitarian missions…

This Egyptian Unit Escaped Destruction In 1967 By Invading Israel

War History Online presents this Guest Article from Christopher Weeks When faced with an attack by a superior force, sometimes the key to survival lies…

The Long, Hard Fight – It Took Seven Coalitions to Defeat Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the most successful generals in history. Despite most of Europe opposing him, he expanded the French empire from the Atlantic…

A Game-Changing Medieval Siege

Civil wars and revolts were common in medieval England. Without elections to decide between opposing leaders and policies, violence became the answer. As in modern…

The Knights Templar – Spectacular Rise And Fall Of A Legendary Order

The Knights Templar were the first and the most famous European warrior Order founded during the Crusades. From their bases in Europe and the Holy…

Heart-Rending Decisions: One Commander’s Divided Loyalties In Caesar’s Civil War

Civil war can force participants to make difficult decisions. Friends, colleagues, and families are torn apart. For some, the decision of who to side with…

Sengoku-Jidai – The Age Of The Country At War In Medieval Japan

Andrew Knighton

From 1467 to 1603, Japan suffered through one of the most painful and tumultuous periods in its history. Central authority collapsed. The nation was divided…

Operation Michael: The Germans Regain the Offensive

By the spring of 1918, the Western Front of the First World War had been almost static for three years. Then the Germans, intent on…