The Bloody Reputation of Passchendaele Ridge – Hell on Earth During the First World War
The name Passchendaele sounds as though it should refer to a place of great beauty. It evokes a sense of romance and the peace of…
The Battle of Menin Road, 1917 – The Third Ypres – A Gargantuan Effort In WW1
Part of the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Menin Road was a testing place for the British. They countered a tactic that had…
Four Great Disasters of the First World War
The First World War is regarded by many with horror. Ill-considered tactics, stubborn persistence, and a lack of understanding of how war was changing led…
The First Battle Of the Marne, 1914 – A Tipping Point At The Start Of The First World War
The First Battle of the Marne was a tipping point in the early stages of the First World War. It was on the banks of…
Europe At War – The German Invasion Of France And Belgium, 1914
Germany’s westward advance in 1914 contained some of the most dramatic and unexpected moments of the First World War. The following events occurred before the…
First World War: The Third Battle of Ypres – The Leading British Offensive Of 1917
Fought during the First World War, the Third Battle of Ypres was the leading British offensive of 1917. Taking place at the much fought over…
The Assault On Messines Ridge – Flanders, 1917
During the First World War, Flanders became some of the most hotly contested ground in military history. Thousands upon thousands of men died in trench…
The German Paris Gun – Super Gun Of WWI
The most powerful gun to be fielded in the First World War was the German Paris Gun. Several of these guns were produced and used…
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…
The German Spring Offensives, 1918 – Inflicting Brutal Damage On The Allies
In the spring of 1918, the Germans went on the attack. Over the course of five offensives, they turned the static warfare that had endured…
The Second Battle Of Ypres: An Extraordinary Defense In The Face Of Poison Gas
The Belgian town of Ypres was the site of the fiercest fighting of the First World War. A series of battles left the town deserted,…
The Attack On Hamel In 1918 – Forging A Bond Between Allies Of Different Nations
In the spring of 1918, the Germans went on the offensive. With new tactics including Stormtroopers and a “fire-waltz” artillery attack, it was the most…