Tsingtao: A Microcosm of the First World War
When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, a global war erupted. Both nations had colonial possessions around the world. Those small colonies,…
The Youngest (Confirmed) British Soldier of World War One
In 1998 Richard van Emden’s book, Veterans: the Last Survivors of the Great War was published. Later it became the basis of a 2009 television documentary.…
Reasons World War I Became Inevitable
The First World War was a conflict of unprecedented scale and destructiveness. Though its impact was unexpected, the arrival of war itself was not. Though…
Russia’s 1914 Invasion of Germany – The Beginning of WWI on the Eastern Front
In August 1914, fighting broke out between Germany and Russia – it was the beginning of WWI on the Eastern Front. Russia declared war on…
This Diminutive Welshman VC Captured 100 Germans and 500 yards of German Trenches
If the history of war proves one thing it is that the physical stature of a man has little to do with the gallantry they…
How An Explosion In Northern New Jersey Put 62,000 People Onto The Front Lines Of WW1
By October 1918, the 1st World War was winding down. It was clear to most observers that the Western Allies would be victorious. Life in…
The First World War Brought Essential Medical Innovations, Driven By Great Men
Success in war is as much about avoiding death as about inflicting it. In modern warfare, doctors, nurses and field medics are as vital to…
Marie Marvingt – In 1915, the French government gave her permission to fly bombing missions over Germany
Some people lead such incredible lives; they are almost unbelievable. This lady was definitely one of them. Marie Félicie Elisabeth Marvingt was born on February 20,…
This WW1 VC Charged The Enemy Trenches Captured 6 Machine Guns and 100 Infantry
Horace Augustus Curtis wasn’t supposed to be a war hero. He was supposed to be a nobody who lived and died in relative poverty in…
An Australian Navy Ship Sent This WW1 Crew On An Epic Journey Home
The Keeling Islands are little more than overgrown coral reefs, but in 1914 they saw the beginning of one the most epic adventure stories of…
Military Technologies Invented In WWI That We Still Use Today
The evolution of military technology is an ongoing process, and breakthroughs in new weapons and defensive systems make the news every year. However, many staples…
The Lion of Africa: Paul von Lettow Vorbeck: Germany’s WW1 Guerilla Commander In East Africa
In March of 1919, while Germany was recovering from its defeat in the First World War, its people starving and its army in ruins, a…