William Mclaughlin

William Mclaughlin is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by William Mclaughlin:

1904-5 The Russo-Japanese War: Japan Shatters Russia’s Navy and Global Perceptions

While Japan is today known as a leading nation in terms of technology, this was not the case in the late 19th and early 20th…

From The Roman Republic to the Third Reich: 4 Other Battles Fought at Thermopylae

The Battle of Thermopylae was quite the epic stand. We have talked about the bravery of the Spartans a thousand times over and made multiple…

Siege of Vienna: Led by a Mercenary, This Desperate Army Turned the Tide on the Ottoman Empire

For four hundred years, the Crusades had seen European powers take war deep into lands far from home, under the banner of Christianity. The clash…

4 Devastating Surprise Attacks In Military History

In War, surprise attacks, traps and ambushes can help to even the odds in an otherwise uneven fight. Guerrilla fighters can cause terrible damage both…

Three Impressively Valiant Stands In War History

Sometimes men are faced with impossible odds, hopelessly outnumbered or facing a merciless enemy with better weapons or other overwhelming advantages. Occasionally these terrible odds…

4 Roman Emperors Who Died in Battle

Though Roman Emperors occasionally did fight while out on campaigns, it was often a major shock if they were wounded or killed. If an emperor…

Ancient Piracy and Teuta: The Illyrian Pirate Queen

Throughout world history, piracy has had a constant presence throughout certain parts of the world. Ancient piracy isn’t often discussed, but one could say that it…

Solid as a Rock: Holding Gibraltar Against All The Odds

Gibraltar is a small place, but it is full of history. Its total area is only 2.6 square miles, and this tiny landscape is dominated by…

Japanese Fire Balloons and the Tragic Tale of the Last WWII Casualties on US Soil

The Revolutionary and the Civil War tore North America apart, but the World Wars and most subsequent conflicts have been largely fought beyond its borders –…

Cats, Scorpions, War Fans and More of the Most Unusual Improvised Battlefield Weapons

Swords, spears, catapults and bows; these standard weapons certainly had their place. Sometimes, however, a more unorthodox style would be tried. The unexpected attacks are…

Thermopylae, Bunker Hill & 2 Other Pyrrhic Victories Throughout History: Winning isn’t always worth it.

The term Pyrrhic victory can be used where someone technically “wins”, or achieves their objective, but the cost makes the victory almost not worth the…

What if the Teutoburg Disaster Didn’t Happen?

“What if” history questions can be a divisive. Some view them as an exercise in futility, a place where no serious historians should go. Others…