Samurai, Ninja, Ronin, And More – Seven Different Warrior Classes Of Feudal Japan
Feudal Japan is remembered as the era of the samurai. Like the knights of feudal Europe, they were the expensively equipped warrior aristocracy. They were,…
Why the Allies did not see Wehrmacht’s Ardennes Offensive coming
On December 16, 1944, Allied troops were caught by surprise. A massive offensive by German forces struck west out of the Ardennes region, smashing into…
10 Countries Invaded by Fascist Italy and Why They Invaded Each One
From the moment it was unified in the mid-19th century, Italy began to harbor dreams of empire. Under the fascist dictator Mussolini, these dreams were…
Punishing the Enemy, Feeding his Men: How General Ulysses S. Grant Changed the Course of the Civil War
General Ulysses S. Grant transformed the way the American Civil War was fought. By shifting to a strategy of “baseless” campaigning he freed himself from…
Wounded, Promoted, Decorated – Adolf Hitler in the First World War
Adolf Hitler is remembered for the terrible destruction of WWII. Before that, he served with courage in WWI. That first conflict deeply influenced his future.…
Six Times Hitler Refused to Face the Reality of his Military Situation
As Fuhrer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler was Nazi Germany’s supreme military and political commander. Unfortunately, he could also be obstinate to the point…
The Channel Dash – A Fast-Moving Naval Battle Of WWII
Most of the naval action of WWII took place in the vast spaces of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but there were also confrontations in…
In Feudal Japan, This Ambitious Warlord Rose To Blood-Soaked Victory, Then Was Betrayed
During the 16th century, Japan was politically fragmented. Warlords fought for control of local provinces. The weak government of the shogun could not maintain the…
The Equipment of the Samurai – Fearsome Warriors Armed to the Teeth
Samurai were the elite warriors of feudal Japan; as dominant as knights were in Europe. Their equipment was as much a display of their status…
Manned Torpedoes and Massive Ships – The Alexandria Raid Of World War Two
Italy’s part in WWII is usually remembered as one of failure and embarrassment. Italian forces were repeatedly rescued from defeat by their German allies. However, the…
Seven Types of Medieval Armor – From Quilted Cloth to Full Steel Plate
More than any other artifact of war, armor dominates visual images of medieval Europe. From the chainmail carefully stitched onto each warrior in the Bayeux…
Operation Thursday: Orde Wingate, Building Fortresses Behind Enemy Lines in WWII
Building a fort behind enemy lines sounds like an impossible challenge. It was the tactic developed by Orde Wingate during the Second World War and…