“My plans are perfect” – 5 Victorian Generals Disastrously Promoted Beyond Their Abilities
“Brains! I don’t believe in brains.” – Prince George, Duke of Cambridge and Commander-in-Chief of the British army until 1895. The “Peter Principle”, where people…
9 Reasons Why Boudica Almost Beat the Romans
The early Roman Empire was an unstoppable juggernaut of military strength, bending the rest of Europe to its will. Rebellions were mercilessly crushed by one…
12 Key Moments in the History of Artillery
In creating gunpowder weapons, European engineers took a Chinese innovation and made a deadly weapon of war. From the start, this was as much about…
The 4 Types of Men Who Fought for Napoleon
The awesome power of the Napoleonic Empire was built on the blood and courage of millions of soldiers. Though Napoleon is remembered as an icon…
Fromelles: The Worst 24 Hours In Australia’s Entire History – July 19th 1916
Horrifying loss was the defining feature of the First World War. For much of 1916, the focus of that horror on the Western Front was…
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…
10 Key Developments in the History of Cavalry
Devastating in their impact, terrifying for both their enemies and their steeds, cavalry units have been a key component of war for most of military…
6 Wars That Proved the Devastating Power of Ground Attack Aircraft
Death plummets from the sky, shattering bodies and scattering formations of armed men. For a century, ground attacks by armed aircraft have added an extra…
A Battle With Only One Army – Karansebes Is A Reminder That Great Stories Are Seldom Entirely True
Normally, it takes two to make a battle. Occasionally, three or more sides may fight, whether in alliance or all against all. In very few…
BRDM – The Specialist Soviet Armored Fighting Recon Vehicles
Arriving in 1957 The first BRDM vehicle, the BRDM-1, entered service in the Soviet army in 1957. It had been accepted for use by the…
Raining Fire – Soviet Multiple Rocket Launcher Vehicles of the Cold War
Rocketry was an important part of the Warsaw Pact to armies during the Cold War. Having discovered in WWII that multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) were…
Key Artillery Techniques of WWI
One of the great revelations of the First World War was the vast destructive power of artillery. Never before had so many guns of such…