“The God of War” – Soviet Artillery of the Cold War
The Russian army referred to artillery as “the god of war.” Its destructive power not only shattered enemy formations but also transformed the shape of…
The Battle of Williamsburg – A Massive Withdrawal Over Difficult Ground
On the night of May 3, 1862, Confederate forces began a withdrawal from the defenses around Yorktown. For a month, they had been waiting for…
The Polish Thermopylae: 800 vs 42,000 at Wizna, 1939
As German troops poured across the border into Poland in 1939, one Polish captain, 40 miles from the front line, prepared for what he knew…
The Notorious Klaus Barbie: The Butcher Of Lyon
One of the most notorious figures in the Nazi hierarchy and one who attracted almost as much attention as Adolf Eichmann in the post-war period…
Charles Whittlesey, the Commander of the Lost Battalion
Colonel Charles White Whittlesey earned his fame when he was a major in World War I with the American Expeditionary Force. He led a battalion…
Why The Nazis Beheaded a Famous Author’s Sister – Then Sent His Family the Execution Bill
It’s a book beloved by millions, one that’s been read by multiple generations and turned into an equally famous film: All Quiet on the Western…
Operation Mincemeat – How the Allies Tricked Hitler to open the gates of Sicily
World War II was fought on battlefields across the globe, with staggering numbers of casualties amassing on all sides. But under the cloak of darkness,…
Three Medieval Wars in North Africa
The word “crusade” normally evokes images of war in the Middle East, with European crusaders fighting Muslim Arabs. But crusades took place all over Europe…
Raiders and Traders: The Vikings Conquer England
The end of the first millennium AD saw a turning point for England. After decades of security, the independent kingdom once again came under attack…
Krak des Chevaliers – The Impenetrable Castle, Captured With A Single Sheet of Paper
A hulking edifice of sun-bleached stone, Krak des Chevaliers loomed against a clear blue sky. How many men had died to hold those walls, and…
World War Two – Invasion and Occupation
Under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, Germany invaded over twenty countries in Europe and Africa. The reasons for these invasions varied from country to country,…
The Military Campaigns of Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Hohenstaufen, also known as Frederick Barbarossa, became Emperor Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire in 1152, succeeding his uncle Conrad III. With a…