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The Partition of British India in August 1947 was one of the most significant and traumatic events of the 20th century. It split the Indian subcontinent into two nations: India and Pakistan. People fled their homes, some with bags, others with nothing but their stories. In the princely state of Jamm
The Hebrides, off the northwest coast of Scotland are among the most visually stunning and culturally unique locations in the British Isles. Consisting of both the Inner and Outer Island chains, many noteworthy and popular places in Britain are found here such as the Isles of Skye, Lewis, North and
On May 29, 1927, a tall, determined young man climbed into a small, custom-built monoplane at Roosevelt Field, New York. Thirty-three and a half hours later, he landed in Paris to the roar of thousands, having completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in history. Charles Augustus Lindber
As inconceivable as it may sound, there was an occasion when two NATO allies were considered in a state of war, albeit limited. It was the only time that that two NATO allies were in a heated exchange and exchanged fire. The incident was called the Turbot War (named after a type of fish which was th
Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza brought a daily habit of drinking tea to England. The young princess double-checked every sea chest that would be loaded onto the boat, set to sail with her to the new country where she would soon become queen. Among the lavish dresses, jewelry, and fabrics,
On a blustery winter morning in December 1903, amid the dunes and salt-laden winds of North Carolina's Outer Banks, two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, changed the course of human history. Orville and Wilbur Wright, driven by ingenuity, science, and relentless perseverance, achieved what millen
Major General Daniel Sickles was one of the most colorful and controversial figures of the Civil War era, known as much for his flamboyant personality and scandals as for his political and military actions. He can be viewed as either an American war hero or an infamous murderer and insubordinate mil
Al Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1899. As a young man he moved to Chicago and became involved in prostitution, gambling and, in the 1920s, bootlegging rackets. He became rich enough to buy a mansion in Florida and a bullet-proof car but was convicted of tax evasion in 1931. He served time
On a hazy summer morning in 1909, a lone monoplane soared over the white cliffs of Dover, trailing a roar that startled grazing sheep and sent onlookers scrambling toward the coastline. At the controls was a mustachioed French engineer named Louis Blériot, whose daring flight across the English Chan
TThe Battle of Cowpens has been called by many as "The perfect tactical battle.” It is also known as the battle that saved the South for the colonial army and the turning point of the United States' War for Independence. And perhaps it's fair to use all of these monikers to describe it. Howe
Every town name tells a story, hidden in plain sight, the suffixes of place names—those last few letters we often overlook are time capsules that reveal the identities of ancient settlers, conquerors, and religious institutions that once shaped the land. Nowhere is this more evident than in Great Br
The USS Panay Incident played a crucial role in the timeline of the United States' involvement in international affairs in the late 1930s as the world prepared for the Second World War. Yet today, most Americans have never heard of the incident. It is cited as both the first time American Naval ship
When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, they had to determine how the increasing numbers of Jews would be controlled. Their temporary solution was to section the Jews off into ghettos, and Jewish methods of resistance must be seen in the context of that environment. Heather Voight explains.
In the dense stillness of the jungle, a modern soldier crouches beneath the canopy, his weapon of choice silent but deadly. It's not a suppressed firearm or high-tech drone, but a crossbow. Though often considered a relic of medieval warfare, this weapon, which once helped shape the course of empire
It lies just beneath the surface—literally and figuratively. A rusting American Liberty ship, broken-backed and quietly corroding off the coast of Kent and Essex, barely three miles from Sheerness. To many in the southeast of England, the name Richard Montgomery is familiar, even faintly iconic. Its
Throughout history, fortifications have served as physical manifestations of a society's desire for security, power, and territorial control. From the earliest wooden palisades of the Neolithic era to the massive stone castles of the medieval period, defensive architecture has evolved in response to
George Washington is often remembered as the figurehead of the American Revolution. The first President of the United States and Commander and Chief. His leadership was absolutely instrumental in our nation’s founding, his Presidency has continued to be seen as a guiding light among many leaders tod
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed US-supported landing on Cuba against Fidel Castro’s Communist Cuba in 1961. Here, J.J. Valdes considers Britain’s involvement in the affair.
The American Civil War had a number of critical junctures in 1862. Here, Lloyd W. Klein considers the 1862 Peninsula Campaign and The Seven Days Battles. Here, he considers the final part of the campaign, including the Seven Days Battles.
Throughout ancient military history, the ingenuity of engineers often turned the tide of empires. Among the most fearsome weapons conceived by the minds of Hellenistic and Roman engineers was the ballista, a mechanical marvel that hurled death with frightening accuracy across ancient battlefields an
This September is a significant milestone in the history of Finnish democratic socialism; marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the first socialist-led coalition of Kalevi Sorsa. A journalist who went on to work for UNESCO and the Finnish foreign ministry on multiple occasions, while al
The Tokugawa period of Japan limited foreign trade beginning in the 17th century. For example, Chinese traders were restricted to the port of Nagasaki or through indirect routes like the Ryūkū Islands. Dutch traders also became the only Europeans allowed to enter Japan. Similarly, Japanese people we
The English longbow, a weapon of understated simplicity and devastating effectiveness, is synonymous with medieval warfare and English military dominance from the 13th to 15th centuries. Crafted from a single piece of yew, over six feet long, the longbow earned legendary status on bloody battlefield
The magnitude of the Patriot disaster at Penobscot Bay was fully realized when the bedraggled survivors staggered back into Boston. An armada of 44 ships carrying Massachusetts militiamen had embarked from Boston on July 19, 1779, to eliminate a small British detachment located 2
In the long arc of military history, few siege engines have captured the imagination like the trebuchet. Towering over medieval battlefields with a grace that belied its destructive power, this marvel of pre-modern engineering hurled massive projectiles across moats, over walls, and into the hearts
Duels in the Middle Ages occurred on many occasions. While authorities did not usually like them, they took place for a number of reasons. Here. Jeb Smith offers an explanation on why they occurred – and what they avoided.
The American Civil War had a number of critical junctures in 1862. Here, Lloyd W. Klein considers the 1862 Peninsula Campaign and The Seven Days Battles. In part 1 of a 2-part series, he looks at the Peninsula Campaign, including the Battle of Fair Oaks/ Seven Pines.
Vlad III: The Impaler Prince of Wallachia – Tyrant, Defender, or Monster? Vlad III, more infamously known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Țepeș, was one of the most feared rulers in Eastern Europe during the 15th century. Born between 1428/1431 in Transylvania into the noble House of Drăculești, a b
Forged letters, stolen jewels, a gullible cardinal, a cunning conwoman and an innocent queen left with a shattered reputation … the affair of the diamond necklace had it all. In fact, after Marie Antoinette’s guillotining, Napoleon pinned her downfall on the scandal declaring “perhaps the death of t
Lenin became the most influential person in what was o become the Soviet Union, following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. But, to what extent had his cult of personality been developed prior to his death in 1924? Edward Long considers this question.
King Cnut (Canute) was a monarch who ruled over one of the most expansive empires in early medieval Europe. A Danish prince who seized the throne of England in the early 11th century, Cnut eventually ruled over England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of what is now Sweden. His story is of military ambit
The recent collision of the Mexican Training Ship Cuauhtemoc into the Brooklyn Bridge was a tragedy – but it was also a historical collision. Michael Leibrandt explains.
If we look back to the era of kings and queens, there is a common figure lurking in the courtrooms. You’ll find them in taverns, traveling from town to town, or even as far back as Ancient Egypt. These motley characters go by many names, a buffoon, a fool, a jongleur, and most commonly, a jester
King of the West Saxons, 871 to 886 CE and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 CE until he died in 899 CE. Few rulers in English history have been so richly remembered and widely revered as King Alfred the Great, the 9th-century monarch of Wessex. Crowned during a time of dire crisis, Alfred fought
Deception has always been a part of military tactics, from the ancient Trojan Horse to the Gulf War, when Saddam Hussein positioned his troops along the Iraq-Kuwait border, claiming they were on a training mission as a cover-up for his true intentions of invading Kuwait. It was no different during t
There are many old tales that are still spoken of today. And one such tale in British history is Camelot and King Arthur. Here, Sam Davey considers the tale with a modern twist. Sam’s new book, The Chosen Queen! is here: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Dagobert I ( 603/605-639 CE), a prominent figure in the Merovingian dynasty, ruled as the King of Austrasia (623–634) and eventually as the King of all the Franks (629–639). His reign marked a period of relative unity and administrative consolidation, though it was often marred by political intrigue
When asked to picture Roman emperors, many may think of men dressed in glistening togas, perhaps those famous figures to which we owe the months July and August. Others may think of tyrannical figures like the emperor Nero, or the Stoic Marcus Aurelius. What these emperors have in common is the time