The place to learn about the past and present,
Click for Part 1 Retreat from Kabul, 1842 During the 'Great Game' Britain greatly feared that the Russian Empire's expansionism could spill into the Asian subcontinent. To counter this threat, they moved to establish a presence in Afghanistan (a buffer between the two empires) and install a pro-British regime. In 1839 a 20,000 strong army... Continue Reading →
This French General is famous for the many, many wounds he suffered in battle but survived. You'll be amazed the damage this bullet-magnet lived through! Nicolas Charles Oudinot was born in Paris, 1767. He was born to survive against the odds as just one of nine siblings to reach adulthood. He joined the Kingdom of... Continue Reading →
The revealing story of Switzerland's military operations to defend its airspace from Axis and Allied aircraft during World War Two Blotted with deathly-black balkenkreuz wing insignia denoting them as war machines of the German Luftwaffe, droves of bulky Bf-110 twin-engined Messerschmitt fighters droned menacingly in circles. A flock of more nimble craft whizzed in to... Continue Reading →
The tale of the Japanese soldier's WW2 tour of duty that did not end in 1945, instead went on for an epic 20 years longer. Find out why Lieutenant Onoda refused to surrender and how he was finally coaxed out of hiding. It was a surreal moment for book store owner Yoshimi Taniguchi; it was... Continue Reading →
Amidst the mechanisation of the Eastern Front in WW2, Italy's much maligned military reputation received a shot in the arm when the Italian Savoia Cavalleria horse-mounted regiment daringly charged the Soviet army. It was August 1942 and the tide of WW2 was just beginning to turn in favour of the Red Army after the surging,... Continue Reading →
The story of the light cruiser that was sliced in half by the colossal Queen Mary transatlantic liner. It was late 1942 and the Battle of the Atlantic – the struggle to ferry millions of tonnes of equipment, war materials and men through a deadly gauntlet of U-Boat submarines – was in full flow. When... Continue Reading →
A credibly true conspiracy story: The aim was to take over Washington DC in a military coup; there was just one man standing in their way. Read how one veteran US Marine General stood up to the political forces that lurk in the shadows even today. It was November the 24th, 1934 and retired General... Continue Reading →
Of all of Bonaparte's illustrious battles perhaps the one he wanted to forget was not his worst ever defeat, but his most embarrassing one, when Napoleon fled from a horde of rabbits. History tells us that Napoleon Bonaparte’s worst ever defeat occurred at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Yet, his most humiliating one was... Continue Reading →
An article published on third party Historic-uk.com that was written by myself. Enjoy! Britain’s ports and harbours were once menaced by the dreaded press-gangs...
The little known story of the two English nobles who fought the last ever private battle on English soil. Throughout the long, often tumultuous history of Great Britain much of it has passed the rural folk of one quiet corner of it. In the year 1470, a traveller might have set out from London and... Continue Reading →
History and Things 