Month: May 2012
The British Grenadiers: Redcoat Marching Music
It’s a tune instantly recognizable by anglophiles the world over, and one that when played on the fife and drum likely would have sent shivers down the spine of colonial minutemen. It’s “The British Grenadiers” and…
We Fought a Zoo — Animal Weapons Throughout History
“As recently as the Second World War, militaries weaponized animals.” HUMANS HAVE BEEN domesticating animals for use in combat since the first warriors of Eurasia rode into battle on horses around 3000 BCE. But what…
“Avast, Y’all!” — Confederate Pirates of the Civil War
“The Southern leadership dusted off a tried and tested strategy Americans had used to in both the Revolution and the War of 1812 to stand up to the Royal Navy. They turned to privateers.” WHEN…
The ‘Pickelhaube’ — A Brief History of WW1 Germany’s Iconic Spiked Helmet
“To Germany’s enemies, the helmet quickly became associated with ‘Hun’ barbarity.” THE GERMAN ARMY’S spiked helmet or pickelhaube (is arguably one of the most enduring symbols of the First World War. The polished black leather helmet with ornamental…
To Stop a Coup — How Three SAS Commandos Defeated 400 African Rebels
When an army of Marxist guerrillas toppled the government of a small banana republic, they never expected to have their plans thwarted by a force of just three British commandos. But that’s exactly what happened…
MHN judges the best court martial movies
IS THE RIGID discipline and unquestioned obedience of the military a necessary evil in wartime or is it the breeding ground for the worst sorts of injustice? A number of memorable films about courts martial have tried to…
