It’s Deadly At the Top — The Age Old Tradition of Executing Generals
“More than 300 generals were executed in a single day in October 1941.” NORTH KOREA’S new leader, Kim Jong Un, is cleaning house in the upper echelons of his army. The 29-year-old dictator reportedly executed…
Battle Called on Account of Rain — How Foul Weather Changed History
As Hurricane Sandy socks it to the eastern seaboard of North America, we put it to @ThisIsWarBlog Twitter followers to name some examples of instances in which severe weather changed the outcome of a battle….
Left Holding the Bag — Some of History’s Best Known Scapegoats
“The pages of history are full of examples of military commanders who were unfairly accused, tried and sometimes even put to death for the incompetence, ignorance or failure of others.” “WE LOST. Someone’s gotta pay!” That…
Mightier Than The Sword — Meet Some of Warfare’s Most Influential Scribes
“Sun Tzu was by no means the only strategist to offer perspectives on how generals can win battles and wars.” SUN TZU, THE renown 6th Century BCE Chinese warrior and philosopher, was once ordered by…
Those Brave Jackasses — Meet Some Heroic Wartime Donkeys
“The British army in the First World War actually promoted a donkey to the rank of Sergeant.” FOR THE FIRST 180 years of its existence as a sovereign nation, the United States supposedly never lost…
Eureka Moments — Seven Everyday Inventions That Came From Warfare
“An array of peacetime products, ideas and amenities that civilians now use on a daily basis, were all pioneered during the major wars of the past 200 years.” HUMAN CONFLICT has driven innovation. All manner of…
