This Is My Fight Song – Seven National Anthems Inspired by Bloodshed, Battles and War
“America isn’t the only country with an official song that sprung from the pages of military history. Consider these.” FRANCIS SCOTT KEY wasn’t much of a songwriter. In fact, friends of the Baltimore-based barrister remembered…
The Myth of Sparta — Were Ancient Greece’s Greatest Warriors Overrated?
“Even a cursory glance at the sources reveals the many, many times the Spartans failed to live up to the Lycurgan model.” By Myke Cole THE TERM “Spartan” is practically a watchword for military superiority…
A Very Civil War – Inside Switzerland’s Astonishingly Polite Armed Conflict of 1847
“Although civil wars can be among the bloodiest and most acrimonious of all armed conflicts, this particular contest was utterly genteel by comparison.” THE TERM “civil war” is something of an oxymoron. Just like “jumbo…
The Hero of Gold Beach – How Stan Hollis Won Britain’s Only Victoria Cross on D-Day
“His actions directly contributed to the success of D-Day and, eventually, of the long, terrible battle for Normandy.” By John Sadler ON THE NIGHT of June 5, 1944, the greatest armada ever to set sail…
Wartime Kiss Reconsidered — Blogger Offers Controversial Take On One of History’s Most Famous Photos
“The argument has gone viral with newspaper columnists, pundits and comment board posters weighing in.” (Originally published on Oct. 10, 2012) A STORM OF controversy has erupted following the assertion by a U.K.-based blogger that…
The Avro Arrow – 10 Surprising Facts About Canada’s Legendary Lost Fighter Jet
“On Feb. 20, 1959, on the day that became known as Black Friday in Canada, the Avro Arrow project was cancelled.” Just about every Canadian knows the story of the Avro Arrow. The space-aged, twin-engine…
