Baked Goods To Die For — The Ridiculous Pasty War of 1838

“Known as Guerra de los pasteles to the Mexicans or Guerre des Pâtisseries to the French, the origins of the little-known 1838 dust-up go back to the previous decade.” IF ANY NATION in the world would pick a fight on…

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Star Spangled Banners – America’s Most Storied Wartime Flags

“The banner featured the now familiar alternating red and white horizontal stripes and stars on blue – one for each of the 13 original American colonies.” WHAT BETTER WAY is there for MilitaryHistoryNow.com to mark July 4th long weekend…

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The Samoan Crisis – How Germany and America Nearly Came to Blows Decades Before WW1

“For several months, the two opposing fleets would face off in a tense game of brinksmanship. The standoff became known as the Samoan Crisis.” GERMANY WAS A LATE BLOOMER among Europe’s imperial powers. After attaining nation-state…

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The North and South Couldn’t Even Agree on What to Call the American Civil War

“Before arriving at the almost universally-accepted ‘American Civil War,’ a vast assortment of names were applied to the conflict.” THE UNION AND the Confederacy had violently differing views on issues like states’ rights and slavery. Not surprisingly,…

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Madmen – 10 of History’s Most Unstable Military Commanders

“Consider some of these ‘mad’ commanders from the pages of military history.” GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON ONCE DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS the best “ass-kicker in the United States Army.” It’s a claim that’s not without merit….

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Junior Generalissimos — Nine of History’s Youngest Military Commanders

“While a 30-something three-star is certainly a rarity in the annals of military history, a number of other legendary leaders assumed the mantle of command at far younger ages. Consider these.” IT’S BEEN SAID that…

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