In the early morning of June 30, 1940, the German army landed on the British Channel Islands, the only British territory to be occupied by the Nazis during World War II. The inhabitants of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, and Sark woke up to the sound of airplanes and the sight of enemy soldiers on their shores. […]
The Crimean War, which lasted from 1853 to 1856, was a significant turning point in European history. It pitted Russia against a coalition of France, Britain, and the Ottoman Empire and resulted in the defeat of the Russian army. The war had far-reaching consequences, not only for the defeated Russian Empire but also for the […]
In the early years of World War One, the United States maintained a policy of neutrality, refusing to take sides in the conflict between the Allied Powers and the Central Powers. However, by 1917, the war had escalated to such an extent that the United States was forced to enter the conflict, ultimately playing a […]
During World War II, the British Secret Service played a vital role in the fight against Hitler’s Nazi brigade, and remarkably contributed to the Allies’ victory against Hitler’s Germany. The service was made up of a diverse group of individuals who used their unique skills and expertise to gather intelligence, engage in sabotage operations, and […]
During the 1950s, the world witnessed a split in the communist movement between Mao Zedong’s China and Nikita Khrushchev’s Soviet Union. The tensions between the two countries reached their peak in the early 1960s and ultimately led to a complete rupture in their relationship. This article will explore the factors that led to the growing […]
The First World War was a global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918, involving many of the world’s major powers. While it was fought on several fronts, the Western Front in France and Belgium was the site of some of the most brutal and devastating battles of the war. The Canadian Corps played a […]
At the end of the Cold War, the Russian Navy found itself in a dire financial situation, with limited resources to maintain its vast fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. As a result, the Navy had to decommission approximately 100 of its nuclear submarines, leaving behind a significant nuclear waste disposal problem. The disposal of these submarines […]
The hunt for Nazi war criminals has been a long and arduous process, with many escaping justice for decades. One such individual was Franz Stangl, a former Austrian police officer turned mass murderer responsible for the genocide of 800,000 people during World War II. The incredible hunt for Stangl, who fled to Brazil following the […]
The Battle of Britain was a crucial event in World War II, where the Royal Air Force (RAF) of Britain fought against the German Luftwaffe in an intense air battle for air supremacy over Britain. The battle took place from July to October 1940, and during this period, there were several significant days that marked […]
In the winter of 1944, the German army launched a massive offensive against the Western Allies in an attempt to turn the tide of World War II. The Battle of the Bulge, as it became known, saw American forces facing off against fanatical German troops armed with some of the most powerful tanks ever to […]
Tanks are a ubiquitous presence on modern battlefields, but their evolution and development were anything but straightforward. The first tanks were developed during World War I, in response to the difficulties of trench warfare on the Western Front. On September 15, 1916, the first tank attack took place during the Battle of the Somme, when […]
On June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, the Allies launched a massive invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, landing on the beaches of Normandy. The success of the invasion was far from assured, and the fighting that followed was fierce and unrelenting. The 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, made up of battle-hardened veterans of the Italian Campaign, […]
The Gulf War of 1990-91, also known as Operation Desert Storm, was a significant military conflict that took place between the coalition forces led by the United States and Iraq. The war had started after Iraq had invaded Kuwait, which was a significant supplier of oil to the US. The coalition forces, which consisted of […]
For 13 days in October 1962, the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The Cuban Missile Crisis, as it is now known, was a moment in history when the United States and the Soviet Union came perilously close to using their nuclear arsenals. The crisis was sparked by the Soviet Union’s decision to […]
During World War II, London was a city under siege. From September 7, 1940, to May 11, 1941, the city was bombed almost every night in what became known as the Blitz. The bombings caused massive destruction and loss of life, but they also revealed the miraculous resilience of the human spirit in the face […]
During World War II, one of the most controversial campaigns was fought in the deserts of North Africa. Known as the Desert Campaign or the North African Campaign, it was a series of battles fought between the British Commonwealth forces and the Axis powers, primarily Germany and Italy. One of the most significant battles of […]
During the final months of World War II, as the Allies closed in on Germany, the Nazi regime began to panic. Among their many concerns was the fate of the thousands of Allied airmen who were being held captive in prisoner-of-war camps throughout the country. In a desperate attempt to keep these prisoners out of […]
In the early years of World War 1, both sides of the conflict were constantly searching for new and innovative ways to gain an advantage over the other. One such weapon that was developed by the British army was a massive flamethrower that would come to be known as the Livens Projector. Built for use […]
The occupation of Paris by German forces during World War II was a time of great hardship and struggle for the city’s inhabitants. The German army arrived in Paris on June 14, 1940, and quickly established their control over the city. For the next four years, Parisians would endure a period of oppression, deprivation, and […]
During the Cold War, the United Kingdom was one of the world’s leading powers in aviation technology. British aircraft manufacturers produced some of the most innovative and advanced planes in the world, such as the Harrier Jump Jet and the Concorde. But behind these iconic machines lay a secret, hidden world that was essential to […]
Princess Alice, the mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, is a remarkable figure in history, yet few people have heard of her. She was a great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and married into the Greek royal family, but her life was not easy. After the Greek monarchy was overthrown, she suffered a nervous breakdown and was […]
During World War II, the Canadian government commissioned artists to document the activities of the Canadian military both at home and abroad. These artworks, which now number over 5,000, offer a unique perspective on Canada’s contribution to the war effort, and the sacrifices made by its people. The artists who were commissioned to create these […]
On July 10th, 1985, one of the most tragic events in Greenpeace history occurred in Auckland Harbor, New Zealand. The flagship of the environmental organization, Rainbow Warrior, was blown up by two mines attached to its hull by French navy combat men. The explosion killed photographer Fernando Pereira and sank the ship, leading to an […]
Sam Hughes was a controversial figure in Canadian military history. As the Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I, he was responsible for building and leading the Canadian Corps on the Western Front. Despite his flaws and shortcomings, there was no denying that Hughes was a visionary who played a crucial role in […]
The Second World War saw a fierce battle fought in the skies, where fighter planes played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the war. The pilots who flew these planes were heroes, risking their lives every day to keep their countries safe. The planes themselves were feats of engineering, technological marvels that were […]
During the Cold War, espionage was rampant across the world, and Australia was no exception. The Australian Intelligence & Security Organisation (ASIO) was tasked with hunting down spies and subversives in the country. In the process, they opened files on students, unionists, Aboriginal activists, writers, and as many as half a million other citizens. Among […]
World War II was a time of great conflict and upheaval, with countries around the world sending their soldiers to fight on distant shores. However, behind the scenes, there were many women who played a crucial role in bringing an end to the war. Among them were the top-secret spy women of Canadian military, who […]
Laos, a small Southeast Asian country, holds the unfortunate title of being the most heavily bombed country, per capita, on the planet. During the Vietnam War, the United States conducted a secret bombing campaign against Laos, dropping over 2 million tons of bombs over a span of 9 years. To this day, unexploded bombs continue […]
During World War II, Reinhard Heydrich and Wilhelm Canaris were two of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. Heydrich was head of the Gestapo, and Canaris was head of the Abwehr, the military intelligence agency. They were both spymasters, but they had very different approaches to their work. Heydrich was ruthless and efficient. He […]
The Battle of Britain was a pivotal moment in World War II, and it was fought between the Royal Air Force (RAF) of Great Britain and the German Luftwaffe. The battle lasted from July to October 1940 and was one of the first major campaigns to be fought entirely by air forces. The RAF’s victory […]