Military History
Historical campaigns, operations, battles, and military turning points.
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The Firebombing of Tokyo: The Deadliest Air Raid in History
How Operation Meetinghouse killed more than the atomic bombs combined, and why the firestorm that flattened a quarter of Tokyo was nearly forgotten.
Operation Nimrod: How the SAS Ended the Iranian Embassy Siege
How the SAS stormed the Iranian Embassy in 1980, ending a six-day siege in 17 minutes and turning a near-massacre into a defining rescue.
The Rise and Fall of the German War Machine: Doctrine, Speed, and Fatal Blunders
Why Germany's WWII fortunes reversed: superior doctrine and speed won early victories, but a string of strategic blunders raised the hurdles too high.
Henry Kissinger: American Statesman or Unconvicted War Criminal?
A deep look at Henry Kissinger's life, from refugee to Secretary of State, weighing his diplomatic triumphs against the bombing campaigns and coups that branded him a war criminal.
Israel and Palestine: A Comprehensive History of the World's Most Intractable Conflict
From Ottoman Syria and the Balfour Declaration to the Nakba, the intifadas, and October 2023 — the century-long history of Israel and Palestine.
The Battle of Hong Kong: The British Empire's Humiliation
How Imperial Japan overran British Hong Kong in just 17 days in December 1941, and why historians still debate whether the colony's fall was inevitable.
More in Military History
The Taiping Rebellion: The Christian Cult That Tried to Conquer China
How Hong Xiuquan, the self-proclaimed brother of Jesus, sparked the Taiping Rebellion, a 14-year civil war that killed tens of millions in Qing China.
Legion vs Phalanx: The Battle of Cynoscephalae, 197 BC
How a Roman manipular legion shattered Philip V's Macedonian phalanx at Cynoscephalae in 197 BC, settling a debate over which formation ruled the ancient battlefield.
Countdown to War: How Imperial Japan Prepared for the Second World War
From the Treaty of Versailles to Pearl Harbor, how Imperial Japan's hunt for self-sufficiency and resources drove its step-by-step march into world war.
The Brusilov Offensive: Russia's Greatest Victory of the First World War
How General Aleksei Brusilov's 1916 assault shattered the eastern front stalemate, crippled Austria-Hungary, and helped set Russia on the road to revolution.
The Evolution of Naval Special Forces: From World War II to Modern Day
Learn about the evolution of naval special forces from WWII to modern day, including their origins, establishment, and operations
Pickett's Charge: Gettysburg's Bloody Turning Point
How a single hour-long assault across a mile of Pennsylvania farmland on July 3, 1863 became one of the worst defeats of the American Civil War.