Topic

Wars, Conflict & Heroes

A collection of 87 issues

The One-Way Ticket: America's Secret Plan for Soldier-Carried Nuclear Bombs

During the Cold War, elite U.S. soldiers trained for a secret, one-way mission: infiltrate enemy lines with a backpack-sized nuclear bomb. Their task was to destroy key targets and halt a Soviet invasion, knowing they would almost certainly never make it home.

Military Technology & Strategy History Wars, Conflict & Heroes

Before & After: How World War I Forged the Modern Face

Born from the unprecedented facial disfigurements of the Great War, modern plastic surgery was pioneered by innovators like Sir Harold Gillies. His groundbreaking techniques, designed to rebuild soldiers' faces, unexpectedly laid the foundation for cosmetic surgery.

Medicine, Psychology & Health History Wars, Conflict & Heroes

America's Longest War Had a Forgotten Finale

Most history books mark the end of the American Indian Wars at Wounded Knee in 1890. The true finale, however, was a quiet surrender by a band of Apaches in 1924, occurring just weeks after the Indian Citizenship Act redefined the combatants as citizens.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Politics & Power

Hiroshima's First Survivor Was a Tree

Just 370 meters from the atomic bomb's hypocenter, a weeping willow was blasted to a charred stump. But from its resilient roots, new life emerged, transforming a single tree into a global symbol of peace and life's refusal to be extinguished.

History Science & Nature Wars, Conflict & Heroes

From War Gas to Wonder Drug: The Unlikely Origin of Chemotherapy

Modern chemotherapy began with a grim observation from the World Wars. Noting how mustard gas decimated soldiers' white blood cells, researchers theorized a similar agent could target fast-growing cancer cells. This led to the first successful cancer drug in the 1940s.

Medicine History Wars, Conflict & Heroes

Exercise Tiger: The Secret D-Day Rehearsal That Became a Massacre

Weeks before D-Day, a catastrophic rehearsal known as Exercise Tiger resulted in the deaths of 749 American servicemen off the English coast. A combination of a surprise German attack, friendly fire, and equipment failures was concealed for decades to protect the invasion, hiding a devastating loss.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Mysteries & Unsolved Cases

Beyond the Mat: The Wrestler Who Fought a Grizzly to Save His Friend

In October 2022, college wrestler Brady Lowry was mauled by a grizzly in Wyoming's wilderness. His teammate, Kendell Cummings, made the split-second decision to intervene, physically pulling the bear off his friend and fighting it himself. His act of courage saved both their lives.

Biography & Personal Stories Wars, Conflict & Heroes Adventure & Exploration

When Vesuvius Went to War: The Forgotten 1944 Eruption That Grounded a U.S. Air Force

While the eruption that buried Pompeii is infamous, Mount Vesuvius last erupted in March 1944, during WWII. Hot ash and rock rained down on the nearby Pompeii Airfield, crippling the USAAF 340th Bombardment Group. The volcano destroyed over 80 bombers, a stark reminder of nature's power.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Science & Nature

The Room Locked in Time: A WWI Soldier's Bedroom Preserved for 500 Years

In a small French town, the bedroom of a WWI soldier has been left untouched since his death in 1918. Kept as a time capsule by his grieving parents, a unique stipulation in the property's deed intends for this private memorial to remain preserved for an astonishing 500 years.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

The Dictator's Daughter: The Story of Nicaragua's Teenage 'Queen of the Army'

In 1941, as the world braced for war, Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza Garcia staged a bizarre ceremony, crowning his 15-year-old daughter, Lillian, the 'Queen of the Army.' This was no fairy tale; it was a calculated move to fuse his family dynasty with the nation's military might.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

Loading more posts...