Topic

Wars, Conflict & Heroes

A collection of 84 issues

Ironclads on Land: How the Royal Navy Invented the Modern Tank

The first battle tanks were developed not by the army, but by the British Royal Navy during WWI. Spearheaded by Winston Churchill's 'Landships Committee', this naval heritage is why tanks still use nautical terms like hull, turret, deck, and hatch to describe their parts.

Thierville: The Incredible Story of the French Village That Lost No One in Two World Wars

In a nation scarred by conflict, the tiny French village of Thierville stands alone. It is the only commune in France to have suffered zero casualties in both World War I and World War II, a remarkable story of luck memorialized by a monument to the absence of tragedy.

The Martyr on the Scaffold: Why King Charles I Chose Death for His Church

King Charles I is venerated as a martyr by High Church Anglicans. They argue his execution was a direct result of his refusal to sacrifice the episcopal structure and sovereignty of the Church of England to a Puritan-led Parliament, choosing death over violating his sacred coronation oath.

Tomorrow and Yesterday: The Two Islands Where the US and Russia Are 2.4 Miles and 21 Hours Apart

Just 2.4 miles of water separate Russia's Big Diomede from the USA's Little Diomede. But the International Date Line between them creates a 21-hour time gap, placing one island in 'tomorrow' and the other in 'yesterday,' a stark symbol of political and temporal division.

The $5 Million Secret: How Britain Bought Russia's Top Tank After the Cold War

In 1992, with the Cold War over, the UK secretly bought advanced Russian T-80 tanks for $5m each. Using a shell company, they tested the formidable gas-turbine tanks on their own soil before sending one to the US for evaluation, a fascinating tale of military intelligence and opportunism.

The Last Civil War Echo: How a Union Drummer Boy Lived to See the Dawn of Rock and Roll

Albert Woolson, the last verified Union veteran of the Civil War, was a living bridge to the past. He wasn't just a historical footnote; he was a drummer boy who lived until 1956, witnessing the world's transformation from the age of Lincoln to the dawn of the atomic era and rock and roll.

The Last Tommy Was a Woman: Florence Green and the End of the Great War Era

On Feb 4, 2012, Florence Green, the last surviving WWI veteran and WRAF member, died at 110. Her passing severed the final living link to the Great War, closing a monumental chapter of history and leaving behind a world shaped by a conflict now passed entirely from memory to record.

Sombra: The Colombian K-9 So Feared by Cartels They Put a $70,000 Bounty on Her Head

Sombra, a heroic German Shepherd, became a top target for Colombia's most powerful cartel after sniffing out over 9 tons of cocaine. The Gulf Clan placed a $70,000 bounty on her head, forcing police to relocate her with bodyguards for her own protection.

Sealed in Steel: The Harrowing Story of the Kaiten, Japan's WWII Suicide Torpedoes

Beyond Kamikaze planes, Japan's WWII arsenal included Kaiten: manned suicide torpedoes. Pilots were sealed inside the weapon, unable to escape, and were ordered to self-destruct if their attack failed, ensuring a one-way mission to turn the tide of the war.

The Lost Cross of King Harold: A Tale of Miracles, Monks, and a Mysterious Disappearance

An 11th-century stone crucifix, unearthed in Somerset, became a famed healing relic in Waltham after a miraculous journey. Devotedly rebuilt by King Harold Godwinson, the Holy Cross of Waltham vanished without a trace during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries, its fate a mystery.