February 2015

As Nurses, Reservists and Corpsmen, those who served in the new female auxiliary units became some of the most important women in World War 2.

Important Women in World War 2: Women’s Auxiliary Units

by Patricia McBride

Until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, America had maintained a popular non-interventionist position with World War 2. Read more

As military games continue to grow in scope and detail, does their portrayal of history also improve? A look at this question and Brothers in Arms 3.

Game Features: Do Games Mislead Us About History?

by James Hart

Originally part of Ralph Baer’s “Shooting Gallery” expansion, Dogfight was released for the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972. There were no scores per se, and certainly no characters, missions, or upgrades. Read more

The Korean War began in June 1950, when Communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea. The United States then led a U.N. coalition to end the conflict.

The Korean War: Invasion to Armistice

by Mike Haskew

With the end of World War II, the Korean peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet and U.S. Read more

Learn what went wrong for the Confederates on March 7-8, 1862, by visiting the Battle of Pea Ridge National Military Park.

Victory Slipped Through Confederate Fingers at the Battle of Pea Ridge

by William E. Welsh

The Rebels sensed victory over Yankees on the crisp late winter morning in northwest Arkansas. They had driven off the Union cavalry that tried to block their advance into battle and captured a battery in the process. Read more

The House of Lancaster defeated the House of York—both branches of the House of Plantagenet—during the War of the Roses in England.

The House of Plantagenet & The War of the Roses

by Michael Haskew

Fought between 1455 and 1487, the War of the Roses was prosecuted by the Houses of Lancaster and York, both branches of the Royal House of Plantagenet, which was of French origin and ruled England for more than 300 years. Read more

For his part in the Sand Creek Massacre and his lust for power, John Chivington is often regarded as one of America's worst leaders in history.

The Worst Leaders in History: John Chivington

By Brad Reynolds

John M. Chivington was a prominent military commander during the American Civil War in the West. Initially an ordained Methodist Minister, Chivington would abuse his position as a military commander, leading the federal government to condemn his actions as an officer of the United States Military. Read more

Robert E. Lee’s attack in the Battle of the Wilderness caught Ulysses S. Grant by surprise. But at the Battle of Spotsylvania, the two sides experienced the misery of entrenched battle.

The Battle of Spotsylvania & The Wilderness Show Grant’s Determination

By William E. Welsh

To the rebel pickets manning the trenches in the so-called Mule Shoe of the Confederate earthworks at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse the sound of hundreds of tramping feet could be heard above the steady rain on the morning of May 12, 1864. Read more

Despite the plot and fantastical mission designs, Gameloft's Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is a very impressive mobile FPS.

Game Reviews: Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour

by James Hart

Creating good games has never seemed to be the Gameloft business model. Instead, the media giant tries to create engaging mobile versions of blockbusters already published on other platforms. Read more

Does Germany still owe Greece war reparations from World War II? Probably, but it's not likely that Greece will ever collect.

Does Germany Owe Greece War Reparations?

by James Hart

This week, Greece’s new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras brought the issue of war reparations back into the political foreground during his first speech to parliament. Read more

Jackson’s Trail and Hazel’s Grove are among key the sites at the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville.

What Makes the Battle of Chancellorsville Both Glorious and Tragic

by William E. Welsh

Gray waves of infantry emerging from the dark woods on both sides of the Orange Turnpike stampeded startled Yankees on the Federal right flank on May 2, 1863. Read more

Subsequent failed campaigns to capture regions of the Byzantine Empire led Igor I of Keiv to be considered one of the worst leaders in history.

The Worst Leaders in History: Igor I of Kiev

by Brad Reynolds

As the Slavic people began to form what would eventually become the Russian Empire, there were inevitable missteps along the way. Read more

WW2 Leaders: Field Marshal Archibald Wavell

by Christopher Miskimon

In late 1940, fortune seemed entirely against the United Kingdom. France had fallen, Italian troops threatened imperial holdings, and Britain’s few allies were still gravely threatened. Read more

Unlike other WW2 leaders, Finland's 'Founding Father,' Carl von Mannerheim was caught in the unique situation of siding with Nazi Germany to recapture his country's independence.

WW2 Leaders: Carl von Mannerheim, Finland’s “Founding Father”

by Christopher Miskimon

Carl von Mannerheim has often been called Finland’s Founding Father, and for good reason. For much Finland’s history, it was not really a nation at all—just a province of a larger country. Read more

General William H. Winder's inept command during the Battle of Bladensburg lead many to list him among the worst leaders in history.

The Worst Leaders in History: General William H. Winder

by Brad Reynolds

During the War of 1812, General Winder would mount the last defense of Washington D.C. before it was ransacked by British forces in 1814. Read more

Mark Twain was not the only famous American writer to avoid fighting—and possibly dying—in the American Civil War.

American Writers Who Avoided the Civil War

by Roy Morris, Jr.

When Mark Twain “lit out for the territory” in July 1861 from his erstwhile role as the world’s worst Confederate ranger, he joined a small but distinguished list of future American literary greats who similarly decided, as had Twain, that they were “not rightly equipped for this awful business.” Read more

From Around the Network

Brutal Battle For Betio

The Eastern Solomons: Death Struggle Off Guadalcanal

The Confederate Army: Letters Home

Russian Earthworks at the Battle of Borodino