Military History

The rise of Pancho Villa came with the heightened lawlessness and revolutionary fervor that swept Mexico in the early years of the 20th century.

Military History

Pancho Villa: Rise of a Revolutionary

by Michael Haskew

Like so many other prominent leaders in history, Doroteo Arango Arambula was born in obscurity, the son of a poor sharecropper in San Juan del Rio in the state of Durango, Mexico. Read more

A pioneer in the field of military aviation, the Department of the Navy was instrumental in advancing military aeronautics into its modern form.

Military History

The Birth of U.S. Military Aviation

by Brad Reynolds

On March 25, 1898, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt recommended that two officers “of scientific attainment and practical ability” be appointed to investigate the Samuel P. Read more

Leading up to the Battle of Keh Sanh, Operation Niagara attempted to 'find, fix and finish' the enemy throughout rough Vietnamese terrain.

Military History

Operation Niagara & the Battle of Khe Sanh

By Brad Reynolds

As American involvement in Vietnam escalated throughout the 1960s, American military commanders struggled to justify their strategy of attrition and prove that an end to the war was in sight. Read more

Advancing technology, particularly the machine gun, took a heavy toll at the Battle of the Somme.

Military History

The Machine Gun’s Role at the Battle of the Somme

by Michael Haskew

The British soldiers that left the relative safety of their trenches to go over the top on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, may well have expected that a week-long artillery bombardment of German positions had either killed every enemy soldier to their front or so incapacitated them that the attack would be an easy success. Read more

Today, we look back on the men and women throughout our history who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

Military History

Memorial Day

By James Hart

Since its first inception as “Decoration Day” in 1868, Memorial Day has served as an important reminder regarding those who died in service to their country. Read more

American poet Alan Seeger, served with the French Foreign Legion, and kept his 'rendezvous with death' at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Military History

American Poet Alan Seeger at the Battle of the Somme

by Michael Haskew

Among the French soldiers awaiting the signal to assault German positions at Belloy-en Santerre during the Battle of the Somme, American poet Alan Seeger no doubt contemplated his probable fate on July 4, 1916, ironically the holiday celebrating the independence of his native United States. Read more

General Douglas Haig led British forces during the 1916 Battle of the Somme and has been roundly criticized for his conduct of the offensive.

Military History

General Douglas Haig at the Battle of the Somme

by Michael Haskew

A century after the bloody Battle of the Somme of 1916 left at least 1.2 million British, French, and German soldiers killed, wounded, or captured, General Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, remains one of the most controversial generals to emerge from World War I. Read more

Forty years after the death of Napoleon Bonaparte on the island of St. Helena, his body was entombed in a sarcophagus at Les Invalides in Paris.

Military History

The Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte

by Michael Haskew

Exiled on the island of St. Helena since his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte, once Emperor of France and master of the greatest expanse of European territory since the days of the Roman Empire, died at the age of 51 on May 5, 1821. Read more

From Around the Network

  • Hitler confers with his subordinates Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel (left) and Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch (center) as the three contemplate a military map on the table before them. As Operation Barbarossa progressed, Hitler sacked Brauchitsch and took personal command of all German forces on the Eastern Front. TOP: The burned-out hulks of Soviet T-26 light tanks destroyed during early fighting against the invading Nazis lie derelict on the battlefield.

    WWII

    Auction of Hitler Notes Sparks Controversy
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  • The war bearing his name was nothing to brag about, either for Winfield Scott Hancock or his troublesome subordinate, George Armstrong Custer.

    Civil War

    Winfield Scott Hancock & George Armstrong Custer After Hancock’s War
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  • Caught in an attack by U.S. Army Air Forces bombers, a Japanese merchant ship takes hits off the coast of Dutch New Guinea during a June 1944 raid. Codebreaking work by cryptanalysts like Sergeant Joseph Richard helped detect enemy convoy movements.

    WWII

    Codebreaking Sergeant Richard
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