On September 6, 1941, German leader Adolf Hitler issued a directive calling for Field Marshal Fedor Von Bock’s Army Group Center to resume its assault on Moscow after having been redirected to support operations against Kiev the previous month. Marshal Semyon Timoshenko’s Western Front blocking the road to Moscow “must   More »

In addition to his legacy exploits as a trapper and guide, Kit Carson also was an excellent U.S. Army soldier.   More »

Why did John Bell Hood throw so many of his men into such a bloodbath at the Battle of Franklin? William Welsh explains.   More »

For nearly eight centuries, mortars have been wreaking havoc on besieged towns, trenches, and stationary enemy troops.   More »

Throughout history, civilians—willingly or not—have been called upon to take up arms for their countries. It’s always the young who are taken first.   More »

A visit to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy charts the Guard’s 215 years of colorful and dramatic service to the nation.   More »

The minié bullet, or “not ball,” was instrumental in helping the British defend against an overwhelming Russian force at Inkerman.   More »

By Christopher Miskimon
Special Forces Sergeant Nick Brokhausen awoke to the taste of dirt in his mouth and the crump of exploding mortar bombs. Above him there were voices but he could not tell who they were. Hands pulled him from the ground where he had been lying face down. Nick   More »

Personal identification badges were worn by soldiers in the Civil War to avoid the dreaded ‘nameless grave.’   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.   More »