Eddie Slovik was executed on January 31, 1945, becoming the only American soldier put to death for desertion since the Civil War. Of approximately 40,000 U.S. service members who deserted during World War II, only several thousand were court-martialed. Forty-nine received death sentences, but Slovik was the only one whose sentence was executed. Private Eddie […]
It is all the more remarkable, then, that within six years Britain’s agricultural output had transformed, more profoundly and at a faster pace than any time since the start of the Industrial Revolution. The most urgent need was to provide a substitute for all that previously imported foreign wheat. In 1939, Britain only had 11.8…
The Malmédy Massacre: A Tragedy of War and the Story of Survival The Malmédy Massacre, which occurred during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 1944, stands as one of the most heinous war crimes committed by German forces during World War II. This event, marked by the ruthless execution of unarmed American prisoners […]
(Mass grave of Polish officers in Katyn Forest, exhumed by Germany in 1943) The Katyn forest massacre committed by the Soviet Union occurred between April and May 1940. Though killings took place in Kalinin and Kharkiv prisons operated by the NKVD and elsewhere, the massacre is named after the Katyn forest where mass graves were […]
“Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler” is the first line of the theme of the British sitcom Dad’s Army. A truly hilarious show. I remember one episode where Capt Mainwaring is telling a story how he met an Australian soldier. He had asked him “Did you come here to die?” whereupon the […]
On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaii Territory, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed, and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. In total, twelve ships were sunk or beached, and nine additional vessels were damaged. More than 160 aircraft were destroyed […]
While the world is remembering the 62nd Anniversary of the Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I want to focus on a different aspect of JFK, his time during World War II. Specifically, his time on PT 109. “The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY and MARINE CORPS MEDAL to/ LIEUTENANT […]
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), also known as the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, was one of the most significant judicial efforts to hold individuals accountable for crimes committed during war. Established in the aftermath of World War II, the tribunal sought to prosecute the leading figures of Imperial Japan for crimes […]
Ahead of Remembrance Day, and with 2025 marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War, Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, follows up her series on MPs and the First World War by looking at the 23 MPs commemorated in the Commons chamber who died during […]
Alain Delon would have celebrated his 90th birthday today. Sadly, he passed away last year, leaving behind a legacy that forever shaped European cinema — and, to a certain extent, Hollywood as well. Known for his striking screen presence, enigmatic charm, and unforgettable roles, Delon stood as one of the true icons of 20th-century film. […]
(An aerial view of the U.S. Naval Academy, looking northeast, mid-1930s) In the tradition of Robert Timberg’s THE NIGHTINGALE’S SONG, Bill Murphy, Jr.’s IN A TIME OF WAR: THE PROUD AND PERILOUS JOURNEY OF WEST POINT CLASS 0F 2002, Rick Atkinson’s THE LONG GRAY LINE: THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF WEST POINT CLASS OF 1966 and […]
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has claimed credit in defeating Japan during World War II. However, this claim is a subject of historical debate. Their contribution was significant but also very different in scale and character from that of the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek. Here’s a breakdown: 1. Context: China’s Resistance Against Japan 2. United Front […]
On September 2, 1945, representatives from the Japanese government and Allied forces assembled aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to sign the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, which effectively ended World War II. The document was prepared by the U.S. War Department and approved by President Harry S. Truman. Eight short paragraphs formalized the “unconditional surrender to […]
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
In Hume’s spirit, I will attempt to serve as an ambassador from my world of economics, and help in “finding topics of conversation fit for the entertainment of rational creatures.”
“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert”. - J Robert Oppenheimer.
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