History

The proximity of history

By the time you’re 25 years old, roughly one-third of the people who were alive when you were born are dead. By the time you’re 50, about two-thirds of everyone on the planet who were alive when you were born are dead. The earth’s turn-over rate is quite something. Things have always happened fast — […]

The 3-barrelled machete gun carried into orbit by Russian cosmonauts

Here in the United States, there’s a certain image of the Astronaut’s journey we’ve grown accustomed to: a dramatic launch, a majestic weightless experience, turbulent reentry, and finally, a splashdown somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. From there, America’s Navy swoops in, picking up the floating Astronauts and their capsules (barring an embarrassing incident like Gus […]

The American Road: Small towns steeped in history

Vestal, New York: it’s a relatively small town in rural New York state, near the border of Pennsylvania and just under a four hour drive to New York City. The town houses around 28,000 people, has pristine neighborhoods, a couple of run-down ones and everything it between. It’s littered with grocery stores and gas stations […]

A brief history of smallpox

Smallpox. To the veteran or some aid workers, it means a shot and a scar on the upper arm. To some older folks, it is one of many things that was spoken of and discussed in medical circles years ago, but no longer. To the average person it is an ancient ailment that, like many […]

In pictures: Building America’s iconic monuments

The United States boasts many iconic monuments like the Statue of Liberty or the United States Marine Corps War Memorial. These achievements in architecture and art all serve different purposes — some are utilitarian like the Golden Gate Bridge, and others are commemorative like the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. Whatever their purpose, these images are stamped […]

In pictures: WWI on the sea

When many think of the first World War, they think of infantrymen charging no-man’s land, trench warfare and chemical gas attacks. There were some pivotal naval battles, but they aren’t discussed as often as some of the naval battles from WWII. For example, the Battle of Jutland was a significant naval engagement involving 250 ships. […]

Watch: The History of Memorial Day

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration […]

Peter Conover Hains: The only known veteran of the Civil War and WWI

It is a notable thing to survive a major war. Veterans of these wars held in the highest esteem among other veterans — they have experienced things most could not imagine. Every once in a while, you will hear of veterans who served in two major conflicts. For example, due to their relatively close proximity […]

An overview of Afghan-Iranian relations

As the United States has unveiled their rigid sanctions with Iran in regards to their denuclearization, the world’s eyes are once again turned to the country to see how it will respond to financial threats. Sanctions coming from a country like the U.S. have historically been seen an alternative to real action to appease public […]

On this day in history: The founding of the American Red Cross

May 21, 1881 — Clara Barton becomes the president of the American Red Cross, holding their first meeting in Barton’s apartment in Washington D.C. Barton had been working to integrate the U.S. into the Red Cross since 1873, and that long road had finally come to and end as the next chapter of her life […]

On This Day 1940, Churchill Offers ‘Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat”

One of Winston Churchill’s most iconic speeches took place on this day in 1940. Europe was embroiled in the beginnings of World War II, which Britain, France, and Belgium were ill-prepared for and were about to be swept from the mainland under the onslaught of the German blitzkrieg. Churchill addressed Parliament in the House of […]

The Spanish Star BM 9mm service pistol

The Star model BM Spanish service pistol was an excellent firearm for its time. The pistol saw service with the Spanish military and police but also was used by the South African Defense Forces and found its way into the Rhodesian bush war. Although it looks strikingly similar to the 1911, the Star BM is […]