Written by Mardi Gras has a reputation for being unstoppable. Even people who’ve never set foot in New Orleans know the basics: parades, music, masks, and a city that seems to run on celebration. Photo Credit: Erika Goldring/ Getty Images But history has a way of interrupting even the most “untouchable” traditions. And on one Mardi Gras … Continue reading “Why Did New Orleans Cancel Mardi Gras? The WWII Mardi Gras Story”
A five-star hotel on the Channel Island of Guernsey has a unique story to tell that took place during its occupation by the German forces in World War II. Andrew Chantrell, general manager of the Old Government House (the OGH) sat down with Geoff Moore to explain how this hotel became a Soldiers’ Home – … Continue reading “Five-Star Hotel in Guernsey was Once for German Soldiers”
Modern military power is measured by stealth and precision, but in 1914, Imperial Russia bet its future on a machine that looked like a steampunk nightmare. The Tsar Tank, a massive iron tricycle, promised to end the stalemate of the Great War. Instead, it became one of the most expensive and immobile “toys” in military … Continue reading “The “Star Wars” Droid of 1915: Why Russia’s Giant Tsar Tank Failed Before It Fought”
A series of holiday beaches in Devon, in the United Kingdom, were once vital training grounds that contributed to the success of D-Day. This is popular excursion destination in the west country, that plays host to surfers, beachgoers and sun worshipers alike, told a very different story during World War II. North Devon Maritime Museum. … Continue reading “Devon’s Wartime History and Its Role in D-Day”
In 1932, Australia aimed machine guns at “swarms” of emus—and learned a truth that modern drone warfare keeps repeating: cheap, fast, scattered targets can make powerful tools look clumsy. Photo Credit: Wazee Digital/ Wikimedia Commons If you ever wanted proof that war is sometimes less “glory” and more “please make this problem go away,” Australia’s … Continue reading “The Great Emu War: Australia’s 1932 Lesson for Drone-Swarm Warfare”
Two German-built tanks will be attending the world’s biggest display of historic moving armour this coming June. Nicknamed the Nashorn “Phoenix” after restoration was delayed by a devastating fire, a World War II-era German “Tank Hunter” will be running for the first time in the United Kingdom at TANKFEST 2026. Photo Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-279-0950-09 … Continue reading “The First Guests Have Been Announced for TANKFEST 2026”
Modern military logistics rely on massive cargo planes like the C-17 to transport armor, but in 1942, the Soviet Union attempted something far more daring. Long before Hollywood began dropping tanks out of airplanes with parachutes, Soviet engineer Oleg Antonov decided to simply give the tank wings. The result was the Antonov A-40, known as … Continue reading “The Tank That Flew (Once): The Audacious Failure of the Soviet Antonov A-40”
While the 2026 Winter Olympics turn Cortina d’Ampezzo into a global postcard, the mountains around the finish area are holding a second story—one carved into rock, ice, and silence. The women’s Alpine races are running on Cortina’s Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, on the legendary Olimpia delle Tofane course. Photo Credit: Michael Kappeler/ picture alliance/ Getty … Continue reading “The “White War” Peaks: WWI Tunnel Fortresses Still Standing Above the 2026 Olympic Slopes”
Long before the silicon chip or the GPS satellite, the United States military looked into the eyes of a common street bird and saw the future of precision warfare. In 1943, as the Navy struggled with the abysmal accuracy of high-altitude bombing, they funded an experiment that sounds like a steampunk fever dream: Project Pigeon. … Continue reading “The “Coo” de Grce: Why the US Navy’s First Smart Bomb Was Powered by Pigeons”
In recent years, headlines about tech billionaires quietly building underground bunkers have become almost routine. From New Zealand bolt-holes to luxury shelters hidden beneath American ranches, the ultra-wealthy are preparing for worst-case scenarios—pandemics, cyberwarfare, and even nuclear conflict. Photo Credit: Fox Photos/ Hulton Archive/ Getty Images But this instinct to go underground during uncertain times … Continue reading “From WWII Air Raid Shelters to Billionaire Bunkers: A War-Tested Idea Returns”