In the final months of World War II, as Allied forces pushed across Europe to defeat Nazi Germany, a humanitarian crisis unfolded in the occupied Netherlands. Thousands of Dutch civilians faced starvation during what became known as the Hongerwinter or “Hunger Winter” of 1944-1945. In response, Allied air forces launched an unprecedented mission of mercy…
The American Civil War was a time of great suffering and hardship for soldiers on both sides. While we often think of the terrible wounds inflicted by bullets and cannons, soldiers also faced another painful enemy: tooth decay and gum disease. Let’s take a look at the state of dentistry during the Civil War and…
Taking to the Skies: The Birth of Aerial Reconnaissance When we think of the American Civil War, images of soldiers marching across battlefields or naval ships exchanging cannon fire might come to mind. But high above the smoke and chaos, a quiet revolution was taking place in the skies. For the first time in American…
Slavery as Primary Cause The primary cause of the American Civil War is most accurately understood as a conflict over the future of slavery in the United States, rather than a dispute over states’ rights. While differences regarding federalism and states’ authority were factors, the central issue was whether slavery would be allowed to expand…
A Puzzling Popularity: Hitler’s Ascendancy In 1939, Adolf Hitler, the “Führer,” basked in the zenith of his popularity, though his ascent to power was anything but a landslide victory. Despite never clinching the popular vote for president or securing an absolute majority in German elections, Hitler managed to entrench himself as the nation’s indisputable leader….
Introduction Picture this: vast Australian farmlands, fresh from the hardships of World War I, and a flock of unsuspecting birds about to become the center of one of history’s most unusual conflicts. Welcome to the story of the Great Emu War of Australia. In the early 1930s, something stirred in the Australian Outback. It wasn’t…