Preserved in the National Archives is a letter/speech written by Eisenhower in case the D-Day invasion was unsuccessful. It is short and to the point. Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based […]
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Conscription in the Soviet Union
By Hobilar
From earliest infancy, the young Soviet citizen learned to accept that he must do National Service, and he learned to respect and honor the armed forces as the means of defending ‘Socialism’ and the ‘Soviet homeland’ from the capitalists who would love to destroy them. From his first schooldays, he was brought into regular contact […]
Will masculinity studies programs emerge in the future?
By Phidippides
If a student wanted to engage in a course of study which used a “masculinity” or “masculine” approach to history, could it be done? Probably not in today’s academic circles. But as academics search for new areas of the past and under-exploited perspectives, masculinity studies programs could emerge as a discipline rich in scholarly content. […]
Hitler’s planned invasion of Ireland
By Phidippides •
This is one of those interesting tidbits of history: Hitler tagged Ireland as a potential invasion target. A document was uncovered a few years ago that showed plans for Germany’s invasion, which apparently had a strategic appeal: ‘Despite the fact that many Irish were sympathetic to Germany throughout the war, they were clearly earmarked by […]
The Year That Was: 2023 in Review
By Phidippides
Given that this is a website dedicated to history, I think it’s really quite germane to reflect on events of the past 12 months. I try to do this every year, even though it seems like I don’t do justice when I’m rushing to get it done in the waning days or the old year, […]
B.C. and A.D. vs. B.C.E. and C.E.
By Phidippides
I first heard about the usage of BCE and CE to signify historical dates around 1990, and I imagine the idea must have gathered steam in academia well before that time. If it was supposed to replace usage of BC and AD it hasn’t entered the mainstream quite as well as may have been planned. […]
Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans
By Hobilar
Joan was born of a peasant family of Domrémy in eastern Champagne, a village where the peasantry has suffered particularly severely from the three way civil war between the Armanacs, the Burgundians and the English. Through flight, the loss of animals, and the general lack of law and order, the peasants had little regard for […]
Enchanting, and sometimes strange, Christmas carols of yesteryear
By Phidippides
Over the course of many Christmases I have listened to traditional Christmas Carols which have struck me as some of the most enchanting and haunting carols I have ever heard. These aren’t songs that you’re likely to hear on the radio in December or playing in the mall while you do your Christmas shopping. They’re […]
Charles Dickens’ Odd Christmas Game
By Phidippides
I was looking for reaction to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol from his contemporaries when I came upon a collection of the author’s other Christmas works. The work, Household Words: Christmas Stories, 1851-1858, was a compilation of short stories and reflections that Dickens had authored over the years. Among them are stories such as “What […]