In February of 1945, the Japanese army suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of British forces in Burma. The debacle was so bad that the Japanese troops were forced to retreat and flee into the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. What awaited them there was a horror beyond comprehension. This post will reveal the […]
The Ramree Island Massacre: How Crocodiles Devoured 500 Japanese Soldiers in WW2 Read More »
We define different societies by the diverse ways they structure economic life and arrange daily life around those same economic activities. For example, in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, life depended on agriculture along the River Nile in Egypt and the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers in Mesopotamia. Accordingly, they established their villages, farms, and cities throughout
What Was Life Like in the Medieval Manor? Read More »
In the summer of 1858, the people of London were in for a nasty surprise. The stench of rotting garbage and human waste was so putrid that it made Parliament members vomit and faint. This smell, known as the Great Stink, lasted for weeks and drove many residents from their homes. So what caused this
What Caused The Great Stink of London? Read More »
Every schoolchild is familiar with tales of the ferocious Vikings who terrorized Europe for over two centuries from their first raids on Britain in the final years of the eighth century. Striking against coastal targets in their longships and making off with riches and slaves, they were soon pillaging much of Western Europe and voyaging
What Was Life Like In A Viking Longhouse? Read More »
World War One began on July 28, 1914, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. By the time it ended in 1918, it was one of the most brutal conflicts in history. How well do you know WWI history? Take our quiz to find out! If you enjoyed this quiz, you should try some of
What do you know about WWI? Test your knowledge with 10 questions Read More »
A famous saying attributed to Gorgo, the daughter of King Cleomenes I, a fifth-century BC king of Sparta. When asked by a woman from Attica, the region of eastern Greece dominated by the city of Athens, why Spartan women were the only ones in all of Greece who held such power within their polis or city-state, Gorgo
Why Were Spartan Women So Wealthy? Read More »
Military historians who have observed the Second World War have long observed that the turning point in the conflict in Europe was the decision by Nazi Germany to invade Soviet Russia in 1941. Before this, the Nazis had conquered all before them. But, when their armies stalled outside Moscow and Leningrad in the winter of
Why was the Italian Army so Ineffective During WW2? Read More »
Some people in history have been so strange and baffling that we may never know their story. For example, Tarrare was known for his extreme hunger and bizarre eating habits. Records indicate that he had an insatiable appetite and could eat more than 20 pounds in one day. What caused his insatiable hunger? To this
The Strange Life of Tarrare, the Insatiable Glutton Read More »
WW2 was a global war lasting from 1939 to 1945. The majority of the world’s countries, including every great power, faced off in two opposing camps: the Axis and Allies. In the end, over 70,000,000 people were dead, and large chunks of Europe and Asia were left in ruins. Test your knowledge about this great
Quiz: Test your knowledge about WW2 Read More »
Only two things in life are certain, opined the great American statesman Benjamin Franklin, death and taxes. Yet these are two things that we often forget to ask ourselves about in past societies like ancient Greece and Rome. So this is not the forum for discussing how ancient taxes were levied and collected, but rather
What Were the Most Common Causes of Death in Ancient Greece and Rome? Read More »
