Within six weeks of the German attacks on the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, all the countries had been defeated and the evacuation of British and French armies at Dunkirk had begun. The German success was as a result of Blitzkrieg, meaning ‘surprise war’, a military strategy based on speed... More
Operation Bluecoat was timed to coincide with the American Operation Cobra so that protection could be provided to the American eastern flank. There was also a weakening in the German line due to reorganization of divisions that were being moved west, which could be exploited by the Allies. Allied forces... More
After Britain’s humiliating defeat in the First Boer War (1880–81), Prime Minister Gladstone had been happy to agree the London Convention (1884) guaranteeing the independence of the Boer South African Republic. Discovery of massive gold deposits in Transvaal (1886) rekindled British imperialism. The Jameson Raid (1895) was an attempt to... More
The attack at Bolimow was planned to divert Russian attention towards Warsaw, allowing the build-up of troops in East Prussia to go unnoticed in preparation for a much larger offensive. The battle is notable as the first instance of the use of weaponized gas during the war, namely a non-lethal... More
The scion of Venezuelan copper barons, Simon Bolívar took command of the liberation movement against colonial Spain by arresting his erstwhile leader Francisco de Miranda and turning him over to the Spanish authorities. From this dubious beginning, Bolívar embarked on his ‘Admirable Campaign’, marching from New Granada to capture Caracas... More
After the destruction of Mulberry harbour A, Cherbourg became a vital objective for the Allies because of its deep water port. Cherbourg had been heavily fortified by the Germans with an array of gun emplacements spread along the coast. The American VII Corps had advanced to the outskirts of Cherbourg... More
The bombardment of Paris, which began in March 1918, is shrouded in mystery. The guns responsible, called the Paris Gun, were shipped back to Germany in August 1918, and were never found, nor were their construction specifications. The Germans were required to surrender a complete Paris Gun to the Allies... More
The Gulf War’s combat phase began on 17 January after the deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait expired. A 35-nation coalition, led by the US, sent numerous air sorties over Iraq and Kuwait, dropping 88,500 tons of bombs. While precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles were destroying airfields and radar... More
The monastic houses were natural magnets for settlements. Their residents tended to be affluent, providing a market for consumer goods and employment for servants, artisans, labourers and farm-hands. Abbeys and priories were inns, hospital, farms and schools, offering many of the basic ingredients needed for nascent urban centres. Clergy usually... More
Boudicca was queen of the Celtic Iceni tribe, whose territories were in eastern Britain. After Boudicca’s husband died, the Romans annexed Iceni lands and ended their alliance. It is thought that Decianus Catus, procurator of Roman Britain, was responsible for this decision. When Boudicca, (described as tall and terrifying with... More
The crossing of the River Meuse was essential for the German advance into France. To capture Sedan, a strategic attack from the 10th, 2nd and 1st Panzer Divisions was planned, with intense support from the Luftwaffe. On 12 May, the city was secured; the following day the three key Panzer... More
With the exception of Russia and Austria, the warring European powers had colonies in Africa, Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The Turkish army also contained a significant African contingent. This meant that, by default, a European war became a global war, with the colonies supplying both troops and raw... More