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Dana Rovang
2 days ago11 min read
The Bixby Letter: Saving Private Ryan and the origin of the Lincoln letter
A controversial letter said to be written by Abraham Lincoln to a widow who had lost sons in the Civil War is central to Saving Private Ryan
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Dana Rovang
Oct 26 min read
How the Allies Duped the Nazis for D-Day with Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude was a multi-pronged Allied operation that successfully misdirected the Axis powers in WWII in the run-up to D-Day.
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Dana Rovang
Jun 287 min read
Noncombatant Service: Conscientious Objectors’ Fight for Mental Health Reform during WWII
During WWII, many Conscientious Objectors worked to reform mental health care institutions, with lasting results.
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Dana Rovang
May 5, 20228 min read
The "weird" law against killing camels in Arizona
Dana Rovang It is a true fact that there was once a law in Arizona making killing a camel a crime. But, what if you didn’t know what a...
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Dana Rovang
Apr 19, 20227 min read
"Save the Day": The American Civil War origins of a superhero phrase
Dana Rovang What would a superhero story be without someone swooping in at the last moment to “Save The Day?” Snatching victory from the...
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Dana Rovang
Mar 9, 20225 min read
Olga of Kyiv: Ingenious Avenger, Leader, and Saint
In twelfth-century Europe, most of the stories that have survived were written by monks, and they usually carried a moral lesson. The...
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Dana Rovang
Feb 3, 20228 min read
Phillis Wheatley: A Black and enslaved poet who helped shape Revolutionary America
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), was a Black and enslaved poet who lived in the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War. Through her...
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Brendan Wolfe
Nov 22, 20217 min read
A War by Any Other Name
CONFLICT IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES When the English landed at Jamestown, Virginia was in the middle of a seven-year drought and the worst...
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Herbert Wignall
Nov 22, 20213 min read
Hiram Bingham IV: US Diplomat who Saved Thousands in WWII
Hiram “Harry” Bingham IV (1903-1988) saved thousands of Jews and other "enemies" of Germany during the early years of WWII by using...
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Dana Rovang
Nov 22, 20212 min read
Bushnell's Turtle
The American Revolutionary War marked a period of great expansion in martime history. One of the most significant developments was the...
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Herbert Wignall
Nov 22, 20212 min read
"Billy" Mitchell; or, How to Sink a Battleship
US Army General William “Billy” Mitchell (1879-1936) was the commander of the Army Air Services in WWI. After the war, Mitchell lobbied...
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Julienne Landsdown
Nov 19, 20212 min read
SABA SABA
Saba Saba (Seven Seven in Swahili) refers to the date of July 7, and it is a meaningful date in many parts of Africa. In Tanzania, the...
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Marcie Holmes, PhD
Jul 17, 201516 min read
US Air Force Training
By Marcie Holmes, PhD MATCHING HUMANS TO MACHINES “There’s no such thing as a natural-born pilot.” - Chuck Yeager Good airplane pilots...
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Michael Gott
Jul 16, 20155 min read
FUGO: Japanese Fire Balloons
THE FIRST INTERCONTINENTAL WEAPON PIGGYBACKED ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE JET STREAM The Fu-go “Windship Weapon” project was a World War II...
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Dana Rovang
Jul 15, 20158 min read
RENATO LEVI
THE JEWISH DOUBLE-AGENT WAS ONE OF THE ALLIES' BEST KEPT SECRETS IN WWII Renato Levi (aka CHEESE, MR. ROSE, LAMBERT, EMILE, or ROBERTO)...
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Dana Rovang
Jul 8, 201510 min read
The Illusionists of El Alamein
DECEIVING ROMMEL'S AFRIKA KORPS “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using...
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Herbert Wignall
Jun 10, 20154 min read
The Mary Rose
A CAUTIONARY TALE: The Story Behind the Stamp In April 1509, Henry VIII became king. He was just 17. With a foresight perhaps belying...
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