Cold War
The Nazi Scheme to Bombard New York City With Rockets and Other Unfinished Military Plans
Wars are shaped not only by what is done, but also by what is not. Many plans are contemplated that…
The Witch Doctor President and Other Horrific Rulers
Hitler, Stalin, and Mao are the unholy trinity of names that first comes to the minds of most when thinking…
The Ace of Spies and Other Significant Espionage Figures
Throughout history, spies have aroused mixed emotions, from dread and loathing on one end of the spectrum to admiration and…
Queen Victoria’s Chimney Stalker and Other Creepy Moments From History
One of the more unfortunate aspects of history – and of life in general, for that matter – is that…
These Times History Took a Turn for the Batty
Did you know about the time Thomas Edison went on an electrocution jag, publicly frying dozens of animals to death…
Terrible Schemes that Governments and People Have Tried
Most brainstorms come nowhere near to producing useful and practical ideas. Indeed, if we are honest with ourselves, most brainstorms…
A Sports Dispute Started the Cuban Missile Crisis and Other Odd Facts
From the unexpectedly significant role Cubans’ love of baseball had in shaping the Cold War, to the current popular drink…
Mistakes That Helped Shape U.S. into What it Is Today
Countries, like people, are the sum total of the experiences encountered en route to the present, be such experiences good,…
The Pentagon Papers Explained
In June 1967, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara created a working group he designated as the Vietnam Study Task Force.…
Last Minute Decisions That Changed History
The world is more fragile than we think, and the course of events is seldom set in stone: introduce a…