Cold War
Sparrow Extermination, Lantern Shields, and More Terrible Plans in History
“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all” – Oscar Wilde. It is…
Historic Schemes that Backfired in Catastrophic Fashion
Plans are like butts: everybody has them. Unlike butts, however, most plans fail along a spectrum ranging from close misses…
The Crazy Plan to Stop Earth’s Rotation and Other Bonkers Schemes
History has had plenty of crazy moments. However, few were nuttier than that one time when American Cold War planners…
This Spy Ring Betrayed the US and British to Soviet Intelligence
From the mid-1930s through the early 1960s, the Soviet Union benefited from the services of five British traitors. Reams of…
Heroic People Who Deserve to be Way More Famous
Heroic deeds come in various forms. There are deeds in war to save one’s comrades. There are deeds to save…
Facts That Contradict the Perception of Famous Historic Figures and Events
People are complex, and historic events are usually even more so. As such, it is unsurprising that there are often…
CBS Funded Invasions to Televise and Other Extreme Lengths in History
News reporters going to extreme lengths to chase down a story is so common a trope that it has become…
Some of History’s Most Unexpected Plot Twists
Despite the best laid plans of military commanders, few things are as chancy as war. Once the fighting starts, matters…
Evil Doctors and Scientists From World War II
Doctors and scientists are usually highly respected. The former for literally saving our lives, and the latter for working to…
History’s Most Catastrophic Man-made Errors
A natural disaster such as a tsunami earthquake, volcano, or flood could kill hundreds of thousands or even millions. Those…