In 1864, the U.S. Had the 37 Most Decisive Weeks in American History

55 Folks: "The story of William Tecumseh Sherman, his controversial role in the American Civil War, and the 37 weeks in 1864 that were the turning point for the nation." Gen. Sherman enacted a scorched-earth policy against the Confederates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HliG1HWD320&t=70s

Veterans Day Sparks Concern About Military Recruitment

Around Armistice Day, aka Veterans Day in the US, and Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth, there is concern that the US military isn't recruiting enough volunteers. Americans Don't Want to Fight for Their Country Anymore, Newsweek reports. It could mainly be because unemployment is low and military salaries (not including all the benefits) are …

Ike’s Prophetic Farewell Address, 1961

National Archives: "President Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell address, known for its warnings about the growing power of the "military-industrial complex," was nearly two years in the making. This Inside the Vaults video short follows newly discovered papers revealing that Eisenhower was deeply involved in crafting the speech, which was to become one of the most …

What Would An Israeli Victory Look Like?

If Israel engages in a maximalist campaign against Hamas in Gaza and then withdraws, the last surviving member of the Qassam Brigades -- the military wing of Hamas -- "will, as it were, grab a bloody Hamas flag, wave it for the cameras, and declare victory," observed Aaron MacLean in Mosaic Magazine. The article is titled "Israel's Outside-the-Box …

‘The Codebreaker’: Heroic Woman Who Sent Gangsters to Prison and Broke Nazi Spy Ring in WWII

Elizebeth Smith Friedman "was an American cryptanalyst and author who deciphered enemy codes in both World Wars and helped to solve international smuggling cases during Prohibition. Over the course of her career, she worked for the United States Treasury, Coast Guard, Navy and Army, and the International Monetary Fund. Wikipedia" PBS American Experience broadcast a documentary …

Napoleon: Two Powerful Documentary Series

In 2000, PBS released a four-part documentary on Napoleon, which is still used in classrooms to teach students about the enormous impact Bonaparte had on European history and the world. It is still evocative and fascinating. Outline of the four installments on the PBS mini-site. It was produced as part of the Empires series. Here's …

How Did India Fall To the Europeans?

Odd Compass, which produces animated history videos about under-appreciated events and people in Asian history, posted this 15-minute video: "European colonial history in Asia -- from the British in India to the Dutch in Indonesia -- is often misunderstood. We're (incorrectly) taught that the East India Companies dominated Asia early, giving rise to more direct …

Hannibal, in 218 BC, Terrified Rome

The relics of ancient Carthage, located in what is now Tunisia in North Africa, have mostly not survived, but the legend of its most famous general, Hannibal, most definitely have. He invaded Rome in 218 BC with 100,000 soldiers and hundreds of elephants and absolutely terrified its citizens, almost conquering the Roman Empire. Writer George …

On Dying for One’s Country

“ . . . I have come to revere words like "democracy" and "freedom," the right to vote, the incomprehensibly beautiful origins of my country, and the grandeur of the extraordinary vision of the founding fathers. Do I not see America's flaws? Of course I do. But I now can honor her basic, incorruptible virtues, …

Profiles of Eisenhower, Conqueror of the Conqueror of Worlds

"No one ever shot at him. He never shot at anyone. His toughest battle? Controlling his temper. His name? Eisenhower." His name means “hewer of steel” in German. Shortly World War II ended, one of his military aides described him as “the conqueror of the conqueror of worlds.” Writer George Spencer's profile of General and …