Anecdote
THE TSAR BOMBA
Planet Earth saw the largest man-made explosion in history on Oct. 30, 1961. It was the middle of the Cold War and the Soviet Union was looking to intimidate America and NATO. America had taken the lead in the Read more
Anecdote
THE 12-YEAR-OLD TOMMY
Sidney Lewis was tall for his age and looked older than he was. What he was was 12-years-old. He snuck out of his home in August, 1915, and signed up for the British army. Recruiters often enlisted underage men. Read more
Anecdote
THE MAN WHO COULD NOT ESCAPE DEATH
The greatest magician in history cheated death many times. He would allow himself to be sealed in a milk container filled with water. In his “Chinese Water Torture Cell”, he was submerged upside down in a water while shackled Read more
Anecdote
HISTORY OF THE THUD
In 1951, Republic Aviation began a project to replace its F-84. The prototype flew on Oct. 22, 1955. The F-105 was delivered to the USAF in 1958. Staying with its “Thunder” names (the P-47 Thunderbolt and the F-84 Thunderjet), Read more
Anecdote
FACTS ABOUT TUNNEL RATS
In WWII, the Vietnamese resistance dug tunnels to hide from the Japanese. After the war, the Viet Minh continued the tradition and passed it on to the Viet Cong. By the time the American army arrived, there were 250 kilometers Read more
Uncategorized
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT POMPEII
There had been earthquakes over the years, but it had been a long time since an eruption. The citizens did not know it was a volcano. The word “volcano” was not coined until the 17th The word was in honor Read more
Anecdote
THE REAL AMON GOTH
“Schindler’s List” is considered to be the best Holocaust movie. Steven Spielberg based it on Thomas Kenneally’s novel “Schindler’s Ark”. The book is historical fiction, but features several real persons including Oskar Schindler and Amon Goth. Ralph Fiennes gained Read more
Anecdote
THE SECOND MOST FAMOUS DUEL VICTIM
Stephen Decatur was the brightest star in the U.S. Navy when he died. Decatur’s father had been a commodore in the Continental Navy during the American Revolution. Stephen was raised to be a sailor. He became an ensign at Read more
Anecdote
NURSE EDITH CAVELL
Edith Cavell was born in 1865. She was the daughter of a rector. She worked as a governess in Belgium and then returned to England to train as a nurse. She worked in hospitals in London and then became Read more
Anecdote
Myth #19 Jane Fonda Ratted Out POWs During a Visit to North Vietnam
Jane Fonda was probably the most famous (or infamous, if you will) Vietnam War protester. In 1970, she and Donald Sutherland and others toured West Coast military bases with a show entitled “Free the Army” (which was take-off on the Read more