CATEGORIES

AIR BATTLE FOR KURSK

On the eve of Operation Citadel, the Red Air Force sought to pre-empt the attack by smashing the Luftwaffe. The risky spoiling operation failed spectacularly

PROKHOROVKA AND THE FIGHT FOR HILL 252.2

The Battle of Prokhorovka, on 12 July 1943, was the culmination point of the southern pincer of Operation Citadel. The Soviets ultimately emerged victorious, despite suffering extremely heavy losses to their armour. Here, Dr Ben Wheatley recounts the struggle for one critical position during the battle: Hill 252.2

SUPER SPREADERS IN THE TRENCHES

During the latter period of WWI, infection and disease were a universal enemy on both sides of no man’s land. Vaccination and prevention methods became essential for survival, never mind victory, on the frontline

THE IRA'S WAR IN COUNTY TYRONE

The IRA's East Tyrone Brigade was one of its deadliest units. This is the inside story of how one of its attacks triggered a retaliatory ambush by the SAS

CORPO TRUPPE VOLONTARIE

During the Spanish Civil War, tens of thousands of Italian soldiers fought in Spain to support the fascist Nationalist forces of Francisco Franco

'HATRED IS NOT THE WAY'

Speaking to mark the publication of his new memoir, Ivor Perl describes how he survived both Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps during the Holocaust

JOHNSON BEHARRY

Two acts of valour from this young private saved the lives of his comrades in the narrow streets of Al Amarah, Iraq

5 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BEAUTY

Lucy Jane Santos examines a selection of the cosmetic practices our forebears used in a bid to keep themselves looking their best

DOMESTIC BLISS?

From raising children to baking bread, medieval women were forced to bear the brunt of the household duties

CHANGING IDENTITIES

What happens when a spy becomes the subject of other people's investigations? Nige Tassell delves into the life of the Chevalier d'Éon - the French master of disguise who defied conventional notions of gender

WHAT IF...THE CONTINENTAL ARMY HAD NOT ESCAPED AFTER THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND?

Nige Tassell and Professor Benjamin Carp consider the fate of the American colonies had George Washington not ordered his troops to retreat from the battlefield in August 1776

THE HUNT FOR THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN

From Alexander the Great to Sir Edmund Hillary, the Yeti has fascinated visitors to the Himalayas for millennia. Jonny Wilkes follows in the footsteps of the cryptid and the explorers who have spent their lives trying to find it

BEYOND THE MYTHS TROY

Unearth the true history of this legendary city and discover what still remains

CHINA AFTER MAO

Frank Dikötter discusses the period of economic reform and social change in the wake of the Chairman's death

STEPHEN OF BLOIS HAD DIED IN THE WHITE SHIP DISASTER?

Without Stephen being able to claim the crown, England may have experienced its first queen regnant

HOW TO WIN A WAR

Lessons from the greatest battles in history

TYCHO BRAHE: THE Radical ASTRONOMER

Exploring the heavens has been a pursuit of humankind since the first person looked up to the sky and saw the strange twinkling lights we now know to be the stars and the planets.

Greatest Battles - BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN

LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER, MONTANA, USA, 25 JUNE 1876

THE BIRTH OF THE YAKUZA

The Yakuza like to glamourise their samurai origins, but their real roots are in the gambling gangs of two centuries ago

FAILED COLONIES OF NORTH AMERICA

The New World promised riches and expanded empires, but often it was the poorest who paid the price

RE-DISCOVERING TRANS HISTORY

As the world celebrates international pride month, we spoke to four leading experts about the importance of trans history and their hopes for the future

6 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Hay Fever

As pollen levels begin to rise, we ask: why is it called hay fever? How did people in the past treat the condition? And why was it originally known as a disease of the upper classes?

A DISMAL EXISTENCE

From fear to boredom, life in the trenches left men battling a range of emotions - as well as lice and rodents

HELL ON EARTH

The battle of the Somme offers a powerful reminder of the brutal reality of trench warfare

Even when out on rest periods they were constantly training for the next 'big push'

PETER HART ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD WAR I TRENCH WARFARE

REARMAMENT & THE BATTLE OF FRANCE

France entered Second World War while still suffering the effects of the First. Out-thought as much as out-fought, the Armée de L’Air was left ill-equipped in both mindset and aircraft

LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE

During WWI, the burgeoning French Air Force formed a squadron of volunteer American pilots who served France with distinction over the Western Front

SAS IN SICILY

How the elite unit emerged from chaotic beginnings to spearhead the Allies' 1943 invasion of the Mediterranean island fortress

COLD WAR

After the defeats and divisions of WWII, the Armée de L’Air struggled for aircraft and a role for them. Ironically, breaking away from NATO united the force behind a single aim

FLEDGLING EAGLES

The French contribution to the air battles of WWI was unmatched. A world leader in aviation, its pioneers and factories readily turned to supporting the war effort