History of War

From the conquering legions of Ancient Rome to the thunderous tank battles of World War II and beyond, History of War takes you deeper inside the minds of history’s fighting men, further under the bonnets of some of the world’s most devastating war machines, and higher above the battlefield to see the broad sweep of conflict as it happened.

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WAR IN FOCUS

FRONTLINE THIS MONTH IN HISTORY: JANUARY • In this issue’s Frontline, war in the Indo-Pacific, conflict at the Afghan-Pakistan border, Finnish memories of the Winter War, America fights Grenadian Marxists and the Berlin Blockade

OPERATION URGENT FURY • Growing influence from Cuba and the Soviet Union prompted the US government and its Caribbean allies to crush communism in Grenada while also safeguarding Americans on the island

“STUPIDER, LESS THOUGHTFUL & LESS EFFECTIVE” • The age of the great powers has ended, but what does that mean for a war in the Indo-Pacific?

REWRITING THE WINTER WAR • Close ties with the Soviet Union during the Cold War cast a long shadow over Finns’ memory of their fight for survival

HOW TO BEAT A BLOCKADE • The Berlin Airlift of 1948-49 was a logistical miracle that ensured the survival of West Berlin in the early days of the Cold War. How can the lessons learned be applied to today’s geopolitical landscape?

THE SHADOW OF THE DURAND LINE • A relic of the British Raj, this disputed frontier in the mountains and valleys separating Afghanistan and Pakistan remains perilous

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RISE OF THE WAFFEN SS • How did the Schutzstaffel go from fascist street thugs and Hitler’s personal bodyguard to become a ‘state within a state’ in less than ten years?

THE RISE OF HIMMLER • Ambitious and malicious, Himmler was an early follower of Hitler and a zealous organiser of the Nazis’ genocidal policies in the Reich and abroad

SS ELITE • Some of the most notorious Nazis served at the top of the SS leadership

BATTLE OF THE BONUS ARMY • When angry US Army veterans marched on Washington during the Great Depression, their protest exposed deep fault lines between military loyalty and political authority

POINTE DU HOC • During D-Day’s toughest mission, US Rangers stormed an artillery position between Omaha and Utah beaches, before holding out against two nights of counterattacks

DESERT DAREDEVIL • Scientist, explorer and a pioneer of special forces warfare – Ralph Bagnold was responsible for creating a crack unit during WWII

RAY SIMPSON • While leading a Montagnard Mobile Strike Force in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam, this warrant officer drew enemy fire to rescue a comrade, then oversaw the withdrawal of the wounded

THE FIRST GUNPOWDER WARS • In 1494, the high castle walls that had dominated the Middle Ages came tumbling down in clouds of gunpowder smoke. It was the start of a new age

BRISTOL TYPE 156 BEAUFIGHTER • This versatile fighter plane was vital to the Allies during WWII

MUSEUMS & EVENTS • Espionage comes to IWM North, the Royal Armouries Museum marks VE/VJ Day, and the REME’s airborne war is in focus

OBJECTS IN FOCUS: VE⁄VJ DAY • The Royal Armouries Museum’s new display commemorates the individuals and weapons who fought in the Pacific during WWII’s final months

WITH SPANNERS DESCENDING • Discover the essential role of British Army engineers during Second World War airborne operations

IN DEFENCE OF BOMBER COMMAND • SINCE THE END OF WWII, THE ROLE OF RAF BOMBER COMMAND HAS REMAINED HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL. MARCUS GIBSON ARGUES THAT INSTEAD OF A MURKY LEGACY, ITS FLIGHT CREWS DESERVE THANKS FOR STOPPING NAZI GERMANY

REVIEWS • Our pick of the latest military history...