Mark Barnes has spent years in The Times’ digital archive compiling some of the most stunning, tragic and brutal photos of the war. He has made the compilation into the book The Liberation of Europe 1944-1945. These photographs have not been seen until now. I’ve spent nearly four decades working with picture archives and have enjoyed a… Read More »The WWII Photos you Haven’t Seen Before
The Viking age was one of the most expansive and innovative eras in the history of the Nordic countries. Pillaging and warfare led the Vikings all the way to America, Russia, Turkey, Spain and Africa, virtually every corner of Europe and even a bit further. Viking ships attacked almost every shore in the Western world… Read More »The Viking Warrior by Kim Hjardar
When Xi Jingping took office as the President of the People’s Republic of China in the middle of 2012, little did we know what seismic changes he would make to the country, especially to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or PLA. This Great Transformation is still very much work-in- progress and how it draws… Read More »China’s Fight Against Army Corruption
We at Casemate were very pleased to hear about the ‘Durham Remembers’ events commemorating 100 years since the Battle of the Somme. One of the highlights is the interactive experience 1916: No Turning Back which allows visitors to follow a new recruit on his way to the front. You witness the recruit begin training where… Read More »1916: No Turning Back – Durham’s Remembrance
Illustrator Peter Dennis looks back at the inspiration behind his new paper soldier wargame series in time for the publication of 1066 and Wars of the Roses. I opened the pages of an old dictionary the other day and a collection of paper soldiers I had made at the age of about 10 slipped out… Read More »The Art of Wargaming by Peter Dennis
The 70th Anniversary of V-J Day, which commemorates the victory over the Japanese Empire after a nearly four-year brutal struggle, has recently occurred. With the passage of this event, it is quite sobering upon gazing at a map of the Pacific Ocean to contemplate how the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)… Read More »The Road to V-J Day Began in Mid-1942
Between 1914 and 1918 Britain’s cities, towns, villages and countryside were transformed by war. For the first time in generations her population was directly threatened by conflict. Coastal towns were bombarded by German warships and submarines, while airships and aircraft brought death and destruction from above. Across the country thousands of factories were turned over… Read More »Discovering Britain’s Home Front 1914-18
Christer Bergstrom’s book The Battle of Britain: an Epic Conflict Revisited builds upon many hitherto unknown first-hand sources and facts. In this book, Bergström dispels many myths that still surround this epic battle. Here Christer Bergström describes some of them in brief. Many of the myths regarding the Battle of Britain involve the commander of… Read More »Myths and Misconceptions of The Battle of Britain
Author Robert Curtis revisited the helicopters he flew during the Cold war this month in the UK. Go away for a mere 30 years and you find that not only has your former squadron changed aircraft, they’ve moved the main gate of the airfield, leaving you unsure how to even get on the base! I had the… Read More »Time flies when you’re not flying helicopters
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