military

Veterans Day honors those who served in the past and active military members.

The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the end of World War I, which occurred at the 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month.

President Eisenhower making Veterans Day the holiday’s official name.

Alvin King—a shoe repairman from Emporia, Kansas—probably isn’t in many history books, but he deserves at least a paragraph.

Find out more about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, from the first soldier ever interred in it to the rigorous process of guarding it.

The U.S. government recruited a (phony) vampire-esque creature.

In the 1950s, American counterinsurgents decided to play into Philippine folklore by orchestrating a deadly 'vampire' attack.

General George Washington has the look of a man with more stars than anybody else.

Thanks to a law passed in 1976, our nation's first president—who died more than 200 years ago—is still the military's highest-ranking official.

Scientists who worked on the Chicago Pile-1, a component of the Manhattan Project. Leo Szilard is pictured in the middle row in the trench coat.

Before J. Robert Oppenheimer had a change of heart, some of his fellow scientists opposed the U.S. government’s plan to make and deploy an atomic bomb.

A detail from ‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’ by Jacques-Louis David

One of the most fascinating figures to ever live was born 246 years ago.

Facial hair as aggressive as the World War I combatants.

The combat veteran is the first Asian American woman from Illinois ever elected to Congress.

From serving in the Iraq War to becoming the first U.S. senator to give birth in office, Tammy Duckworth has an impressive history of overcoming adversity with grit and humor.

Not 'The Defender,' but we needed to show you something.

The peculiar sub had wheels and other innovative features.

DEET might not exist without military research.

From bug spray to Epipens, you might be surprised to learn just how many items taking up shelf space in your home were originally developed for the front lines.

We take a closer look at the life and demise of the wronged queen who lent her name to a rebellion when she took on the might of—what was at the time—the world’s largest empire.

Learn about the life, legacy, and devastating death of Alexander Hamilton, the man who inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway musical.

The flight deck has long been known by a peculiar term—one that probably has to do with roosters.

There’s a lot you may not know about the Duke of Sussex.

In the midst of the incessant press speculation and gossip, many less well-known things about the Duke of Sussex have become lost in the shuffle.

From the World War II engagement that helped instigate a medical breakthrough to the devastating attack that indirectly contributed to the Renaissance, these battles altered the course of history.

The three-day Civil War battle was a badly needed win for the North—but like all victories, it came with a price.

Area 51 has been strongly associated with alien sightings and secret government studies for decades. Here are a few facts you might not know about it.

Hanford, Washington, became the site of nuclear experiments.

In the 1940s, residents near Hanford, Washington, were getting dosed with the radioactive equivalent of Three Mile Island every day.

A German submarine not unlike the one destroyed by a poop.

Your history teacher probably didn't tell you about the time the unfortunately named Captain Schlitt's bowel movement sank an entire German submarine.

Whether you're planning to live abroad or travel internationally, these are the countries where you'll find the most safety and stability.

The recipe for SPAM isn't as complicated as its reputation would have you think.

The Sultana, the day before it exploded.

For centuries, boats have been blowing up with amazing spectacle and horrible tragedy. Here are five ship explosions just as worthy of a three-hour dramatization as the RMS 'Titanic.'

Scientists from the expedition tagging whales in the Santa Barbara Channel.

Fifty-two Hertz, dubbed 'the loneliest whale in the world,' has roamed the Pacific for decades, singing at a much higher frequency than other whale species.

11 Things to Remember This Veterans Day

The Kansas Shoe Repairman Responsible for Veterans Day

11 Facts About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

False Fang: When the CIA Staged a Vampire Attack

Why George Washington Is History's Only Six-Star General

“I Will Have Nothing to Do with a Bomb!”: The Scientists Who Opposed the Manhattan Project

15 Epic Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte

8 Awesome Mustaches of World War I

17 Things You Might Not Know About Tammy Duckworth

A Century-Old Experimental Submarine, 'The Defender,' Is Found 'Hiding in Plain Sight' in Long Island Sound

9 Inventions That Came From the Military

11 Facts About Boudica, Warrior Queen of the Iceni

Alexander Hamilton

Why Is It Called a ‘Cockpit’?

9 Surprising Facts About Prince Harry

10 Battles That Changed History

11 Facts About the Battle of Gettysburg

10 Mysterious Facts About Area 51

Green Run: When the U.S. Government Released Radiation in the Pacific Northwest

The Turd Reich: The Toilet Malfunction That Sank a German U-Boat

The 25 Safest Countries in the World

What Is SPAM Made Of?

5 Deadly, Explosive Ship Disasters From U.S. History

The Loneliest Whale: Documentary Chronicles a Search for the 52 Hertz Whale