WAR

Transorbital lobotomies have now entered the chat.

10 Riveting Nonfiction Books on History’s Greatest Medical Mysteries

These gory yet fascinating reads delve into the weirdest chapters of medical history, from the dancing plague of 1518 to the bizarre saga of Typhoid Mary.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will open in July in Paris (barring war or a pandemic).

6 Times the Olympics Have Been Postponed or Canceled

Since 1896, when the modern Olympic Games began, the event has been disrupted only six times—and it usually required a war.

The preserved hull of the Tudor warship ‘Mary Rose.’

12 Facts About the ‘Mary Rose,’ Henry VIII’s Legendary Warship

King Henry VIII built the English Royal Navy around his favorite warship, the ‘Mary Rose,’ which sank under mysterious circumstances in 1545.

An illustration of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914), Archduke of Austria, and his wife Sophie, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914.

Murder in Sarajevo: How the Death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Lit the Fuse of World War I

The First World War was an unprecedented catastrophe that shaped our modern world. The assassination of an Austrian duke on June 28, 1914, put the events in motion.

When George Washington Nearly Kidnapped a British Prince

During the Revolutionary War, George Washington approved a plan to kidnap Prince William Henry, a son of King George III.

American troops helping their injured friends from a dinghy after the landing ship they were on was hit by enemy fire during the Allied invasion of France on D-Day

Watch Vintage Newsreel Footage of the D-Day Landings in Normandy

This 80-year-old archival footage shows Operation Neptune—the code name for the landings on the beaches at Normandy.

Memorial Day at Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Why Memorial Day Is Always on a Monday

About a century after Americans started celebrating Memorial Day, Congress shifted the holiday to a Monday—here’s why.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those lost to war.

10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day

Memorial Day arose from the tragedy of the Civil War. It's a time to remember the people who sacrificed their lives for their country.

This fox is obviously not actually radioactive.

When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes

Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.

British Navy landing crafts carry U.S. troops to a ship in Southern England in preparation for D-Day.

The Meteorologists Who Helped Plan D-Day

“Meteorologically, D-Day was bound to be a gamble against the odds.”

An American flying fortress enacts a maneuver against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands during World War II.

15 Unexpected Military Operation Codenames

Though there’s rarely a (public) explanation of why these weird codenames were assigned, that doesn’t make them any less amusing.

5 Wild Ideas Rejected by the Constitutional Convention

In researching his latest book, ‘The Year of Living Constitutionally,’ author A.J. Jacobs came across some bizarre suggestions floated by members of the Constitutional Convention for the new United States government.

Dwight Eisenhower Wrote a Letter Accepting Blame for D-Day's Failure, Just in Case

D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944, and kicked off the Battle of Normandy. Though it was a success, General Eisenhower was preparing for the worst.

‘Don’t Fire Until Your See the Whites of Their Eyes’ may (or may not) have been uttered at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

‘Don’t Fire Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes’: The Obscure Origin of the Military Command

Legend has it that a heroic American commander at the Battle of Bunker Hill implored his men to hold their fire until their enemies were under their noses. But did the event actually happen?

D-Day: The scene of the Allied invasion on the Normandy beaches in June 1944.

13 Memorable Facts About D-Day

The Allied forces’ Normandy landings on June 6, 1944—an event better known as D-Day—became a pivotal moment in World War II .

Military Slang Terms: 11 Examples, Explained

The close quarters of those serving together in war is a perfect Petri dish for slang. From ‘FUBAR’ to ‘fobbit,’ here are some military slang terms you should know (plus, why the military uses so many acronyms, anyway).

Rin Tin Tin and trainer Lee Duncan prepare to go before cameras in 1935.

14 of the Biggest Animal Stars in Hollywood History

Rin Tin Tin was found on a World War I battlefield in France before making his way to Hollywood, while poor Arnold the Pig was rumored to have been eaten after ‘Green Acres’ was canceled.

In the winter of 1861, former president Franklin Pierce found himself accused of treason.

The Bizarre Story Behind How Franklin Pierce Was Accused of Treason

An anonymous letter supposedly from a member of a secret society claimed that Franklin Pierce was involved in treasonous activities against the American government—an accusation that infuriated the former president.

Four American soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland in 1942.

Who Is the Roger of ‘Roger That’?

Here's how 'Roger' came to mean "received" (and how 'wilco' fits in).

Smokey Bear with Girl Scouts in front of the U.S. Capitol.

How Smokey Bear Helped Win World War II

Smokey Bear’s first ad slogan wasn’t quite as catchy as “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

When George Bush and Saddam Hussein Were Challenged to a Duel

In 2002, the two powerful world leaders were invited to settle their differences the old-fashioned way: Combat.

People have doubted the 1969 moon landing for decades.

11 of the Wildest Pre-Internet Rumors in American History

People have spread incorrect information long before the invention of the internet.

An 1878 painting of Richard, Duke of York, and Edward V (right) by John Everett Millais.

The Princes in the Tower: British Royal History’s Most Tantalizing Murder Mystery

An heir and a spare disappeared during England's War of the Roses. Here's what happened—and how we might hope to solve the mystery today.

Illustrations from 1997’s ‘Get Fit! ... How To Get in Shape To Meet the President’s Challenge and Earn the Presidential Fitness Award’

The Origins of the Presidential Fitness Test

Almost as soon as it was introduced—and for generations after—the Presidential Fitness Test was absolutely traumatizing to students who had to endure it. Here’s how the program started—and ended.

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