"The Martini"

James Martin

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History | History

History | History

15 Military Leaders of the American Revolution

The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was intially a rebellion carried out by the Thirteen Colonies of British America against Great Britain, sparked by...

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D-Day: The Great Crusade Was Greater Than You Know

 Imagine picking up every man in a medium-sized city, everything they’ll need to eat and drink and rest for a few days, any vehicles they might need, gasoline, of course, plus lots of guns and ammo — did I mention this was a hunting trip? — and then moving all those men and all that stuff in a few short hours a distance of anywhere from 30 to 125 miles or so.

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USS Lexington: How A Legendary U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Was Sunk

During the Pacific War's early months, the USS Lexington played a pivotal role in the Battle of the Coral Sea, marking the first carrier battle in history where opposing ships never saw each other.

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USS Enterprise Just Might Be the Best U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Ever

USS Enterprise is known for far more than being Captain Kirk's spaceship on Star Trek. This real-life aircraft carrier was a warrior during World War II. 

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How the Seven Years' War set empires ablaze and set the stage for the American Revolution

The Seven Years' War, spanning from 1756 to 1763, marked the first conflict to be fought on a truly global scale. Engulfing diverse regions from the dense forests of North America to the plains of Europe, the tropical Caribbean, the coasts of West Africa,

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Recently Declassified Soviet Video Shows the Biggest Nuclear Explosion in History

Tsar Bomba—the biggest hydrogen bomb ever—detonated in October 1961, and the Soviet Union caught it on tape.

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Is It Time To Reconsider Ulysses S. Grant?

In the late 19th Century, the three individuals most widely regarded as the nation’s greatest presidents were George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and… Ulysses S. Grant?!

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Independence Day: The Declaration's Civic Anthropology

The Founders displayed the power of man's rational nature, instead of merely asserting it.

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How Were D-Day Beaches Named?

There's a reason there's no Jelly Beach — thanks to Churchill.

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Operation Unthinkable: Churchill’s Postwar Contingency Plan

‘Operation Unthinkable’ was a secret military plan proposed by Winston Churchill and developed by the British Armed Forces and the USA in May...

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P-51 Mustang: The World War II Fighter That Changed Everything - 19FortyFive

During the Second World War, P-51 Mustang pilots shot down a total of 4,950 enemy aircraft while more than 250 pilots achieved “ace” status. 

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Meet the F6F Hellcat: One of the Best Fighter Planes of World War II

It was the F6F Hellcat fighter plane that finally gave U.S. Navy aviators the upper hand against Imperial Japan's Zeros.

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Supermarine Spitfire: I Sat in One of the Best World War II Fighters

Of all the fighter planes in the illustrious history of Great Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF), there is little doubt that the WWII-era Supermarine Spitfire is the most famous of the bunch

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The 4 Bloodiest US Civil War Battles

General Grant’s campaign in Virginia included four Civil War battles, which he called, “no advantage gained to compensate for the heavy losses.”

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5 Lesser-Known Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Some were well-known, but many others were not. Who were these other men, and why were they important?

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A detailed account of the restoration of B-26 Marauder ‘Flak-Bait’, the Only US warplane to Survive 200 Bombing Missions

A detailed account of the restoration of B-26 Marauder ‘Flak-Bait’, the Only US warplane to Survive 200 Bombing Missions during World War II

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Japan’s Zero: The Absolute Best Fighter Plane Of WWII?

Today, there are fewer than twenty surviving Zeros in the world and only a handful in factory original condition.

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On this day in history, Dec. 2, 1823, President Monroe touts doctrine defending Western Hemisphere

President James Monroe issue the Monroe Doctrine, a muscular defense of American interests in the Western Hemisphere, on this day in history, Dec. 2, 1823.

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5 Best Aircraft Carriers of World War II

The Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 served to prove that the age of the aircraft carrier had truly arrived, changing everything.

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Eyewitness Stories To The First Thanksgiving From The OG Pilgrims

These accounts of the first Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation in 1621 are, according to Pilgrim Hall Museum, the only two available primary sources about the event. Thanks to the “Brief History of Power” podcast for the source material. Listen to last ye

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Remembering the Supermarine Spitfire, An Iconic Fighter Plane of World War II

'Spit' pilots flew their first combat missions over Dunkirk during the Battle of France

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Medieval Sieges: Hollywood vs. Reality (6 Examples)

Here are 6 differences between the reality of medieval sieges and how Hollywood depicts them.

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An Execution And An Exile: What Happened To King Charles I And King Charles II?

The new British monarch bears the name of a predecessor who was executed and another who was exiled.

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These Were the Five Best Battleships of World War II

It is hard to narrow down a list of the best of the dozens of battleships that took part in the war, but the Iowa-class looms large.

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The story behind the iconic 'Eagle's Nest' WWII Easy Company photo

The Easy Company of ‘Band of Brothers’ fame marked the end of World War II by sipping on Hitler’s booze in his mountain villa.

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American Revolutionary War: 9 Most Important Battles

From the first shots at Lexington and Concord, to the surrender at Yorktown, we explore the most important clashes of the American Revolutionary War (1775–83)

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5 Famous Desks in the U.S. Senate

The historic moments that happened at these desks—and the Senate VIPs who sat behind them—mean that some have taken on lives of their own.

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38 Interesting Facts about D Day You Might Not Know

D Day continues to fascinate people, even more than 50 years after the invasion took place. Here are 38 interesting facts about D day you might not know

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The Riveting True Story Behind Netflix’s Spy Movie ‘Operation Mincemeat’

Major William Martin was a Roman Catholic Welshman who enjoyed the theater and loved his fiancée, Pam. He also didn’t exist—but the Nazis didn’t know that.

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Why Ronald Speirs Was The Most Fearsome Paratrooper In The Real-Life 'Band Of Brothers'

Ronald Speirs was known as a fearsome fighter — who wasn't afraid of killing just to make a point.

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Essex: The Legendary Aircraft Carriers That Transformed the US Navy

The four Essex-class museum ships serve as a reminder of what was arguably the greatest class of aircraft carriers in U.S. Navy history.

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The True Story Of Captain Lewis Nixon And The ‘Band Of Brothers’ He Served With During World War II

Born in New York in 1918, U.S. Army Captain Lewis Nixon III served with the 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company during World War II.

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George Washington: Indispensable Man

George Washington was respected, admired, even revered by his countrymen, and he was the most trusted man of the age. What is more, and different, he was the most trustworthy man. The question of why this is so must be examined if we are to understand Was

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Forget Battleships: Why Didn't the US Navy Build a Fleet of Battlecruisers? - 19FortyFive

Of the seven battlecruisers to enter World War II, only one (HMS Renown) survived the conflict.

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No, Thanksgiving Isn’t About ‘Genocide And Violence’

The Pilgrims didn’t bring ‘genocide’ to America. They barely brought themselves, with half of their company dying that first winter, in 1620-21.

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Sunk: Why Japan Never Recovered from the Battle of Midway

Fortune granted the USA its favor at Midway, as Bismarck might have prophesied. But it was sound doctrine and strategy, entrepreneurship among naval aviators, and shrewd senior leadership that positioned the U.S. Pacific Fleet to harvest the opportunities

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The O.K. Corral: The Gunfight of All Gunfights

This Gunfight at the O.K. Corral lasted just 30 seconds. But its legend has endured for more than a decade. We dissect the battle's myth and lure.

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5 Presidents Who Didn't Attend Their Successor's Inauguration

On the day of the 2021 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, President Donald Trump will join the small group of presidents who skipped their replacement's swearing-in ceremony.

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When Elvis Helped to Conquer Polio

After a deadly mistake sapped public confidence in inoculations, the medical community found an unlikely ally in the King of Rock ’n Roll.

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US battleships fired their guns for the last time 30 years ago. Here's how they dominated the seas for nearly a century.

Aircraft carriers are now the centerpiece of the Navy fleet, but for nearly a century, battleships sailed into combat around the world.

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Hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, US Marines took on the Japanese in what became the Alamo of the Pacific

The destruction of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor meant Wake Island was on its own as Japan advanced across the Pacific.

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How the P-47 Thunderbolt Helped Win World War II - InsideHook

The P-47 Thunderbolt was an essential part of the Allied effort in World War II. Its design made it a versataile craft and useful in a number of situations.

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Vice Presidential Debate: Kamala Harris' Dishonesty on Abe Lincoln

Harris claimed at the VP debate that Abraham Lincoln refused to nominate a candidate for Chief Justice in October 1864 because "Honest Abe said, it's not the right thing to do" and wanted the people to vote first. Lincoln, of course, said no such thing.

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Why Chuck Yeager Might Be the Greatest Pilot of All Time

Before Yeager did it, people thought it was impossible to break the sound barrier in flight. So how did he do it? And what other amazing feats did he accomplish?

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The 10 Deadliest Disasters In American History

Before this life-altering pandemic, there have been plenty of other disasters. How did the nation respond? How should you?

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After Backlash From Historians, NYT Forced To Issue Significant Correction To 1619 Project

The New York Times has issued a significant correction to its 1619 Project, a series of articles that has prompted fierce backlash from historians for revising the historical relationship between slavery and the founding of the country.  In the August art

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The 1619 Project’s Outrageous, Lying Slander of Abe Lincoln

History and journalism are supposed to ask as many questions as the subject demands. But questions are ­what the 1619 Project fails to ask about Lincoln.

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British People Explain How They Were Taught About The American Revolution In School

"British people of Reddit, how is the American Revolution taught in your schools?"–– This was today's burning question from Redditor Shamr0ck01, who did not, contrary to what you may believe, open a terrible can of worms and kick off an imperialist chest-

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The O.K. Corral: The Gunfight of All Gunfights

This Gunfight at the O.K. Corral lasted just 30 seconds. But its legend has endured for more than a decade. We dissect the battle's myth and lure.

History | History

10 Things You May Not Know About the Jamestown Colony - HISTORY

In May of 1607, a hearty group of Englishmen arrived on the muddy shores of modern-day Virginia under orders from King James I to establish an English colony.

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The US land forever leased to England

Every May, the US Coast Guard and the Royal Navy hold a ceremony on a sliver of North Carolina land where four English World War Two soldiers are buried.

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The 9 Most Overrated Battles in British History (and One Underrated One) - History Extra

What are the most overrated battles and wars in British history? From Bosworth to the Battle of Britain, Sean Lang examines the most exaggerated clashes…

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The graves of more than 30 Marines and sailors killed in bloody World War II battle have been found

The remains of 30 US Marines and Navy service members lost since a bloody WWII battle in the South Pacific have been found on remote Tarawa Atoll, an organization that recovers lost US service members said.

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'Rare' WWII bomber lifted from sea 75 years after crash - BBC News

The Fairey Barracuda Torpedo Bomber was discovered by electrical engineers surveying the seabed.

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

This 75-year-old archival footage shows Operation Neptune—the code name for the landings on the beaches at Normandy that came to be known as D-Day.

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

"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops."

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Americans' Loss Of Interest In the Civil War Is Part Of A Disturbing Trend

In an era of historical ignorance and indifference, is it any wonder that Civil War battlefields are drawing fewer tourists?

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Richard Cole, Last WWII Doolittle Raider, Dies at 103

Richard Cole, Last WWII Doolittle Raider, Dies at 103

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'Wonder, awe, excitement': Apollo 16 astronaut describes walking on the Moon

Charles Duke watched from Mission Control in Houston when his fellow Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their historic Moon landing on July 20, 1969. Less than three years later he followed in their footsteps as the Apollo 16 lunar modu

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13 Facts About the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a defining struggle for Canada, the United States, and indigenous peoples across North America.

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George Mendonsa, man identified as kissing sailor in WWII Times Square photo, dies at 95 - CNN

George Mendonsa, who maintained for decades that he was the sailor in an iconic 1945 Times Square photo, dubbed "The Kiss," that came to symbolize the end of World War II, has died, his family says. He was 95.

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Marine recalls fight for Okinawa, last major battle of World War II

Charles Voland, of Independence, was wounded in one invasion and fought in another in Okinawa during World War II.

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American history myths: 7 things people get wrong

From the Salem witches who were burnt at the stake to the Declaration of Independence signed on the ‘Fourth of July’, American history is full of misconceptions and mistakes. Here, author Jem Duducu busts some of the biggest myths and separates fact f

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5 Insane Facts From History Nobody Taught You In School | Cracked.com

It's hard to take your ancestors seriously after you realize how they all smelled.

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Lincoln and Thanksgiving: The Origin of an American Holiday

The very first Thanksgiving happened almost 400 years ago—long before the nation was born. How did it evolve into America’s quintessential national holiday? Credit largely goes to two people—one, a name you know; the other, you’ve probably never h

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10 facts you (probably) didn’t know about the First World War

Who solved the problem of trench warfare? How did the war contribute to Britain's worst rail disaster? And were there really special battalions for short soldiers? Here, Seán Lang reveals 10 lesser known facts about the First World War

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History Comes to Life Through Beautiful Colorized Photographs

"The Paper Time Machine" is a book that pulls together 124 colorized historic photos by Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome and Wolfgang Wold of Retronaut.

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Calling Good People "Racist" Isn't New: the Case of Ty Cobb

Ruining someone's name is very easy. So is calling them a "racist." Take the case of Ty Cobb, one of the greatest baseball players ever. Cobb is known as a r...

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Meet the man who might have been the real-life Lone Ranger

With more than 5.7 million articles, Wikipedia is an invaluable resource, whether you’re throwing a term paper together at the last minute, or trying to answer mankind’s eternal question: Who was that masked man? We explore some of Wikipedia’s oddit

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Boy finds WWII plane with pilot's remains in cockpit

The wreck of a German World War II plane with the remains of the pilot in the cockpit has been discovered in northern Jutland, Denmark. The plane is thought to be a Messerschmitt.

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New Discovery Could Finally Solve Creepy Mystery Of America's 'Lost Colony'

It was one of the most profound archeolgical discoveries before it was debunked. But new research may prove the authenticty once and for all.

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The Science of Saving the Declaration of Independence

How science helped—and harmed—efforts to preserve the U.S.'s founding documents.

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D-Day: How technology helped win the Normandy invasion and World War II - The Washington Post

The brave troops who stormed the beaches in France had a secret weapon: brilliantly designed boats that made the attack possible.

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Busboy who held dying Robert F. Kennedy shares senator's last words

Roughly 50 years after the death of Robert F. Kennedy, the busboy who held the dying senator detailed his last words in a Friday report.

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Apollo 12 Astronaut Alan Bean Dead at Age 86, Now Only 4 Moonwalkers Left Alive

'Anyone who had the opportunity to know Alan was a better person for it, and we were better astronauts by following his example.'

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10 Pivotal Facts About the French and Indian War | Mental Floss

Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com.

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How Soviet troops taunted the Nazis during their final drive to Berlin in World War II

Amid the chaos and destruction in Germany during the final days of World War II, Soviet forces found other, nonmilitary ways to torment their foes.

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6 nations that had no problems invading Russia in the winter

If there’s one generally accepted rule of warfare, it’s that you should never invade Russia during the winter.

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John W. Jones: The Runaway Slave Who Buried Nearly 3000 Confederate Soldiers

He saved lives on the Underground Railroad—then cared for the Confederate dead.

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Dec. 14, 1799: The excruciating final hours of President George Washington | PBS NewsHour

It was a house call no physician would relish. On Dec. 14, 1799, three doctors were summoned to Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia to attend to a critically ill, 67-year-old man who happened to be known as “the father of our country.”

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Why Did the U.S. Sink Captured Japanese Subs After WWII? | Smithsonian

WWII had come to a close, and the U.S. was the first to seize a new class of giant Japanese submarines. The next step was to analyze them quickly and then sink them, before the Russians could learn their secrets.

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THE SHOT THAT ECHOES STILL

Fifty years after one lone prophet who didn’t make it to forty gave up the ghost on a bland balcony in Memphis, this essay is proof that King’s legacy, and Baldwin’s words, remain vital.

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WWI Centennial: An Overview

Catch up with the major turning points of World War I as the final climactic year gets underway.

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The Secret World War II History Hidden in London's Fences

London's housing developments often feature a unique form of fencing: stretchers reused after World War II.

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JFK's assassination aided by his bad back, records show - CNN

President Kennedy's lifelong struggle with back pain may have kept him from recoiling from Lee Harvey Oswald's first bullet, setting him up for the kill shot.

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Battle of Tarawa in WWII 'the toughest battle in Marine Corps history' - Business Insider

The commander of the task force attacking Tarawa called Betio "a little Gibraltar" and said that "only the Marines could have made such a landing."

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First World War composite photos bring past to life | The Week UK

Then-and-now images put snapshots of the Great War in a 21st century setting

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5 Groundbreaking Firsts That Your History Books Lied About

It turns out that a whole lot of famous firsts are credited to the wrong people, due to politics, bad luck, or outright lies.

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This woman’s portraits of wartime Greyhound passengers reveal faces of fatigue and resolve

World War II must have been exhausting, even on the home front. Beside the stress of waiting for loved ones to return from overseas, training for new jobs, or being forcibly detained, Americans were…

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Why Colorizing Old Photos Requires a Ton of Research

Artists go out of their way to make the recreations authentic.

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JFK’s last birthday: Gifts, champagne and wandering hands on the presidential yacht

The party aboard the Sequoia included dinner, dancing and the president's pursuit of a legendary Washington journalist's wife.

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10 Facts About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

On Veterans Day, 1921, President Warren G. Harding presided over an interment ceremony at Arlington National Memorial. Since then, three more soldiers have been buried there—and one has been disinterred.

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Look Inside the Sketchbook of a World War II Soldier

After serving in the Army, Victor Lundy went on to become a successful architect.

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10 Relics From the Horse-Powered City Hiding in Plain Sight

You can still find reminders of the days when horse-drawn transportation reigned.

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A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence has been found — in England

The only other parchment copy of the document that proclaimed the independence of America's 13 colonies is at the National Archives in Washington.

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These Rare Color Photos From the Second World War Are Incredible

A new book published by the Imperial War Museum features a rare collection of color photos from World War II, some of which haven’t been seen in over 70 years. From P-51D Mustangs and Flying Fortresses through to anti-aircraft spotters and flame hurling

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Last Doolittle Raider, 101, recalls attack 75 years later

CINCINNATI (AP) — At age 101, retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole says his memories are vivid of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders mission that helped change the course of World War II.

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Teacher traces dad's World War II past, finds 75-year-old plane wreckage

The story started to come together when Ken Elder Bledsoe organized the letters his father had written to his mother in 1942.

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Memo to Donald Trump: Thomas Jefferson invented hating the media - The Washington Post

Jefferson is celebrated as a champion of a free press. But he also wrote that “nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper."

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Young man on a mission to honor World War II vets before it's too late

Calif. teen films veterans' stories so he can capture their experiences and honor their sacrifices

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History classes are our best hope for teaching Americans to question fake news and Donald Trump

An education in history teaches students to question the stories that are handed to us.

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George Washington’s Tent: 5 fascinating facts you didn’t know - Curbed Philly

A team has been working for years to conserve George Washington’s tent used during the American Revolutionary War. It will be on display at the Museum of the American Revolution.

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Ship found in Arctic 168 years after doomed Northwest Passage attempt | World news | The Guardian

Exclusive: Perfectly preserved HMS Terror vessel sank during disastrous expedition led by British explorer Sir John Franklin

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US Marines admit one of the men identified in Iwo Jima photo was the wrong man - as details emerge of real hero who took

The US Marines have resolved a longstanding question mark over the identities of the men in an iconic photograph from Iwo Jima, revealing the story of a Midwestern Private who went to his grave without ever claiming his role.

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Photos combine images of Germany from WWII with today - Business Insider

The photographs artfully contrast the broad sweeps of Nazi propaganda and the devastation of the war in Berlin with the vibrancy of the city today.

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Exactly the right words, exactly the right way: Reagan’s amazing Challenger disaster speech - The Washington Post

How the Great Communicator teamed with Peggy Noonan to soothe a shocked and grieving nation.

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One of six seaplanes lost during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor - StarTribune.com

HONOLULU – New images of a large U.S. Navy seaplane that sank during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor show a coral-encrusted engine and reef fish swimming in and out of a hull.

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After 74 years, sailors from ship sunk at Pearl Harbor, may finally come home - StarTribune.com

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. – Inside an old aircraft factory here, behind the glass windows of a pristine laboratory, the lost crew of the USS Oklahoma rests on special tables covered in black foam.

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10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the Second World War

1) France had more tanks, guns and men than Germany in 1940 It is always assumed that during the Second World War the Germans bludgeoned their way to victory with a highly modern and mechanised army and Air Force that was superior to anything the Allies c

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We Toured Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda at the University of Virginia. Here’s What We Learned About Its Secrets Discove

Brian Hogg, senior historic preservation planner at the University of Virginia, thought they had discovered almost everything there was to know about the rotunda on campus, which was originally built by Thomas Jefferson who founded the university in 1819

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A 103-year-old cracker from the Titanic just sold for $23,000

Someone just turned what could be the world's oldest cracker into the world's most expensive cracker.

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Is this proof Alcatraz escapees are alive?

IN JUNE 1962, three inmates shimmied through a hole they’d chiselled into the walls of Alcatraz prison and climbed up to the roof.

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CIA confirmed Oswald contacted Cubans, Soviets before assassination, memo shows - Washington Times

Three days after John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, U.S. intelligence officials told President Lyndon B. Johnson that they had confirmed that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had recently traveled to Mexico City to visit both the Cuban and Soviet em

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College Board gives in and adds 'American exceptionalism' to AP U.S. history

College Board has implemented a reworking of the AP U.S. History course curriculum to include "American exceptionalism."

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The Apollo mission space patches were out of this world (sorry)

Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova wore the very first spacesuit patch in 1963 for the Vostok 6 mission. Fun fact: Her orange coverall hid the patch from public view. NASA continued the tradition in 1965 when Gordon Cooper, the command pilot on Gemini 5, designed one for the mission.

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Why Did Yankee Doodle Call a Feather ‘Macaroni’?

Yankee Doodle went to town...Mm-hm, yeah.
Riding on a pony...Ok.
Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni...Wait. What?

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Spectacular photos of the US Navy's most powerful battleship ever

This is the USS Iowa, the first of the largest, most powerful battleship class ever in the United States Navy, equipped with nine 16-inch (406mm) guns that could fire nuclear shells—the only American ship in history with this capability. This photo seri

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Betsy Ross Probably Didn't Sew the First Flag | Mental Floss

In honor of Flag Day, we thought it was time you knew the truth: Everything you know about how the stars and stripes came to be crafted may be a lie.

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Amazing Color Photos of France After D-Day | Mental Floss

In stunning color, here's a look at life in France in the summer of 1944.

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10 Already Obsolete Things Included in the 5000-Year Westinghouse Time Capsule | Mental Floss

The site of the 1939 World’s Fair is home to a time capsule that was put in the ground in 1938 and is due to be unearthed and opened in the year 6939. The “Immortal Well” that houses the capsule is located in the Westinghouse Pavilion of the fairgrounds in Queens, New York, and remains untouched to this day.

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When Arthur Conan Doyle Tried Solving a Real Mystery | Mental Floss

Doyle, who was born 156 years ago today, had found himself embroiled in a case that captured worldwide media attention for the fact that he, and not his famous sleuth, was trying to solve it. In 1906, a man named George Edalji was freed from prison after being sentenced for the crime of animal cruelty.

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The original Mad Men were just as dapper, but not as drunk

The real Mad Men of the '50s dressed just as dapper, and drank just as much as the show suggested. But no more than everyone else...

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How early 20th century America played and worked, in color

These Autochromes - the first commercially available color photographic process - were taken by National Geographic Society photographers. The Society eventually moved on to other slightly more advanced photographic processes and finally to Kodachrome by 1938, but not before amassing a collection of more than 12,000 Autochromes.

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This Is the Nixon Speech Don Draper Was Watching on 'Mad Men'

Few things can place a fictional story on a real-world timeline better than a Presidential speech can. In the case of the Sunday night mid-season premiere of Mad Men, the background appearance of a speech by Richard Nixon dates one scene precisely, at April 30, 1970, around 9 p.m. Eastern, when Nixon addressed the nation.

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WWI graffiti discovered deep underground. ‘All these guys wanted to be remembered.’ - The Washington Post

The century-old etchings, discovered in a chalk quarry in France, include the names of hundreds of soldiers, including some Americans.

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English gardener unearths WWII bunker in back yard

"My wife came out and I'd unearthed this air raid shelter. She couldn't believe it, she thinks I'm crazy," said frustrated gardener Jim Clark.

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New genetic map of the UK shows which invasions created Britain's DNA

Britain has a long history of invasions: over the past two millennia, various armies from the Romans to the Anglo-Saxons conquered the bulk of the British Isles. A new genetic analysis of the...

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15 Last Survivors of Famous Events | Mental Floss

Here are 15 people who not only made history, but got to tell the tale for decades. No matter how many people are involved in an important event, one of them has to be the last to leave this earth. Here are 15 people who not only made history, but got to tell the tale for decades to come.

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All 43 Presidents, Ranked by How Hard They Partied

You want to know who the "Gentleman Boss" president was. Trust us.

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USS Arizona's oldest survivor dies at 100

Joe Langdell was working as a junior accountant in Boston when he got the idea that he should join the Navy and go to sea. It was 1940 and America edged closer every day to joining the war that raged in Europe.

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Creepy Medical Supplies Found Amid Wreckage Of Pirate Blackbeard's Ship

Ahoy! Archaeologists excavating pirate Blackbeard's sunken ship, named Queen Anne's Revenge, recently unearthed from the wreckage various medical devices--and some of them look pretty darn terrifying. Among the grisly finds were a urethral syringe...

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Divers begin recovery of Civil War ironclad before deepening of channel - CNN.com

The deepening of the shipping channel in Savannah, Georgia, won't be dredging up just mud and sand. It will be raising up an ironclad from the Civil War.

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31 Rolls of Undeveloped Film from a Soldier in WWII Discovered and Processed

Photographer Levi Bettweiser is the man behind the Rescued Film Project, an effort to find and rescue old and undeveloped rolls of film from the far corner

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10 Unsolved Mysteries From World War II - Listverse

In a global conflict on the scale of World War II, there are a lot of things that slip through the cracks. Whether it's something that we refuse to admit or simply something so foreign and bizarre...

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Revolutionary war-era time capsule found in Massachusetts state house | US news | The Guardian

Researchers to use x-rays to determine contents of box historians believe Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and others placed in 1795

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The Final Days of King Charles II - Neatorama

The following article is republished from Uncle John's Ahh-Inspiring Bathroom Reader.Next time you feel yourself coming down with a cold, thank your lucky stars for 21st-century medicine.MONDAYOn the morning of February 2, 1685, King Charles II of England

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In 2014, countries are still paying off debt from World War One

It has been 100 years since the start of the First World War, which was fought for four years and claimed the lives of more than 6000 soldiers a day. Countries in Europe began marking the centenary earlier this year and the Tower of London, pictured abo

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The Forgotten History of Russia’s California Colony | Mental Floss

From Sacramento to Los Angeles, Spain’s colonial fingerprints are plain to see throughout present-day California. But did you know that in the 18th century, Tsarist Russia carved out her own slice of this future state?

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Newly-Declassified CIA Document Says Ben Franklin Was A Security Risk

Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents—but safeguarding state secrets was not among them. According to a recently released article by a CIA analyst, when Franklin was on a diplomatic mission in France, he allowed his offices to be penetrated by Bri

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White House fence has evolved, from a wrought-iron decoration to a line of defense - The Washington Post

As security features proliferate near iconic mansion, 1965 barrier remains a symbol of cautious openness.

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Did Pirates Really Make People Walk the Plank? | Mental Floss

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys! Abstain from this nautical celebration and you’ll likely be told to “Go walk the plank” by some eye patch-wearing devotees.

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Why Did People Wear Powdered Wigs? | Mental Floss

For nearly two centuries, powdered wigs—called perukes—were all the rage. The chic hairpiece would have never become popular, however, if it weren’t for a venereal disease, a pair of self-conscious kings, and poor hair hygiene.

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    10 (More) Gorgeous Colorized Photos That Put History In A New Light

    For the history buffs of the world, we imagine there are few experiences as fulfilling as poring over volume after volume of black-and-white photographs, hunting for that rare shot of a notable figure or iconic location. As for the rest of us, we...

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    Richard III Cause Of Death: Two Blows To The Head

    By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists in Britain have given blow-by-blow details of King Richard III's death at the Battle of Bosworth more than 500 years ago and say two of many blows to his bare head could have killed him very...

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    We Are All Americans: The World's Response to 9/11 | Mental Floss

    In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, people all over the world stood shoulder-to-shoulder in mourning, solidarity, sympathy and friendship with the people of the United States. Here are a few of those international reactions, both organized and spontaneo

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    60 of History’s Strangest Royal Epithets | Mental Floss

    For every William the Conqueror there’s a Vlad the Impaler. And for every Richard the Lionheart there’s an Albert the Peculiar. Sixty of the most bizarre—and in some cases the most unflattering—epithets from history are listed here.

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    200 Years Ago Today: The Burning of Washington, D.C.

    (Mural by Allyn Cox, U.S. Department of State)Two hundred years ago, the United States was locked in a bitter struggle against the British Empire known as the War of 1812. For the new republic, the stakes were profoundly high. This became especially clear

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    Missing POW’s Remains Returned to His Widow 63 Years After His Death | KTLA

    Army Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Gantt told his wife to remarry if he didn’t come back from the war. She told him no. He had a hard enough time getting her to say yes. He was it.

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    The 40th Anniversary of Richard Nixon's Resignation in Pictures. - NationalJourn

    From the Watergate break-in to Nixon's departure from the White House lawn and eventual pardon. 

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    Theodore Van Kirk, 93, Enola Gay Navigator, Dies

    Mr. Van Kirk, a navigator, guided a flight that, six-and-a-half hours after takeoff, reached Hiroshima with its atomic bomb just seconds behind schedule.

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    The hallowed ground of World War I, then and now.

    Today marks 100 years since the start of WW I. Here are some of the places that endured through the war and what they look like now.

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    15 Twitter Accounts for History Buffs

    We’ve covered word nerds; now, follow a few twitter accounts that will satisfy your historical curiosity.

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    Historic Reenactments: The Oldest Form Of Storytelling?

    One of the oldest forms of storytelling is that of re-enactment, donning the costumes of the story's subjects, miming their actions, performing a narrative before a live audience

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    ‘Brawny and Buoyant’: A Portrait of West Coast Youth of the 1950s | LIFE | TIME.com

    Color photos from a 1951 LIFE magazine feature on 'splendidly healthy West Coast youth' from Southern California to Puget Sound.

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    What Did Aaron Burr Do After Shooting Alexander Hamilton?

    This week marks the 210th anniversary of the Burr-Hamilton duel. SPOILER ALERT: Burr won.

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    ISIS Is About to Destroy Biblical History in Iraq

    Iraqi antiquities officials are calling on the Obama administration to save Nineveh and other sites around jihadist-occupied Mosul. But are drone strikes really the answer?

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    Preserving America's military legacy is Job One for historian

    The excitement Rodney Hilton Brown felt as a young boy searching for rusty Revolutionary War relics in forgotten Philadelphia attics has only deepened in his obsessive quest for iconic artifacts that tell the story of America’s bravery and cou

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    Louis Zamperini, inspiration for 'Unbroken,' dead at 97

    Louis   Zamperini , who was a World War II prisoner of war survivor as well as former Olympic distance runner, has died. He was the subject of Lauren Hillenbrand's book, “Unbroken,” which was adapted into a film by the Coen brothers, and

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    Report points to photo as possible new clue to Amelia Earhart's fate

    A recently surfaced photo of Amelia Earhart’s plane, captured by the Miami Herald in 1937, could offer crucial evidence regarding the famous aviator’s disappearance.

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    The War to End All Wars? Hardly. But It Did Change Them Forever.

    World War I destroyed kings, kaisers, czars and sultans; it demolished empires; it introduced chemical weapons; it brought millions of women into the work force.

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    Why History Can’t Get Custer Right

    Love or hate General George Armstrong Custer, there’s one thing Americans haven’t been able to do: ignore him. 138 years after his death during the June 25-26 Battle of Little Bighorn — his pass

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    Abandoned Checkpoints Awaken the Ghosts of a Pre-EU Europe - Architizer

    The incredibly intricate political battles that followed the 20th century's world wars are often overlooked in Europe's current era of porous borders. But merely decades ago, fortifications and roadblocks proliferated across the continent to delin

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    How the inventor of strobe photography gave D-Day the go-ahead (Wired UK)

    Harold Edgerton was an artist, creating iconic photographic works that hand in galleries around the globe today. He was also an MIT professor called in when World War 2 began, specifically to create a new technique that would see Normandy photographed und

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    70 years later, D-Day vet Jim 'Pee Wee' Martin jumps again"

    Normandy, France (CNN) -- Jim "Pee Wee" Martin acted like he'd been here before, like jumping from a plane is as easy as falling off a log. Maybe that's because he had -- 70 years ago

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    Are Colorized Photos Rewriting History?

    There's been an explosion in the number of colorized photos lately. People find old black-and-white photos online, and meticulously add color to give us a new perspective on history. But recently one colorized image caught my eye after it was tweeted

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    How Mad Men-Era Americans Imagined the World Would Look In 1970

    The AMC show Mad Men is in its final season, with its mid-season finale (yeah, I don't know what that means exactly either) airing this past Sunday. The show started with 1960 as its backdrop, and we now see characters in the world of 1969. A lot chan

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    Rest in Peace: Wartime Relics Reclaimed by the Land and Sea - NBC News

    German photographer Dietmar Eckell traveled to 14 countries, photographing abandoned and decaying military installations and equipment.