The Vicious Reality of Trench Warfare
By 1914, trenches were a common aspect of warfare, reflecting the straightforward need for soldiers on the frontline to protect themselves against enemy fire. Standard military manuals provided instructions for…
Author: Brian Stephens
Bolt Action Rifles of WWI
The first bolt-action rifle was produced in 1824 by Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse, following work on breechloading rifles that dated to the 18th century. Von Dreyse would perfect his Nadelgewehr (Needle Rifle) by 1836, and…
The Strains of War
The outbreak of war stimulated a wave of social and political solidarity in the combatant countries. However, this mood did not last when the prospect of a swift victory receded….
David Lloyd George
, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM KStJ PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British Liberal politician and statesman. Although he was not raised in poverty, was considered to be a man…
Austro-Hungarian Battleships of WWI – The Monarch Class
The Battle of Lissa on July 20, 1866, in which Austrian Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff won a decisive naval victory over a numerically superior Italian foe, is typically celebrated as…
Rise of Flight: The First Great War (PC)
Rise of Flight: The First Great Air War (Russian: Война в небе – 1917) is a World War I combat flight simulation video game developed by 777 Studios and released on May 7, 2009. (PC-DVDROM). Gameplay…
Winnipeg The Bear
Winnipeg, or Winnie, (1914 – 12 May 1934) was the name given to a female black bear that lived at London Zoo from 1915 until her death in 1934. Rescued…
The Brusilov Offensive – June 1916
Russia’s most successful operation of the war was the superbly prepared offensive launched by Aleksei Brusilov in June 1916. It drove Austro-Hungarian forces back across a wide front and dealt…
The Misunderstood Finnish Swastika
The swastika (卐) (Sanskrit: स्वस्तिक) is an equilateral cross with four arms bent at 90 degrees. The earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization…
Songs of the First World War
The 1914 Christmas Truce. Music hall In 1914, music hall was by far the most popular form of popular song. It was listened to and sung along to in theatres which were…