Before the arrival of the microchip in the 1970s, a maths boffin didn’t have the luxury of a portable electronic calculator. They carried an abacus, a blackboard, and a bit of chalk on their person at all times. But wait, we stand corrected – for a brief spell in the second half of the twentieth century, there was an alternative, an ingenious device known as the Curta Read More >>
Featured comment by CaptainLove:
"That sounds great, I'd actually completely forgotten I'd read it so long ago until I noticed my comment. Well worth the reread!" More »
You've probably heard stories of Japanese soldiers who, stranded on some remote island in the Pacific, thought the war never ended. But the Lykovs' story is even more outlandish than that. Karp Lykov and his family had never even heard of World War II — its beginning or its end. Nothing at all. In fact, they lived in the Siberian taiga without any human contact for four decades.Read More >>
Featured comment by CaptainLove:
"You mistake my use of the word ignorance as the derogatory term that has come with its misuse, much like 'retard' or other insulting terms. Ignorance ..." More »
I just love these old school visualisations: here are all the ships lost by the British Navy during World War II. Many of these were hunted down by Nazi U-Boats. It's a staggering amount but it could have been a lot worse. Read More >>
In what historians are calling the aviation equivalent to finding King Tut's tomb, a World War II fighter plane has been found in the Sahara desert 70 years after it crashed. Even more impressive, the plane is perfectly preserved—it hasn't been touched and hasn't even been seen until now. Read More >>
Featured comment by snapper.fishes:
"Well that was a pretty bad way to go. Probably would have been easier if the plane just blew up and took him along with it." More »
Just because World War II ended some 67 years ago, doesn't mean you shouldn't keep one eye on the sky for air raids with a pair of authentic German flak binoculars. You can just never be too sure. Read More >>
Wacko Jacko had his oxygen tent, and the Pope has his bulletproof Popemobile. But did you know that Winston Churchill had a special chamber designed for air travel? It was effectively a giant metal cocoon installed on his personal plane, complete with ventilation systems, inside which the great man would kick back and puff on his noxious cigars. Read More >>
Featured comment by Top 10 Cigar Aficionado Cigars Accessible by means of Best Cigar Rates | Buy Tobacco Online:
"[...] Winston Churchill's Toyshop: The Secret Weapons and Devices of World War II It was effectively a giant metal cocoon installed on his pers..." More »
A 24-year-old Oxford history graduate is doing something wonderful for all of you right now: narrating World War II on Twitter, in real time. It may not be as academic as a John Keegan book, but so far it's excellent. Read More >>
Featured comment by iMattsmith:
"hhhmmm false flag terror? Still goes on today (http://joecrubaugh.com/blog/10-false-flags-that-changed-the-world/). Oh what, the world has chaaanged s..." More »
With the war for Europe over and the US's Pacific "island hopping" strategy seeing long-range bombers within striking distance of Japan, all that stood between the Allies and an end to World War II was the taking of that tenacious island nation. Read More >>
Featured comment by badelie:
"Fall of the Imperial Japan?! Are you referring to mass murder of Japanese civilians by the united states, possibly one of the most devastating warm cr..." More »
If you were to poke your nose around the door of some fashionable London boutiques -- Howies, Albam, Fred Perry - you might encounter a jacket made with a mysterious material called “Ventile”. First developed for the World War II, this stuff is waterproof, windproof and 100 per cent breathable, which makes it perfect for the unpredictable British weather. Read More >>
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