
Tactical Advantage and the Power of Gods: Greek Fire and Flamethrowers in the Ancient World
Fighting a battle in an ancient world demanded a special set of skills, not only the early types of technology. Very often, the ancient literature talks about “glorious heroes” who destroyed the enemy on land or on the sea. These ancient wars weren’t only conflicts. They were a sort of communication, psychological fight over who is more superior. So, in the case of Greek Fire and flamethrowers, we can also see hidden propaganda that aimed to weaken the enemy.
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18th Century Sword Fighting: A Few Tips From the Sword Master to his Students
Defense and status. Swordsmanship has been the subject of fascination for a long time in popular culture and history. It was one of the most used side arms during ancient times and became a symbol of status and self-defense in the Middle Ages and during the early modern age. It wasn’t very convenient for an honorable nobleman to carry around a spear or some other battlefield weapon, so the sword was the proper solution to present yourself in front of the world, but also to protect yourself if attacked. The one who carried a sword needed to master the art of fighting. In the 18th century, that art demanded sharp skills and elegant moves.
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How Did One Optimistic Report From the Stasi Foreshadow the Collapse of Communism?
During the early 80’s, increased tensions marked the new phase of the Cold War. Besides external, the Eastern Bloc countries faced many internal problems as well. The governments of these countries, especially the USSR, tried to spread optimism. But they didn’t see (or didn’t want to see) that everything would collapse soon. Therefore, it’s interesting to see how the secret reports full of optimism actually revealed the real state of affairs.
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Forty-Five Years Undercover: An Ottoman Spy in 17th Century Paris
During the 17th century, the Franco-Ottoman relations were quite stable. The alliance, established in 1536, continued during the majority of this period. There were no large conflicts. Despite that, intelligence activity during this period was very lively. The example of Mahmut, an Ottoman spy undercover, gives us valuable information on the Ottoman international politics.
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The Fall of the Iron Curtain in One Photo
A symbolic depiction of the end of the Cold War.
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