News Stories

The Year America Praised Russia: The Great Game and Sale of Alaska, 1867

The Crimean War (1853-1856) pitting Imperial Russia against the combined forces of the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, and France, had devastating consequences. Emerging military technology combined with disease led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

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Down the Avenue News

[Gallery] Ancient Weapons

Blowgun, meteor hammer, dagger-axe… Check some of the most interesting examples of ancient weapons.

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News Stories

When America Avoided Entanglements: The Greek Struggle for Independence, 1821-1829

The Greek War of Independence (1821-1829) against the Ottoman Empire drew so much popular support in Europe that eventually Great Britain, France, and Russia were compelled to lend it military support. On the opposite side of the Atlantic, U.S. statesmen immediately petitioned the government to recognize the First Hellenic Republic despite a foundational tenet to avoid foreign “entanglements” by intervening in European affairs.

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News Stories

[Gallery] The Beauty and Luxury of the Carved Gems

Carved gems, cameo, and intaglio were very popular luxury art forms in the ancient world. But, these forms were also accepted in the later…

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News Stories

How Did Espionage Keep the Cold War Cold?

During the Cold War, information was a very valuable commodity. The search for the valuable information marked the whole Cold War era. The Cold War, as a clash of ideologies, was marked by continuous tensions between the East and the West, but didn’t culminate in a global conflict.

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