PN1501 German occupation of a defeated European nation in World War II was normally a brutal and humiliating experience. Occupying forces removed local governments, installed their own leaders, and often elevated obscure right-wing nationalists over their own people. The Nazi security apparatus, including the Gestapo and the SD, terrorized occupied populations relentlessly. Large numbers of citizens … Read more
In mid-January 1981, a three-page handwritten document was delivered by a back channel to the West German Federal Chancellery in Bonn. Its title immediately aroused concern in the halls of power: "Political Testament." It was signed by none other than Karl Dönitz, the deceased last Grand Admiral of Germany and Reich President. The contents were … Read more
A television documentary has stirred renewed interest in a well-hidden aspect of Adolf Hitler’s private life, buried beneath the rubble of his former Alpine retreat. What the Guardian has described as a dubious documentary concerning Hitler’s anatomy has prompted a separate look at a different and far less salacious secret: Hitler’s private bowling alley. The … Read more
The final episode of *Band of Brothers*, titled "Points," depicts Sergeant Charles "Chuck" Grant being shot in the head by a drunken replacement from another company. The series condenses and alters several details of what actually happened. The real story involves two murders, a dramatic rescue, a controversial trial, and two very different lives that … Read more
In February 1945, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union met near Yalta in the Soviet Crimea to discuss the post-war order in Europe. The Western Allies had already liberated France and Belgium and were fighting on Germany's western border. Soviet forces were about 40 miles from Berlin, having … Read more
On April 11, 1945, United States Army soldiers entered the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany after most SS guards had fled and armed prisoners had taken control of the site. Among the wooden barracks, they found unburied bodies, overcrowded blocks, and thousands of prisoners worn down by hunger, disease, and years of forced labor. Many … Read more
Nie miała pojęcia, że najemnicy, których właśnie obraziła, są właścicielami całej posiadłości. Żeby zrozumieć, dlaczego klęczałam w błocie w piątkowe popołudnie zamiast siedzieć w paryskiej kawiarni, muszę opowiedzieć o największej obsesji mojego życia, posiadłości i winnicy Aldridge. Nie znoszę pogawędek. Pojawiam się o świcie i znikam po zmroku. Osobiście sprawdzam każdy krzew winorośli, próbuję każdą … Read more
Tombstone, Arizona has been remembered for over a century as a town ruled by gunmen, lawmen, and outlaws. But the real story behind the famous gunfight near the OK Corral was a far more complicated struggle for power. Silver, county politics, newspapers, business interests, and even underground water all shaped who truly controlled the town. … Read more
On August 24, 1814, the dinner table was set at the President's House in Washington. The wine was chilled. The British Army was a few miles from the door. A boy stood in the dining room. He was the servant of President James Madison, and he was also the property of James Madison. He had … Read more
När jag var sextiofyra år gammal sålde min dotter min läkarmottagning rakt under fötterna på mig, tömde det gemensamma kontot som jag hade litat på att hon skulle sköta medan jag låg på sjukhuset, och lämnade en bankcheck på 275 dollar på köksbänken. Profilen i Wall Street Journal dök upp som första träff när jag … Read more