There have been many heroic rescues in recent years, the Thai youth soccer team in 2018, the Chilean copper miners in 2010, but neither compares to perhaps the most daring heroic rescue in modern times – the Great Raid of Cabanatuan in the Philippines during World War II. Sadly, with the passing of the ‘GreatestContinue reading “The Most Heroic Rescue – The Great Raid at Cabanatuan”
Author Archives: andrewspaulw
The Forgotten Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
For an entire generation, the name Jacques Cousteau was synonymous with undersea exploration. He was a famous French explorer, inventor, and researcher. He co-invented the Aqua-Lung, better known today as SCUBA. On board his equally famous ship, the Calypso, he hosted dozens of TV documentaries from the 1960s thru the 1980s, exploring the world’s oceans.Continue reading “The Forgotten Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau”
Catcher, Lawyer, Soldier, Spy – the Odd Life of Moe Berg
Morris (Moe) Berg was all that and more, a life-long bachelor, devoted Jew, and eccentric intellectual. The son of a pharmacist in Newark, New Jersey, young Moe fell in love with baseball. He began playing baseball at age seven, first for a local Christian church, then high school, then at Princeton University. The sport becameContinue reading “Catcher, Lawyer, Soldier, Spy – the Odd Life of Moe Berg”
Podcast: The Forgotten Great Chinese Famine of 1959
From 1959 to 1961, the Chinese people were decimated, not by a virus, but by a devastating famine. The death toll, concealed by the Communist government at the time, is still a matter of debate. The consensus however is that at least 30 million people died, though some take it as high as 50 MILLION.Continue reading “Podcast: The Forgotten Great Chinese Famine of 1959”
Henry V’s Rousing St. Crispin’s Day Speech from Shakespeare
The famous St. Crispin’s Day speech is given by England’s King Henry V in Shakespeare’s play of the same name, Henry V. The king gives the rousing speech on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt in the English camp in northern France. The Hundred Years War battle took place on October, 25th, 1415, Saint Crispin’s Day. The English wereContinue reading “Henry V’s Rousing St. Crispin’s Day Speech from Shakespeare”
6 Theories on the Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allen Poe was the Stephen King of his day. A master poet and author of mystery and the macabre. To this day, his name alone evokes a chill down ones spine.
The Bloody 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan
After over 100 years of British East India Company rule and another 90 years of British imperial rule, India had finally achieved its independence. What should have been a moment of joyful triumph turned into a year of unthinkable bloodshed. Indian freedom from Britain and the Partition took place on August 15, 1947. The partitionContinue reading “The Bloody 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan”
臭名昭著的希望钻石——诅咒还是巧合？
毫无疑问，世界上最壮观的宝石之一就是所谓的希望钻石，这是一颗重达 45.52 克拉的令人难以忘怀的蓝色宝石。希望钻石的大小约等于一颗核桃，估计价值高达 2.5 亿美元。 如今，它陈列在美国华盛顿史密森尼学会博物馆中继续阅读 “臭名昭著的希望钻石——诅咒还是巧合？”
1918年西班牙流感超越黑死病以来的所有大流行病
要收听音频播客 请点击这里 在新冠疫情、埃博拉和艾滋病之前，1918年的流感大流行造成的死亡人数超过了第一次世界大战的总和，全球有超过5000万人死亡！在短短一年多的时间里，所谓的“西班牙流感”感染了世界五分之一的人口。它至今仍然是继续阅读 “1918年西班牙流感超越黑死病以来的所有大流行病”
Mata Hari – Exotic Dancer, Mistress, and French Spy
The name Mata Hari is almost synonymous with femme fatale, or any wicked temptress who uses her sexual charms to seduce the hero of the day. In reality, Mata Hari was a professional exotic dancer and mistress, who ultimately became a spy for France during World War I. Suspected of being a double agent, sheContinue reading “Mata Hari – Exotic Dancer, Mistress, and French Spy”