Shortly after midnight on 30th April 1975, the final broadcast from the CIA station in Saigon rang out.
“Those who fail to learn from history are forced to repeat it.”
Nearly half-a-century later, it appears little has changed and lessons have not been learned. … More Afghanistan, The Fall of Saigon and the Lessons Never Learned
For a period of around 100 years from the mid-18th century onward, the Scottish Highlands changed dramatically. The Highland Clearances in the wake of the ’45 Jacobite Rebellion prompted vast cultural changes throughout the region. With a rising population toward the end of the 18th century, this (traditionally) sparsely populated area was booming. Although a … More Power to the People: The Battle of the Braes, 1882
Some might assume experimentation with psychedelic drugs during the 1960s was a pastime limited to hippies, trippers and youngsters. However, an operation conducted by the British military would suggest otherwise. … More Operation Moneybags: That Time the British Military Dosed Troops with LSD
The invasion and capture of Singapore by imperial Japanese forces in February 1942 was a failure of cataclysmic proportions. … More The Battle of Singapore: A Nail in the Empire’s Coffin
Julius Caesar is said to have once remarked ‘it is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience’. During its early years, the Roman Republic was forced to endure a recurring cycle of conflict, bloodshed and pain. The Romans were more than … More Rome: Origins of the Empire, Part Two
Lying some 20 miles outside of Edinburgh, the unassuming village of Athelstaneford is home to one of Scotland’s most legendary historical events; one that would see Scotland gain a new patron saint and a national emblem. As with many origin stories, how Scotland came to adopt its national symbol, the Saltire, is shrouded in myth … More Athelstaneford: Origins of the Saltire
Nestled along the banks of the Tiber river, in its early years Rome can be considered as nothing more than inconspicuous; tidily hidden away from the prying eyes of the world. Sharing the Italian peninsula with a host of other small tribes and peoples, with the Etruscans to their north, it would be a long … More Rome: Origins of the Empire
National Museums Scotland is set to lead a new research project into one of Britain’s most important archaeological sites, the Galloway Hoard. Funded through a grant by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the three-year project will carried out in collaboration with the University of Glasgow. ‘Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard’ The Galloway Hoard is … More New Research to Unlock the Secrets of the Galloway Hoard
The arrival of Europeans in North America heralded a dark period for indigenous populations the length and breadth of the continent. Within the space of a few centuries, the patchwork of varied, independent tribal societies that littered the modern-day mainland United States was gradually destroyed; with peoples scattered and often subjected to brutal acts of … More Dreams of the Past: The Indian Barrier State
The Battle of Gettysburg epitomises the futility of war and offered people of the time a terrifying glimpse at the devastating future of conflict. It is a landmark moment not only in the American Civil War but in world history; a victory and tragedy in the same breath. Fought from the 1st of July through … More The Battle of Gettysburg: The Turning Point
