Hara-kiri translates to “belly cutting” or “stomach cutting.” As the name implies, it involves slicing your stomach with a knife. It’s a horrific, agonizing way to go. So why would anybody willingly do it to themselves? The answer concerns the strict samurai code of conduct, which placed honor above all else. For a samurai, death […]
The Brutal History of Seppuku and Hara-kiri Read More »
Over 55,000 prisoners of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp never made it out alive. Buchenwald was one of the Third Reich’s largest camps, with over 280,000 prisoners serving time there. Death lurked around every corner, and many killings were never recorded in the camp’s books. Walter Gerhard Mart Sommer, who earned the title “The Hangman of
Martin Sommer: The guard too cruel for even the Nazis Read More »
Following the Second World War, war crimes trials were held to bring the architects of WW2 and the Holocaust to justice. Inside a courtroom in Luneburg, the Belsen Trials took place that sought to deal with the SS men and women of the Belsen concentration camp. Many of these guards had committed horrendous crimes, but
Irma Grese: The Hyena of Auschwitz Read More »
Finland has spent much of its history living in the shadow of its larger neighbor, Russia. Until 1918, it was officially part of Imperial Russia but broke away after the Czar was deposed and the Bolsheviks took over in nearby St. Petersburg/Leningrad. In 1920, the new Soviet Union signed a treaty recognizing Finnish independence, establishing
The Winter War: The Soviet Invasion of Finland Read More »
Hygiene has been a critical aspect of human health since the beginning of time, and it is key to keeping us healthy and ensuring we avoid disease and illness. There are several similarities and differences when looking at the hygiene practices of ancient civilizations compared to the present. Among them all, the hygiene practices of
What was Ancient Egyptian Hygiene like? Read More »
Genghis Khan, the renowned and legendary leader of the Mongol Empire, is easily one of the most fascinating and notorious figures in all of world history. Known for his unmatched conquests and terrible brutality, he united countless tribes, marched them across vast expanses of Asia and Europe, and conquered one of the largest empires ever
The Life of a Mongol Warrior under Genghis Khan Read More »
Often when we think of the American Civil War, images of enormous battlefields and waves of soldiers immediately come to mind. However, there’s another, more gruesome side to the war that tends to go overlooked. Casualties and deaths were many, but of course, not all took place on the battlefield. Wounded soldiers who survived the
The Horrifying History of Civil War Medicine Read More »
Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, has long been heralded as the cradle of civilization. Around 6000 BC, once-nomadic peoples began settling down, farming, and domesticating animals, giving rise to settlements that eventually grew into towns, cities, and even empires. Many great civilizations would call this region home and leave behind enormous
What was education like in ancient Mesopotamia? Read More »
The Gilded Age was a time in American history that stretched from 1877 to the early 1900s, give or take a few years. It was a time of economic growth, technological advancements, and industrialization. Much of that advancement came from a group of businessmen, entrepreneurs, and industrialists known as Titans of Industry or “Robber Barons.”
Who Were the Gilded Age Robber Barons? Read More »
The Blackfeet Nation is the name given to a confederacy or group of tribes currently residing in northern Montana and Canada. Other names for the Blackfeet Nation include the Blackfoot Confederacy and Siksikaitsitapi. The Blackfeet people themselves go by the name of Niitsitapi (the real people) or Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot-speaking real people. If you have yet to pick
History and Culture of the Blackfeet Nation Read More »
