Gough’s remaking of Defence policy
Gough Whitlam was a physical giant with an intellect to match. His flaws were pretty sizeable, too, and the pygmies who beset him were often from his own party. His self-mocking […]
The Russian Revolution
For most people, the term “Russian Revolution” conjures up a popular set of images: demonstrations in Petrograd’s cold February of 1917, greatcoated men in the Petrograd Soviet, Vladimir Lenin addressing the crowds in […]
Pinochet’s Chile
General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, a career military officer, was appointed Commander in Chief of the Chilean army by President Salvador Allende on August 1973. Eighteen days later, with the connivance, […]
The Iranian Revolution
To understand what caused the Iranian Revolution, we must first consider the ongoing conflict between proponents of secular versus Islamic models of governance in Muslim societies. It all began with […]
Four days in August: The Soviet Union’s final blow
Nearly 30 years have passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, and yet vivid memories of the once-mighty empire remain steadfast in our collective memory. By […]
51 years ago: Israel won an air battle, and lost the War of Attrition
The Israel Air Force drew the Soviet expeditionary force in Egypt into a perfect, successful ambush, but pride was the country’s downfall, in the long run. For Israelis, this weekend […]
The Antarctic Treaty is turning 60 years old. In a changed world, is it still fit for purpose?
The 1959 Antarctic Treaty celebrates its 60th anniversary this week. Negotiated during the middle of the Cold War by 12 countries with Antarctic interests, it remains the only example of a single […]
WERE SOVIET TANKS DEPLOYED IN EGYPT 50 YEARS AGO?
On February 3, 2018, Russian Air Force Maj. Roman Filipov’s jet was shot down while attacking rebel positions in Syria. Filipov bailed out and, after a shootout with “terrorists,” blew himself up […]
The Cold War Ignites: The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Once the centre of Nazi ideology and power, the German capital of Berlin was extremely important not only in the Allies quest to defeat Hitler, but in the rebuilding of […]
Constructing Oppression: The Berlin Wall and the Literal Iron Curtain
60 years after its initial construction, the memory of the Berlin Wall remains a potent symbol of the Cold War. Of all of history’s global conflicts, perhaps none has been […]
Hubris and Miscalculation: The failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion
HUBRIS AND MISCALCULATION: THE FAILURE OF THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION By Michael Vecchio The threat of Nazi villainy had been defeated, however another authoritarian threat rapidly placed over half […]
The Cold War, Churchill’s Iron Curtain, and the Power of Imagery
By Michael Vecchio Many years of fighting and an estimated 85 million people dead; the numbers of the Second World War paint a devastating portrait of destruction and violence. In […]
Nike Missile Site, San Francisco
The Nike missile was one of the first successful anti-aircraft missiles, developed by Bell Labs and put into service by the US and her allies from 1953. As a last-line […]