History
Travel to the past with the best history stories, from Ancient Rome to World War II. The Archive has the history stories you crave, from military sagas to exploring the New World.
Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot: A History of “Auld Lang Syne”
Learn the history behind the traditional New Year's song.
Beyond the Podcast: 10 Great Courses for Every History Buff
Explore the world’s greatest history lessons from your smartphone.
Dying on Armistice Day: Private Joseph Sommers's Final Words
Private Sommers may have been the final American killed on Armistice Day.
George Washington Was Nearly Impossible to Kill
Diseases, brutal weather, and enemy fire all failed to take him down.
8 Surprising Facts About Grigori Rasputin, Russia's "Mad Monk"
The mysterious historical figure remains an enigma, even in death.
That Time Los Angeles Fought off an Imaginary Japanese Bombing Raid
They called it the "Battle of L.A." There was just one problem—the City of Angels wasn't under attack.
That Time a WWII Bomber Pilot Climbed Onto the Wing Mid-Flight to Save His Crew
His crew tied a rope around his chest and he made his way onto the wing to extinguish the blaze.
When Civil War Musicians Served as Battlefield Medics
The life of a Civil War regimental band member wasn't all treble clefs and drumsticks.
This German Soldier Received the Same Wounds in the Same Town as His Father Did 30 Years Earlier
The past echoes through the present...
That Time Mannequins and Unmanned Rifles Duped the Enemy at Gallipoli and Helped Allied Forces Escape
One resourceful soldier had a brilliant plan to escape approaching forces...
Checkpoint Charlie: That Time American and Soviet Tanks Faced Off in a Divided Berlin
The world watched with bated breath. Could this be the spark that set off WWIII?
The Midnight Ride of Sybil Ludington
The sixteen-year-old raced through the night to warn fellow colonists of approaching British forces.
When Benedict Arnold Created—and Then Sank—a Fleet of Ships During the Battle of Valcour Island
They needed an escape plan, and Arnold possessed one.
The 9 Best Vietnam War Movies
The war that continues to haunt America is poignantly represented in these movies.
Nancy Wake: The Fearless Resistance Fighter Who Led Over 7,000 Soldiers Against the Nazis
“Somebody once asked me ‘Have you ever been afraid?’ Hah! I’ve never been afraid in my life.”
Meet the Nightfighters, a Division of Allied Soldiers Who Attacked Nazis with Empty Rifles and Grenades
They launched their attacks under cover of darkness, equipped only with empty rifles, bayonets, and grenades.
Moonshot: That Time American Intelligence Collected Soviet Communication Signals Via the Moon
In 1960, a U-2 spy plane captured images of a massive and mysterious antenna in Soviet Russia...
On This Day: Martin Luther King, Jr. Was Assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee
The leader of the Civil Rights Movement was 39.
