Tag: war

Jun172013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Here’s a Terrifying Popular Mechanics Magazine Cover from World War I

Here’s a Terrifying Popular Mechanics Magazine Cover from World War I

Ephemera, History
I find images and illustrations from World War I to be more frightening on average than almost anything -- the Holocaust excepted -- from World War II. There's something morbidly fascinating about the weaponry used in that conflict. It certainly was new and cutting edge for its time, but looks curiously antique now. It gives drawings like this one from the July 1915 issue of Popular Mechanics all the more sinister. It showcases a German soldier wearing an oil tank with a mask and goggles, which can all be used for just one thing: shooting liquefied fire at his enemies. And just to complete the look, he's got a service pistol at the ready. This sort of military ensemble would probably be called steampunk now, if it weren't so cruel in its very design. I suppose I shouldn't be s...
Read More
Dec282012 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
The Best of the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit — 2012

The Best of the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit — 2012

Blogstuff
So, 2012. It sure was twelve months, wasn't it? But before the year slips away into 2013, let's take a moment to reflect on just some of the awesome content I've published in Aught 12, as ranked by the number of visits (which I'm aware don't always equate to quality, but that's another topic). For reference, here's last year's review. And as always, I offer a laurel and hearty handshake to everyone who has stopped by this year -- either on the blog, the Facebook page, or any of the ever-growing venues where I waste my time and yours. This site racked up about half a million visits in 2012, which I'm fairly certain is an all-time high. It's probably all downhill from here. Oh and I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the lovely selection of Featured Posts you see to the right. It ma...
Read More
Oct72011 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
Photo Gallery: World War I in Color

Photo Gallery: World War I in Color

Featured Posts, History, Photography
If there is one conflict that did more than any other to forever vanquish the notion of warfare as a noble and brave pursuit, it was World War I. The Great War, as it was widely referred to until World War II, had an deep and lasting psychological impact on not just the combatants, but on society in general. It was the first war to be fought with mass-produced, mechanized tools of destruction such as tanks, war planes, U-boats, flamethrowers, and cannons of enormous size and range. The lasting images of World War I have been almost entirely in bleak, grainy black and white, which have only served to enhance the images of death and despair. But there exists film and photographs in color that allow us to view World War I as more real and something almost contemporary. Even the most mundan...
Read More
Aug232011 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Game over for Gaddafi?

Game over for Gaddafi?

People
Yeah, I'd say so. The rebels are knocking on his door, and NATO is blowing it off. I wonder if a sequel to Commando Libya is in the works? Whoever takes over from Col. Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, I hope it's easier to agree on a spelling for their name. (image created in part thanks to C64 Yourself) Related articles Gadhafi's son defiant as rebels overrun Tripoli (calgaryherald.com) President Obama Calls for Gadhafi to Relinquish Power (onebluestocking.wordpress.com) No Accounting for Gadhafi and His Billions (abcnews.go.com) NATO says it will continue Libya operations (seattletimes.nwsource.com) life: In 1969, 27-year-old Capt. Muammar Gaddafi overthrew the... (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
Read More
Apr122011 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
I don’t need your Civil War…

I don’t need your Civil War…

History
Even if you're not a history freak like I am, you should take some time to acknowledge that today is a pretty big anniversary. Exactly 150 years ago today -- April 12, 1865 for the math-challenged -- that the American Civil War began when forces from the Confederate States of America (CSA) launched an attack on the Federal outpost of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. 34 hours after the battle began Union forces, under the command of Major Robert Anderson, surrendered to Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard's Confederates. Neither side suffered any casualties during the battle, although two Union officers died after a gun explosion during the April 14 surrender ceremony. Following the Union defeat President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteer soldiers for 90 days, as the scale of the Sout...
Read More
Feb282011 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Farewell, Corporal Buckles

Farewell, Corporal Buckles

History, People
America's last living link with World War I is gone. Frank Buckles, the oldest remaining U.S. veteran of the Great War, died yesterday at age 110. Buckles was one of only three remaining veterans of WWI throughout the world. Buckles, born in 1901, enlisted with the U.S. Army in August 1917 after being turned down by the Marine Corps and the Navy. He was only 16 years old but, like many of his era, lied about his age in order to serve his country. In fact, after being rejected by recruiters in his native Kansas, Buckles traveled to Oklahoma City and kept at it until the Army agreed to take him. He was one of more than 4.7 million Americans to sail to Europe as part of the American Expeditionary Forces. Buckles joined the First Fort Riley Casual Detachment and shipped out for England i...
Read More
Jan212011 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Here’s some stuff I enjoyed this week

Here’s some stuff I enjoyed this week

Internet, Links
Here's a fresh batch of some quality interweb finds I've come across over the last 7 days: 38 Vintage Political Posters of World War II (Large Format Posters) "The Butterfly Effect" webcomic (Mr. Lovenstein) 15 Little-Known Facts About the Brothers Grimm (Associates Degree) Amazing baseball catch by ball girl (noob.us) Politics Explained! (Steve Jackson Games) Mister Rogers + clown mask = nightmare fuel (The Daily What) How much bigger are NFL players now? (Pro Football Reference) In Through the Out Door: Cover Songs We Heard Before the Classic Originals (Popdose)
Read More