There are so many destinations in France that world renowned for amazing history, scenery, food, art, and architecture. Paris of course leads the way, but there are many other places in this incredible country that everyone knows about. Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley, Nice, Provence, Chamonix, Giverny, Chartres, and the list goes on and on. […]
One of the best parts of a road trip is the freedom to make interesting stops along the way. During a road trip from Chicago to Florida, I decided to take a break and have a little historical adventure at the Chickamauga National Military Park. I drove all night through Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. As […]
Remember the Alamo There are several military history spots in the United States and abroad that are so essential to the soul of America and Americans that the name alone evokes powerful feelings. Normandy, Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, Lexington and Concord, and the Alamo are a few examples. These important battles highlight American resistance, bravery, and […]
Twenty years ago today, I was lucky to see the 49th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies at Pointe De Hoc and Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. Today is the 69th anniversary of this historic landings. This event would change the world and proved the beginning of the end to the NAZI empire thanks to the already […]
A box arrived in the mail the other day compliments of L.L. Bean. I have been invited to participate in the L.L. Bean Discovery Project where I would receive gear and go out and use it and report back. In the first box of goodies came an Ascent Gore-Tex jacket and a guide of hiking […]
On December 16, 1944, Germany made their last desperate attack in the west at the Battle of the Bulge. Tank divisions pierced through Allied front line defenses, but they were unable to break out to the sea and completely surround entrapped divisions as they hoped. In Bastogne, Belgium, elements of the 101st Airborne Division was […]
The Verdun Battlefield in northern France is the site of one of the world’s most horrific battles. Almost 100 hundred years ago the Great War or World War I raged along a 400 mile front in northern France and Flanders. The beautiful countryside was then a flaming war zone with trenches, bombed out craters, and […]
During World War II, Allied planners prepared to invade France and breach Hitler’s Atlantic Wall. The German high command were certain they would strike at the Pas-de-Calais, which was the narrowest stretch of land across the English Channel between England and France. They did not think they would land in Normandy. One of the reasons, […]
A couple of days ago it was the 68th anniversary of the D-Day invasions in France. 19 years ago, I was fortunate enough to study this great historical even in Normandy as part of the Normandy Scholar Program. I was on hand for the 49th anniversary of the landings that began the liberation of fortress […]
The French coastline is dotted with remnants from Hitler’s vaunted Atlantic Wall from World War II. One of the best places to see these historical monuments is in Normandy. Many bunkers were destroyed by air or by naval bombardment, but many lie intact. They are a testament to the bravery of the men who had […]
