Historical Letters

By the start of the 1900s, the star of China seemed to be fading, and the urgency of the Hundred Days Reform became increasingly evident. The Qing Dynasty stood as one of the wealthiest and most advanced civilizations. At its peak, the Qing contained 10% of the world’s landmass and almost a third of the… Read More »The Hundred Days Reform Modernization History

June 10 marks a dark day in American history, particularly in Salem, Massachusetts as it began the infamous Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The first victim of these trials was a local businesswoman named Bridget Bishop who was charged with practicing witchcraft and sorcery. Despite professing innocence, she would be found guilty and executed by hanging.… Read More »The 1692 First of the Salem Witch Trials

On this day, during the Six-Day War, the nation of Israel was tested as it fought for its survival against a coalition of its neighbors. These Arab countries sought to prevent the formal creation of a Jewish state in the region. Rather than accept this threat, the Israelis bravely resisted for almost a week and… Read More »Fight for Survival: The Six-Day War

On this day, the Allies concluded the famous Dunkirk evacuation, a daring operation that ended up rescuing hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Nazi Europe. This shining moment was a bright spot in a period, otherwise marked by defeat. But while not as dramatic as Stalingrad or the Battle of Britain, the evacuation of Dunkirk… Read More »Dunkirk Evacuation – Miracle & The Fight for Survival

When we think of samurai, we often think of Japanese warriors in ornate armor, but the tale of Yasuke, the African samurai warrior, is a remarkable exception. While most of these warriors are Japanese as this is where the term comes from, there are a few exceptional cases where the notoriously insular Japanese shogunates bestow… Read More »Yasuke | The Real Legacy of a Heroic Samurai Warrior

Mid-19th century America was marked by intense conflict and division. Even before the bloody American Civil War, the country was already rife with division that set the stage for the war. One of the most prominent events leading up to this great national schism was “Bleeding Kansas,” a series of violent confrontations in the newly… Read More »Bleeding Kansas History of Proslavery & Antislavery

On this day, the Jewish Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was crushed by the Nazi regime. This was a resistance movement organized by the Jews of Warsaw in a desperate attempt to stop the Nazis from exterminating the Jewish inhabitants of the city. Despite being badly outnumbered and having only a handful of weapons,… Read More »Jewish Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto: A Battle for Survival

On this day in 1948, Israel officially declared statehood, marking the creation of Israel as an official Jewish state within the Middle East. This move was met with controversy globally back then and remains a contentious issue today. This is due to many countries still not recognizing Israel’s legitimacy today and its use of statehood… Read More »The Creation of Israel History

On this day 32 years ago, Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa, becoming the first black ruler of the country since its colonization centuries ago. This was more than just a token move though and was seen as the official end to apartheid, a racist and repressive policy that had marginalized the majority… Read More »A Long Walk Freedom of Nelson Mandela and the End of Apartheid

The 8th of May stands as a critical moment in history, known as Winston Churchill VE Day, marking the official surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied powers and bringing an end to nearly six years of war. Celebrations were felt across the entire world from the Soviet Union to Great Britain. In the British… Read More »The Legacy and Commemoration of Winston Churchill VE Day