Socrates: The Soldier-Philosopher
“Alcibiades Receiving Instruction from Socrates”, a 1776 painting by François-André Vincent, depicting Socrates’s daimon. Socrates, born around 470 BC in Athens, Greece, is often regarded as the founder of Western…
Bushido: The Way of the Samurai
Samurai in Armour, hand-colored albumen silver print by Kusakabe Kimbei. 1860s. J. Paul Getty Museum (object no. 84.XA.700.4.58), digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program. Bushido, the code…
The Path of the Warrior: Insights from The Book of Five Rings
The famous duel between the sword master Miyamoto Musashi (left) and Sasaki Kojiro (Ganryu) at Ganryu-jima island. Yoshifusa Utagawa (active ca. 1840-1860). It is difficult to understand the universe if…
The Blackfoot Warriors: A Legacy of Bravery and Tradition
A painting from life by Karl Bodmer of a Blackfoot warrior ca. 1840-1843. The Blackfoot Confederacy, also known as the Niitsitapi or Siksikaitsitapi, is a historic collective name for the…
A Brief History of the Hawaiian Shirt
The aloha shirt, also known as the Hawaiian shirt, is a distinct style of dress shirt originating from Hawaii. These shirts typically feature collars, buttons, and short sleeves, crafted from…
Kompani Linge: Norway’s Answer to Nazi Occupation
Commandos in action during raid on island of Vågsøy, 27 December 1941. Photo by Malindine, E G (Lt), War Office official photographer. Imperial War Museum. The Norwegian Independent Company 1…
The 369th Infantry Regiment: The Harlem Hellfighters
Some of the Soldiers of the 369th (15th N.Y.) who won the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action. Left to right. Front row: Pvt. Ed Williams, Herbert Taylor, Pvt.…
Lights, Camera, Espionage: Hollywood and the OSS
Alan Ladd on cover of “Modern Screen”, April 1946. Cropped. Throughout the course of the Second World War, a significant number of Hollywood’s finest chose to serve their nation by…
The Samurai: Japan’s Elite Feudal Warriors
16th century illustration of samurai raiding the house of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is…
James Bond: A Mirror of His Times
Bronze bust of the author Ian Fleming by the British sculptor Anthony Smith. Commissioned by the Fleming family to commemorate the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth in 2008. Photo by…