A Lie Disguised As A Prize
A Lie Disguised As A Prize, by Donavon L Riley The insidious power of deception relies on the creation of false dichotomies. To manipulate the masses, rulers and tyrants do…
The CIA Directorate of Operations: The Heart of American Intelligence
Aerial view of the CIA headquarters, Langley, Virginia. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the United States’ premier intelligence organization, has a long and storied history. One of its most critical…
Does The Warrior Still Exist?
Does The Warrior Still Exist? by Donavon L Riley Until recently, it was typical for societies to exalt the warrior class to the apex of their hierarchies. However, today, in…
The OSS Morale Operations Branch: Pioneers of Psychological Warfare
The OSS Gallery at the CIA Museum at the George Bush Center for Intelligence, Virginia. All warfare is based on deception.” — Sun Tzu, “The Art of War.” The Morale…
Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless
Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless by Donavon L Riley The land of Ireland, still ancient and wild in a few places, holds tales that stretch back to the dawn of civilization.…
Debauchery Is Nothing to Be Proud of
Debauchery Is Nothing to Be Proud of by Donavon L Riley In Tinto Brass’ nineteen seventy-nine film, Caligula, the viewer witnesses the tale a man’s descent into lunacy, painted against…
Quintus Fabius: Rome’s Champion of Attrition Warfare
Statue of Fabius Cunctator (Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus), Schönbrunn gardens, Vienna. Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, also known as Cunctator, meaning “the Delayer,” was a pivotal figure in Roman history and…
Remembering D-Day: The 80th Anniversary
A LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) from the U.S. Coast Guard-manned USS Samuel Chase disembarks troops of Company A, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto…
Hidden History: The OSS’s Secret Base on Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island satellite image. In the annals of World War II history, the role of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) stands out as a testament to the power…
The Maquis: French Resistance in World War II
Members of the Maquis in La Trésorerie (a hamlet part of Wimille, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, France). 14 September 1944. Donald I. Grant, Department of National Defence. Library and Archives of Canada.…