Author: Dr. Zar

A Brief History On October 25, 1854, the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, and the French Empire fought against Russia in the Battle of Balaclava, which included the famous (and disastrous) “Charge of the Light Brigade”. Digging Deeper The Crimean War (October 1853 – February 1856) was an absolutely massive war, easily one of the most significant wars fought between Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815 and the onset of World War I in 1914.  An Alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, and the Kingdom of Sardinia challenged the Russian Empire and Bulgaria.  The Franco-British-Ottoman alliance enjoyed a strength of…

A Brief History On October 24, 1901, Annie Edson Taylor became the first confirmed person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel on her 63rd birthday! Digging Deeper Annie Edson Taylor was born on October 24, 1838.  She worked as a school teacher before traveling around searching for other employment opportunities.  In her later life, the future “Queen of the Mist” eventually decided to become the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, earning her a ranking of seventh on a list of “Top 10 Daredevils”. To prepare for her short journey, she designed a special…

A Brief History On October 23, 1739, the War of Jenkins’ Ear began when British Prime Minister Robert Walpole declared war on Spain following the exhibition in Parliament of the severed ear of a British captain allegedly maimed by Spaniards. Digging Deeper In 1731, a British captain named Robert Jenkins captained a British brig sailing off of Florida’s coast.  When a Spanish patrol boat boarded Jenkins’s brig, the Spanish commander cut off Jenkins’s left ear, accusing the British captain of smuggling.  The ear-severing Spaniard then taunted Jenkins, daring him to “tell your King that I will do the same, if…

A Brief History On October 22, 1926, J. Gordon Whitehead dealt a potentially deadly sucker punch to magician Harry Houdini’s stomach. Digging Deeper Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz in Budapest on March 24, 1874) is almost without any doubt the most famous magician and escape artist of all time, arguably surpassing the David Copperfields and Chris Angels of more recent years. From 1891 to 1926, Houdini dazzled audiences around the world with his many mind-boggling tricks.  He gradually acquired such memorable nicknames as “The King of Cards” and “The Handcuff King”.  For his many amazing abilities, he is accordingly ranked…

A Brief History On October 21, 1944, Japan began their notorious kamikaze attacks during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, first striking HMAS Australia. Digging Deeper By 1944, World War II in the Pacific Theater had been raging for several years.  While the European War is traditionally dated to have begun in 1939, the Pacific Theater arguably began two years earlier with Japan’s invasion of China.  Thus, Japan had been fighting against myriad enemies for nearly seven years by the autumn of 1944. During those seven years, Japan had rapidly established an impressive colonial empire that at its height seemed to…