Cover Story
How the Franco-Prussian War changed Europe The Franco-Prussian War overturned the balance of power in Europe Features
Prokhorovka: the greatest tank battle in history? Bill Purdue takes a look at recent critical reappraisal of this famous clash of Soviet and Nazi armour in the summer of 1943. 
The Genesis of Air Power, 1909 – 1916 Neil Faulkner begins a short series on the history of airpower and its impact on the evolution of modern warfare. 
Turner’s Modern World All great artists need great subjects. Joseph Mallord William Turner was no exception. Although extremely talented, he was especially fortunate to have lived through stirring times. 
War of Words – ‘trench warfare’ Combat on the Western Front during World War One is justly infamous for its grim lethality. Soldiers on both sides dug deep trenches in the earth to escape murderous enemy… 
Medieval Irish Warriors It was as aggressors that the Irish first made their impact on European history. The quasi-legendary Irish warlord Cormac mac Airt, from the 3rd century AD, not only subdued almost… 
Fleming’s War With the latest James Bond blockbuster out next year, MHM assistant editor Calum Henderson explores the life of the man who created him: Ian Fleming, whose wartime adventures rivalled those… News
Facebook steps in to save struggling Bletchley Park It played a crucial role in World War Two and is considered the birthplace of computing. Now, the struggling museum at Bletchley Park has been given a bailout by Facebook. 
Rare medieval equestrian armour goes on display for first time in a century It is one of only three complete medieval equestrian armour displays in the world. Now, the 15th-century masterpiece can be viewed by the public for the first time in over… 
Communists spied on Orwell during Spanish Civil War, new book claims George Orwell’s writing on mass surveillance has left an enduring legacy. Now it has emerged that the author was himself spied on during the Spanish Civil War. 
Warlord discovery throws new light on Anglo-Saxon history He lay undisturbed on a hilltop for centuries. Now, the uncovered remains of an Anglo-Saxon warlord may change historians’ understanding of Britain’s ancient history. 
Wreck off Norwegian coast confirmed as long-lost German warship It was hit by Norwegian artillery and torpedoed by a British submarine before finally being scuttled by its own captain. But now, the long-lost wreck of the German light cruiser… 
Spies of WWII commemorated with blue plaques Two spies who worked for Britain during the Second World War have been honoured with blue plaques outside their London homes. Views
Letters from MHM December 2020/January 2021 Letters I commend Alexander Izza on his excellent article on Okinawa (MHM 119, October/November 2020) but would take issue with a couple of points. 
War Athletes: Clem Lewis People At the turn of the 20th century, the first ‘Golden Era’ of Welsh rugby ushered in the national team’s rise to dominance and infused ‘rugger’ into the country’s lifeblood. Lewis,… 
Back to the Drawing Board: Vasa Ideas The early 17th century marked a period of rapid growth in warships as the galleons of the previous century began to give way to the ship-of-the-line, which would dominate naval… 
Wartime Christmas The Picture Desk Christmas at the front was about making do. Here, for instance, British soldiers have gathered in a shell hole around a makeshift table. Some are sitting on the ground, others… Reviews
Museum: the American Airpower Museum Reviewing the best military history exhibitions, with Marc DeSantis 
Lancaster: the forging of a very British legend Penned by former RAF Navigator and Gulf War veteran John Nichol, Lancaster is one of the most enthralling aviation history books I have read. But its succinct title does not… 
Allenby: making the modern Middle East Edward Henry Hynman Allenby was born in 1861 in Brackenhurst, Nottinghamshire in comfortable circumstances – a Victorian squire perhaps destined to help govern the British Empire on behalf of the… 
The Glamour Boys: the secret story of the rebels who fought for Britain to defeat Hitler To oppose the Munich Agreement of 1938 was once considered something close to treason. The prime minister of the day had met an intimidating opponent and had extracted from him… 
Crucible of Hell: Okinawa: the last great battle of the Second World War In this year of reflection on the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, too often our Western gaze falls solely on events in Europe. We rightly… 
From the editor
The American Civil War is one of the most written-about conflicts in history. Less well remembered is that Europe was also at war between 1864 and 1871.
The Franco-Prussian War reshaped Europe: it was the capstone on the process of German unification and it created an over-mighty state that soon threatened the delicate balance of power in Europe. It was the single most important geopolitical event on the long road to 1914.
It was also a new kind of more-murderous conflict based on mass-produced modern weapons. On the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War, Europeans discovered the implications of breech-loaders, machine-guns, and steel cannon.
Marking 150 years since the war, David Porter’s special looks first at the strategy of the war as a whole, then focuses on tactics with a detailed examination of Gravelotte-St-Privat. Click here to read it.
Also this issue, we have Bill Purdue’s review of the great debate about the Battle of Prokhorovka in 1943, Jeffrey James’ overview of medieval Irish warriors (including the ferocious Gall Oglach), the first in a short series analysing the rise of airpower, and a quick look at the wartime role of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
