Cover Story
From World War to Cold War In the first part of our series examining the transition from World War to Cold War, Taylor Downing looks at how the end of the fighting in 1945 sowed the seeds of the conflict to come; while in the second… Features
City of shadows: The Iron Curtain falls – Part 2: Vienna In the second part of our series on the coming of the Cold War, Taylor Downing explains how the defeat of the Nazis brought new division to the Austrian capital. 
Napoleon’s turncoats: The generals who turned traitor to revolutionary France The French Revolution was a turbulent era of shifting loyalties, during which even humbly born soldiers could rise to the top, as Nigel Jones reveals in the final part of… 
Battle for Magna Carta: The First Barons’ War, 1215-1217 King John’s reign was a disaster – but, as Stephen Roberts reveals in the second of two articles about early civil wars, it left as its legacy one of the… 
King of the Vandals: How Gaiseric humbled the Roman Empire Although the Vandals gave their name to wanton destruction, their king Gaiseric is less well-known. Tim Newark reveals how one of the greatest barbarian warlords made Rome tremble. 
The Sick Man’s last stand: The Central Powers at War – PART 3: THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Continuing our series on Imperial Germany’s Great War allies, Graham Goodlad reveals how defeat led to the end of an empire. News
Rare Bronze Age breastplate identified A rare fragment of body armour from the Late Bronze Age has been found in the Czech Republic. The discovery was made in 2023 in Moravia – the exact location… 
Bow of USS New Orleans found off Guadalcanal Underwater archaeological investigations have located the missing bow of the USS New Orleans in the Solomon Islands’ Iron Bottom Sound. The US Navy cruiser was heavily damaged during the Battle… 
Roman army camp uncovered in the Netherlands A temporary marching camp used by the Roman military has been discovered near the village of Hoog Buurlo in the Veluwe region of the Netherlands. The research was carried out… 
Site of Washington’s ‘friendly fire’ incident located in Pennsylvania Archaeologists in western Pennsylvania have identified the site of a tragic episode during the North American conflict known as the French and Indian War (1754-1763). On the evening of 12… Views
War Classics – Bugles and a Tiger Comment Nick Spenceley reconsiders Bugles and a Tiger by John Masters. 
David Olusoga People The historian and broadcaster on the weapons that changed the world, and why 1917 may be his favourite war film. 
MHM 148 Competition Competitions Put your military history knowledge to the test with our competition 
Myth and Reality: military art in the age of Queen Victoria Museum, What's on Reviewing the best military history exhibitions with Peter Popham. Reviews
Mitchell: Father of the Spitfire REVIEW BY GRAHAM GOODLAD The Supermarine Spitfire has received more attention in print than almost any other aircraft in history, but relatively little has been written about the life of… 
Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler REVIEW BY CALUM HENDERSON When Tim Bouverie’s first book Appeasing Hitler appeared in 2019, it was generally considered to be something of a stunning debut: an eloquent and well-researched history… 
Lest We Forget: War and Peace in 100 British Monuments REVIEW BY NICK HEWITT Historian and broadcaster Tessa Dunlop has energetically breathed life into the ‘history in a hundred’ format with her enthralling new book, which should be essential reading… 
Into the Reich: The Red Army’s Advance to the Oder in 1945 REVIEW BY DAVID PORTER In January 1945, the Red Army launched a powerful operation that was intended to go all the way to Berlin. The Vistula–Oder Offensive, as it was… 
Myth and Reality: military art in the age of Queen Victoria Reviewing the best military history exhibitions with Peter Popham. 
From the editor
This summer, memorial services have been held, and tributes paid around the globe, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – which came first in Europe on 8 May 1945, and then in Japan a little over three months later.
Eighty years ago, however, the celebrations and sense of euphoria that accompanied the Allied victory proved short-lived, as a dangerous new schism quickly became apparent. Less than a year after VE Day, on 5 March 1946, this emerging threat to Europe’s hard-won peace was summed up memorably, when Winston Churchill warned that ‘an iron curtain has descended across the continent’.
In our cover story for this issue, Taylor Downing introduces a new series in which MHM examines the rapid transition from World War to Cold War, and looks at the newly forged rivalry between the ‘West’, led by the United States, and the ‘East’, led by the Soviet Union, that would dominate military thinking for the next 50 years – and beyond.
Elsewhere, in the final part of his compelling history of treachery, Nigel Jones focuses on the French Revolution, shining a light on the military commanders who turned their backs on the country’s new political leaders, and who gambled everything to take on Napoleon.
Also in this issue: Graham Goodlad continues his study of Germany’s Great War allies, revealing how defeat for the Central Powers in 1918 brought about the break-up of the once powerful Ottoman Empire; while Stephen Roberts delves deeper into history to analyse the chaos of the First Barons’ War of 1215-1217, and to understand how the disastrous reign of King John gave birth to one of England’s most important agreements.
Finally, Tim Newark travels still further back in time to tell the extraordinary story of Gaiseric, the Vandal warlord who in AD 455 humbled the world’s greatest empire, sacking Rome of its treasures, and even living to tell the tale.
We hope you enjoy the issue!
LAURENCE EARLE
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