Military History Matters 149

Description

Highlights:

From the Editor:
In 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, millions of Americans will remember a conflict that has been described as one of the most consequential in all history.

Famously, it began as an argument between two groups of British subjects over trade and taxes in the 13 North American colonies – but it would end in the birth of a bold and fast-growing new democracy, destined to eclipse its former colonial master, and eventually to become the world’s most powerful nation.

In our cover story for this issue, historian Fred Chiaventone begins a major new four-part series charting the tumultuous course of the American Revolutionary War – from initial discontent and rising tension, via opening skirmishes and the formal Declaration of Independence, to George Washington’s final battlefield victory at Yorktown, Virginia, and the subsequent British surrender.

Elsewhere, Tessa Dunlop, the author of a fascinating new book about the UK’s monuments to conflict, takes us on a timely guided tour, from the south of England to the Scottish Highlands, as she relates the history of Britain in ten war memorials.

Also in this issue of MHM: continuing his analysis of the coming of the Cold War, Taylor Downing reveals how the Iron Curtain fell so quickly on Europe after 1945, and how Stalin brutally consolidated control over a new Soviet bloc; while, in the final part of his series looking at Germany’s Great War allies, Graham Goodlad examines Bulgaria’s belated and ultimately disastrous entry into the conflict.

And finally, Steve Tibble, the author of a new book about the legendary, death-dealing Assassins, tells the extraordinary story of how the medieval world’s most feared killers were thwarted not by massed armies or superior weaponry, but by a group of middle-aged women who refused to be pushed around.


Cover Date: Dec / Jan 2026, Volume 13 Issue 5

Cover Story

The road to independence In our latest four-part series, marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, Fred Chiaventone examines first the genesis of America’s Revolutionary War, how discontent exploded into open warfare, and then…

Features

A very bloody summer: The American Revolution: Part 2 – a game of cat and mouse In the second part of our series, Fred Chiaventone looks at how the conflict escalated as the two sides struggled…
The American Revolution by numbers £133 million - Britain's national debt after the Seven Years War. This enormous deficit prompted the introduction of unpopular new…
Balkan breakdown: The Central Powers at war: PART 4 – BULGARIA Concluding our series on Imperial Germany’s Great War allies, Graham Goodlad examines Bulgaria’s belated and ultimately disastrous entry into the…
Under the heel: The Iron Curtain falls – Part 3: the crushing of Eastern Europe In the third part of our series on the coming of the Cold War, Taylor Downing reveals how Stalin consolidated…
Assault on Shaizar: How the Assassins met their match They were the world’s most feared killers. But, in 1114, the Assassins were thwarted – not by elite bodyguards, but…
Lest we forget: A history of Britain in ten war memorials Tessa Dunlop uncovers the stories behind some of the UK’s most fascinating monuments to conflict, and reveals what they tell…

Comment

War Classics – The Right on the Line Nick Spenceley reconsiders The Right of the Line by John Terraine

News

Views

Ian Knight The winner of MHM’s 2025 Book of the Year award on redcoats, distant battlefields, and the film that started it…
Beyond Burma: forgotten armies Reviewing the best military history exhibitions, with Peter Popham.
MHM 149 Letters – November Your thoughts on issues raised by the magazine.
MHM 149 Competition Put your military history knowledge to the test with our competition.

Reviews

War on Film – Goebbels and the Führer Taylor Downing reviews the latest film and television releases.
Battle of the Arctic: the maritime epic of World War Two REVIEW BY NICK HEWITT Developing a fresh interpretation for a well-charted subject area is always a challenge, as this reviewer…
Mavericks: empire, oil, revolution and the forgotten battle of World War One REVIEW BY JONATHAN EATON Despite the vast literature on the First World War, there remain important aspects of the conflict…
Soviet Secret Police Chiefs, 1917-1953: commissars of fear REVIEW BY ANDRÉ VAN LOON To get straight to the point: the strength of Soviet Secret Police Chiefs lies in…
V-Force: Britain’s nuclear bombers and the Cold War REVIEW BY GRAHAM GOODLAD Growing up near RAF Scampton at the height of the Cold War, in my formative years…
In Brief MHM’s round-up of the latest military history releases.

By Country

Popular
UK • Italy • Greece • Egypt • Turkey • France

Africa
Botswana • Egypt • Ethiopia • Ghana • Kenya • Libya • Madagascar • Mali • Morocco • Namibia • Somalia • South Africa • Sudan • Tanzania • Tunisia • Zimbabwe

Asia
Iran • Iraq • Israel • Japan • Java • Jordan • Kazakhstan • Kodiak Island • Korea • Kyrgyzstan •
Laos • Lebanon • Malaysia • Mongolia • Oman • Pakistan • Qatar • Russia • Papua New Guinea • Saudi Arabia • Singapore • South Korea • Sumatra • Syria • Thailand • Turkmenistan • UAE • Uzbekistan • Vanuatu • Vietnam • Yemen

Australasia
Australia • Fiji • Micronesia • Polynesia • Tasmania

Europe
Albania • Andorra • Austria • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • England • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Gibraltar • Greece • Holland • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Malta • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Scotland • Serbia • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • Sicily • UK

South America
Argentina • Belize • Brazil • Chile • Colombia • Easter Island • Mexico • Peru

North America
Canada • Caribbean • Carriacou • Dominican Republic • Greenland • Guatemala • Honduras • USA