From the Cold War to the Russian Revolution-bits and pieces from the Net that you might find useful, brought to you courtesy of the Rondebosch Boys' High School Library (If you would like to receive a weekly newsletter of the latest items in this Scoop just mail me at library@rondebosch.com)
What if your only hope of stopping an invading army was to drown your own country?
In June 1938, Japanese forces were tearing through China at terrifying speed. City after city fell. Chiang Kai-Shek, leader of the Republic of China, was desperate. His army couldn't hold the line — so he made one of the most brutal and controversial decisions in modern military history.
He ordered the Yellow River dykes to be blown open.
From a dispute over taxes to a fight for the soul of a nation — the American Revolution begins here.
In 1763, Britain stands at the peak of its power, master of a global empire. Yet within a decade, some of its most prosperous colonies will be in open revolt. Our documentary covers the road to America's Declaration of Independence — from the first stirrings of colonial defiance to the moment the rebellion threatened to engulf the world.
Stalin promised to transform the Soviet Union into an industrial superpower — and he did. But the price was paid in human lives on a scale that staggers the imagination.
How did Islam grow from a faith born in 7th-century Arabia into one of the most influential forces in world history?
In this short, we explore Islam’s 1400-year journey through faith, conquest, scholarship, trade, culture, and global transformation. From the revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad to the rapid rise of powerful caliphates, Islam reshaped the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and beyond.
Before he turned 30, Alexander the Great had conquered an empire stretching from Greece to the edge of India — and he did it with one of the most perfectly engineered war machines the ancient world had ever seen.
HMS Victory sailors food was surprisingly good for the era, with Admiral Nelson’s crew enjoying three meals a day aboard his flagship. Only dinner at noon was hot, but the food was substantial and sufficient for men performing long hours of hard labor. The crew divided themselves into messes of about eight men who took turns collecting cooked rations from the galley, which they ate at tables slung between the guns. Stores of salted beef, pork, and hard ship’s biscuit formed the backbone of their diet, while the ship loaded fresh meat, livestock, vegetables, and water at every opportunity. Many sailors likely ate better at sea than they would have in civilian life. Admiral Nelson understood that keeping his men well-fed was essential to maintaining morale and fighting effectiveness on HMS Victory. This short explores exactly what HMS Victory sailors food consisted of and how Admiral Nelson’s crew sustained themselves during long voyages in the Napoleonic Wars.
Europe is rearming for a new era of conflict. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius calls for a "big bang" increase in defence spending, warning the continent must be ready for a potential Russian attack by 2030.
He explains how Ukraine is reshaping modern warfare, why drones, satellites and space capabilities are now as vital as tanks and troops and why Europe must achieve greater defence independence. For Kubilius, only strength can preserve peace.
For eighty years, the Second World War has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. "World War II with Tom Hanks" is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century. Told over twenty hours and guided by Tom Hanks, whose lifelong passion for this history has shaped some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era, the series captures the full arc of the war — from the rise of fascism in Europe to the fall of Berlin, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima, and the uneasy peace that follows. Each episode uncovers new dimensions of the conflict: the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today.
The war in Europe reaches a climax as Allied armies advance towards Berlin, and Hitler orders his people to fight to the last man. See more in this clip from Season 1, Episode 18, "Last Days of the Reich."
Why was a luxury hotel hiding a top-secret underground bunker? Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny uncovers the Cold War plan to protect the U.S. government with a covert refuge built just far enough from Washington, D.C. to ensure its survival. See more in this clip from Season 2, Episode 16, "Hidden Bases."
Life in the Medieval period looked like lots of different things to lots of different people. Your place in society could dictate everything. From what food you ate, where you could go, how educated you were and even how long you were likely to live for. Across this series, discover what life was like for those that worked, those that earned, those that learned and those that played in Medieval England. Presented by medieval historian, Dr Eleanor Janega.
1938 is a critical year on the road to World War Two.
In Asia, the Sino-Japanese War continues to leave a trail of devastation across China. Now, as Chiang Kai-shek tries desperately to save Wuhan, the human cost becomes unimaginable.
The U.S. Constitution was a group effort of some of the country's greatest minds, but the bulk of the document can actually be credited to one Founding Father.
In the 1950s, over 40,000 citizens of Montgomery Alabama boycotted the city’s segregated bus service for 381 days. A massive undertaking that was funded – and fed – by a clandestine group of women.
The "mightiest fort in the world" — captured by just 9 men without a single shot fired. 🔥
In 1916, Fort Douaumont stood as the crown jewel of France's Verdun fortress system. Built with concrete walls metres thick, armed with heavy artillery, and designed to withstand the most ferocious bombardment imaginable, the French military considered it virtually impregnable. The Germans feared it. The world marvelled at it.
So how did a small German raiding party simply walk in and take it in under 30 minutes?
The Siege of Zaragoza turned ordinary civilians into survivors of one of history’s most horrific sieges. Primary accounts reveal the desperate struggle for food, shelter, and survival under relentless bombardment during the Peninsular War. Discover the forgotten civilian stories that expose the true human cost of this brutal Napoleonic conflict.
Big Bertha dominated the skies above Verdun with its massive 420mm shells. In the first six months of the Battle of Verdun, German forces fired up to 37 million shells, and Big Bertha was one of the most feared weapons in that storm of steel. Weighing 43 metric tons with a 16-foot barrel, each shell weighed more than a ton and could smash through 40 feet of concrete and earth before exploding. Only 22 of these colossal howitzers were ever built, and 13 were sent to Verdun, where crews of 240 men worked around the clock to fire just eight rounds per hour.
Russian missile and drone strikes on commercial warehouses and civilian shipping give Kyiv a new justification for expanding attacks inside Russia. Ukraine now targets Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer, accusing it of handling 30% of dual‑use or military goods for the defence ministry. The EU has sanctioned the company’s banking arm, citing tax flows to the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials say the strategy aims to instill fear, inflict economic losses and make ordinary Russians feel the reality of war.
For eighty years, the Second World War has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. "World War II with Tom Hanks" is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century. Told over twenty hours and guided by Tom Hanks, whose lifelong passion for this history has shaped some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era, the series captures the full arc of the war — from the rise of fascism in Europe to the fall of Berlin, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima, and the uneasy peace that follows. Each episode uncovers new dimensions of the conflict: the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today.
Long before the modern era, the ancient world witnessed an epic saga of migration, mercenaries, and absolute slaughter that rivals any mythic tale of perilous voyages. This documentary chronicles the true story of the Varangian Guard, an elite unit of Viking warriors who embarked on a dangerous journey across the rivers of eastern Europe to serve the richest ruler on the planet, Byzantine Emperor Basil II. These were not ordinary raiders; they became the ultimate secret police, personal bodyguards, and battlefield shock troops, executing terrifying punishments from chemical blindings to public mutilation. The narrative shifts to focus on Harald Hardrada, a towering exiled prince with a blood feud who initiated his own legendary expedition south to claim power, wealth, and a path back to his stolen throne. Through unmatched savagery and tactical innovations like the devastating bore snout formation, these Norsemen permanently altered the face of Mediterranean warfare. This episode exposes how an insatiable appetite for wealth and violence turned a desperate migration into the most feared military campaign of late antiquity.
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