Tag Archives: War

Long-Lost WWII Shipwreck Where The Five Sullivan Brothers Died Finally Located

The brothers' subterranean grave was discovered on St. Patrick's Day

Sometimes a bit of closure can arrive late. But, as the saying goes, it’s usually better than never. Such is the case for the Sullivan family. On Nov. 13, 1942, five brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan … Continue reading

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The Art of the Die-In

Meaningful visual images stir emotions

Imagine this: You’re out for a walk in your favorite park. As you stroll along, you notice that there are more people about than you’re used to seeing. Suddenly, the woman in front of you keels forward and drops to … Continue reading

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“Billy Don’t Be a Hero” by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander

Song reflects grief and anger at the loss of a soldier

“Billy Don’t Be a Hero,” an anti-war song, premiered in the United Kingdom, where it was performed by the group Paper Lace. In 1974, Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods performed the song in the United States. It shot to the … Continue reading

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“The Tiger’s Wife” by Téa Obreht

War and death are intertwined with mythical surrealism in this author's debut novel

When Téa Obreht wrote “The Tiger’s Wife,” she was a 25-year-old student studying at Cornell University. Born in Yugoslavia, Obreht was heavily influenced by the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s. To escape from the conflict, her family left Yugoslavia for Egypt, then … Continue reading

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What Does Genocide Look Like Through the Eyes of a Killer?

How death squad leader Anwar Congo views his role in the Indonesian killings of 1965

Life was brutal for many Indonesians in the mid-1960s, unless you happened to be a gangster selling movie tickets on the black market. They also extorted money from Chinese people living in the area. When they could not pay, they … Continue reading

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All’s Fair In Love And War…Except At Christmas

Why World War I troops ceased fire on this day in 1914

On December 25, 1914, British and German troops gave each other one of the greatest gifts of all time: an unofficial truce. I know that “We’ll stop shooting at your heads for a few days” doesn’t sound like a loving … Continue reading

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