It is important to be aware of history, not only in the sense of "those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it", but also in the 1984 sense of "Those who control the past control the present". The meaning of the present is shaped by what happened in the past. World War II has a huge effect on the present, and perceptions of the present. People tell us that we should heed the lessons of Munich, 1938 and be wary of negotiating with megalomaniacs. People tell us how...

From the strange annals of military history comes this little scooter that could . A Vespa scooter armed with a 75mm recoilless rifle! (The obligatory "crotch rocket" joke is made in the comments). Actually, a more serious commenter wonders if the "main battery" is intended to be fired from the scooter, or whether it would be removed for operation. He notes that there is no provision for changing elevation. The pictures in the post are unclear, but I can think of a coup...