Matt Whittaker
@matt-whittaker
Matt Whittaker is an avid history reader, fascinated by the why, how and when. With a B.A. in History and Asian Studies from University of Massachusetts, he does deep dives into medieval, Asian and military history. Matt’s other passion besides family is the long-distance Zen-like runs.
Was Alexander the Great Poisoned?
Alexander the Great, at the age of just 32, died in 323 BC following a 12 day illness. Do his symptoms suggest natural causes or poison?
10 Mind-Bending Quotes from Greek Philosophers
Many ancient Greek philosophers are considered the fathers of Western philosophy. Discover their most mind-bending quotes.
How the Treaty of San Francisco Restored Japanese Sovereignty After WWII
On September 2, 1945, Imperial Japan surrendered unconditionally. Yet a legal state of war persisted, with issues unresolved until the 1951 treaty.
How Did a Failed Bank Raid in Minnesota End the James-Younger Gang?
Around 2 PM on September 7, 1876, the notorious James-Younger Gang entered Northfield, Minnesota. Yet only minutes later, their planned raid produced only catastrophe.
How Did the Horse Transform Mobility and Daily Life Among Native Nations?
Horses, long extinct in North America, returned with the Spanish conquistadores. They quickly impacted Native American tribes that mastered them, completely reshaping cultures.
Why Japan’s Costliest Defeat Was Not Midway But Guadalcanal
The Battle of Guadalcanal lasted from 1942 to 1943, as the U.S. invaded Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands following Japanese expansion.
How Ancient Greek Shaped the Way the Western World Thinks
Whether through daily use or more formal settings, Ancient Greek helped mold the West. Examples like mousike (music) or works like Homer's epics are but two examples.
How Did Nancy Wake Lead 7,000 Resistance Fighters Against the Nazis?
Rebel, Ghost, Saboteur, and “White Mouse”. Few people earned titles like Nancy Wake did while fiercely taking on Nazis in occupied France.
How Did British Innovation and American Industry Win World War II?
Wars brutally force countries to confront their deficiencies. Such was the case in World War II for Britain and America, each possessing a resource the other needed.
The Weather Underground: How the 1960s Anti-War Movement Became Militant
By the late 1960s, the American anti-war movement began cracking. Vietnam still raged, and civil rights seemed thwarted. Exasperated, a militant minority split to form The Weathermen.
Terror from the Sea: Why Germany Shelled British Coastal Towns in WWI
On December 16, 1914, German naval shells rained down on three British towns. The attack had a primary goal: to provoke the Royal Navy into a premature, uneven battle.
How America’s Consumer Industry Won World War II
By 1939, the United States possessed massive industrial might. Few predicted how quickly this consumer-based industry would transform into a war-winning weapon.