Military History | The Runway

Military history is a field that studies warfare and its societal impacts, including battle strategies, weaponry progression, and military technology evolution. It's crucial for understanding societal evolution and informing military strategies. Strategists can learn from victories and defeats by analysing past wars to inform future decisions. Military history also reveals societal responses to conflict, guiding efforts to prevent future wars and promote peace. Additionally, it fosters national identity by allowing societies to remember and honour their past. In essence, military history provides valuable insights into the past, present, and human nature.

Military History

During WWI, a daredevil pilot helped invent the first ‘drones’

WW1-era autopilot and stabilisation systems formed the earliest foundations of autonomous aviation and uncrewed flight concepts, showing how gyroscopic control systems enabled aircraft stability, remote operation, and early drone-like military applications.

Military History

Intrepid man tests giant flaming darts used on 16th century warship

Naval archaeologists experimenting with incendiary darts used on Tudor-Era vessel, the Mary Rose found shipboard weapons that reveal close-range incendiary effects, toxic smoke hazards, and likely deployment methods used in medieval naval combat scenarios.

Military History

Medieval cannonballs and WWI bomb discovered under construction site

Archaeological excavations in Nieuwpoort, Belgium uncovered medieval stone cannonballs and a World War I unexploded shell, highlighting the city’s long-standing role as a fortified strategic site with layered military history spanning centuries.

Military History

The F4F Wildcat: The little fighter that could

The F4F Wildcat provided the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps with a rugged, carrier-capable fighter that helped blunt early Japanese advances in the Pacific through survivability, effective tactics, and reliable maritime combat performance.

Military History

Historian’s nearly two decade quest to piece together America’s last major offensive in Vietnam

New historical research into the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord highlights the human cost, leadership challenges, and operational realities of one of the Vietnam War’s deadliest and least understood American campaigns.

Military History

Divers Discover the Shipwreck of a World War I-Era Coast Guard Cutter, Which Vanished With 131 Sailors on Board in 1918

Divers from the Gasperados team likely identified the wreck of the USCG Tampa off Cornwall, resolving a century-old World War I mystery surrounding the largest single American naval combat loss of the conflict.

HMAS Adelaide I

Military History

From the ANI Archives: HMAS Adelaide & Rames

HMAS Adelaide supported WW2 Free French leaders ousting the pro-German Vichy Government in New Caledonia, thereby removing a threat to Australia. The actions highlight the importance of preparation, teamwork, and rapid decision-making.

Krait

Military History

Calls to Commemorate K'gari's Unknown War Heroes with Permanent Tribute

A secret commando school operated on K'gari (Fraser Island) during WW2, due to its remote location. Soldiers practised parachuting, canoeing, anti-tracking, mining and medical response techniques; while Z Special Unit trained there for covert operations.

Military History

The U.S. Invasion of Veracruz, Mexico

The United States’ invasion of Veracruz in 1914 illustrated rapid policy escalation and reversal after miscalculation of objectives and unintended escalation of conflict, resulting in subsequent diplomatic withdrawal following operational and political fallout.

Military History

75 years on, we remember the Battle of Kapyong

In April 1951, soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) and allies halted a Chinese advance, suffering heavy losses and earning a US Presidential Citation for courage, sacrifice, and steadfast service.