Battle of Thermopylae, August 480 BC

Leonidas at Thermopylae is an 1814 painting by Jacques-Louis David now on show at the Louvre. It shows the Spartan king Leonidas prior to the Battle of Thermopylae.

The Japanese Soldiers Who Wouldn’t Surrender

Emperor Hirohito’s announcement of Japan’s surrender at the end of the Second Word War came as a blessed relief to millions of Japanese who had suffered during the long hostilities, but not everybody was prepared to lay down their arms.

The Alpine Shelter ‘Bivak Na Prehodavcih’

Slovenian architect’s office Premica Architects rebuilt a former bunker from World War I into a cozy mountainside retreat.

Tallinn: The Estonian Treasure of Europe

Perhaps there aren’t many travelers who would like to spend their holidays in Tallinn – and probably most of them are not even aware of its existence. However, the Estonian capital has much to offer to those who are passionate about history, art and architecture

From The Sketchbook of a World War 2 Soldier

Victor A. Lundy is best known for his modernist architecture — the imposing rectangles of the United States Tax Court Building in Washington, D.C., the angular shapes of the Church of the Resurrection Harlem in New York City

Unconditional Surrender

On San Diego’s harbor, right next to the maritime museum aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway, stands a 25-foot-tall statue depicting a sailor kissing a nurse. The sculpture titled “Unconditional Surrender” is based on a famous photograph clicked by Alfred Eisenstaedt in Times Square of New York, on August 14, 1945

12 Talks to Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Sometimes it’s easy to think the worst of human beings. But these inspiring talks can help you remember: altruism, kindness and helping hands are all around.

Albert Einstein’s Essay on Racial Bias in 1946

In the years after World War II, Albert Einstein took up the mantle of confronting racism in America. He became a good friend and comrade of the prominent opera singer Paul Robeson, co-chaired an anti-lynching campaign, and was an outspoken supporter of W.E.B. Du Bois.

Guan Yu: 1,320-Ton Sculpture of Chinese God of War

An absolutely enormous statue of the ancient Chinese warrior/god Guan Yu has finally been completed in Jingzhou city, Hubei province, attracting tourists and locals alike to come out and behold his glory.