In the years after the First World War, Germany faced countless social, political and economic challenges that brought it to the brink of complete collapse more than once. Civil unrest and crippling debt plagued the nation, while the severe terms of the Treaty of Versailles caused prices to increase by over one trillion times from 1918 to 1923. After the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the end of the…
Last Sunday, America’s political landscape was radically transformed as President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race in a written address to the nation. As the oldest sitting president in history, the public had frequently raised concerns about Biden’s capacity to run for re-election and serve another four years in office, given his age and declining cognitive function. However, it was not until the world saw his stuttering,…
In the early evening of 13 July 2024, the world would witness one of the most heinous acts of political extremism in decades. Just minutes into Donald Trump’s speech at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the sound of gunshots rang across the stage as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks opened fire on the podium, determined to assassinate the former president. Yet in a stroke of luck so remarkable that it seemed an…
Spoken by some 800,000 people in the Pyrenees mountains between Spain and France, Basque is one of the most unique and bizarre languages that exists anywhere in the world. It is one of the few remaining language isolates and the very last in Europe, meaning it demonstrates no identifiable relationship with any other language and is very much one of a kind. The uniqueness of the Basque language has made…
The Empire of Japan will forever be remembered as one of the most formidable and widely feared empires in history. It was neither the biggest nor the most powerful nation of its time, but the unwavering nationalism and radicalism of its people was what set Japan apart. In the decades leading up to World War II, all levels of Japanese society were dominated by an unwavering, almost unnatural, devotion to…
“It was a cold bright day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen”. George Orwell’s 1984 is a timeless work of dystopian fiction that has consistently resonated with readers and remained relevant through its deeply gripping storyline. The novel describes a totalitarian superstate in which an all-powerful dictator ‘Big Brother’ has embedded himself into every aspect of society and brainwashed the populace into unwavering obedience, monitoring their every move and…
On October 16, 1923, Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, changing the course of media and entertainment forever. The Disney brand has since risen to become the single largest media conglomerate in the entire world, urged on by its cult-like following hundreds of millions strong. Its ability to create beloved characters and timeless stories that resonate with the public propelled it to remarkable success,…