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Historical Precedence for Osama bin Laden’s Burial at Sea

by Scott Manning May 13, 2012
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Last week, the U.S. commemorated the death of Osama bin Laden. Few have seen the body of bin Laden, as the U.S. opted to give him a watery grave in the Arabian Sea. Tossing the remains of a fallen enemy into water is not without historical precedence and the groups of people who have practiced [...]

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Scott and Two Indians Walk Into Valley Forge . . .

by Scott Manning January 9, 2012
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Stop me if you have heard this one. A few years ago, some coworkers from India–Rohit and Anand–visited for several months for training. It was their first time to the States and they were anxious to see some of the local attractions. Someone graciously loaned them a guidebook on Philadelphia, but other than that, they [...]

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General Henry Knox’s Artillery Park at Valley Forge

by Scott Manning November 22, 2011
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Valley Forge, the ground where the Continental Army became professional, offers a lot to the visitor. Although Washington did not fight any battles here, he chose the location for its natural defenses, which he enhanced during his time there. The Schuylkill River forms the northern border of Valley Forge. To the east is Mount Misery, [...]

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Thoughts on Sharing History with Coworkers

by Scott Manning November 16, 2011
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As I am roughly 3/4th of the way through my military history degree while working a fulltime job, I find it difficult at times to transition from deep, historical thought into the real world. Consider my Monday night. First, I came home from work, ate dinner, and watched a 22-minute sitcom with my wife. Next, [...]

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Where I was on September 11

by Scott Manning September 11, 2011
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I have retold this story so many times that I struggle to recall all the details as opposed to the most salacious highlights I can rattle off in a room full of friends or coworkers struggling to tell their story. When I remember that day, the feelings remain prominent giving me only about 10 minutes [...]

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“Whoever wishes to master the art of war must study it continuously”

by Scott Manning May 23, 2011
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Whenever someone touts their x years of experience as an excuse to avoid learning, I am quickly reminded of the words of King Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786) and the military experience of mules. Frederick spent portions of his reign expanding and defending his small state against much larger French, Austrian, and Russian [...]

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Year-by-Year World Population Estimates: 10,000 B.C. to 2007 A.D.

by Scott Manning January 12, 2008

There are numerous world population estimates out there. These estimates can differ greatly from one to the next and some are more thorough than others. Finding estimates for the world’s population in the past 50 years is easy. Moving further back in time, it becomes more difficult. Determining population estimates is the science of educated [...]

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Introduction: The Top Ten Dictators of All-Time

by Scott Manning July 17, 2006

There are several “lists” out there that try to rank dictators, conquerors, and rulers. The problem I’ve found is that the lists are nothing more than sensationalism or they’re just plain inaccurate. There are many books written with the theme of listing the most evil people. The Most Evil Dictators in History and The Evil [...]

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