What was Operation Herrick (2002-2014)?

Introduction Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) were conducted from 2002 to the end of combat operations in 2014. It consisted of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and support to the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), within the central… Read More

Who was Vasily Aleksandrovich Arkhipov?

Introduction Vasily Aleksandrovich Arkhipov (Russian: Василий Александрович Архипов, 30 January 1926 to 19 August 1998) was a Soviet Navy officer credited with preventing a Soviet nuclear strike (and, potentially, all-out nuclear war) during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Such an attack likely would have caused a major global thermonuclear response. As flotilla commander and second-in-command of… Read More

What was Operation Gladio (1956-1990)?

Introduction Operation Gladio is the codename for clandestine “stay-behind” operations of armed resistance that were organised by the Western Union (WU), and subsequently by NATO and the CIA, in collaboration with several European intelligence agencies. The operation was designed for a potential Warsaw Pact invasion and conquest of Europe. Although Gladio specifically refers to the… Read More