Learning History, A Little Bit at a Time

For a number of years, I was a faithful reader of Military History magazine. In fact, I was a regular subscriber, and I have the stacks of old copies to prove it. It was always a treat to receive the latest copy in my mailbox, and I would eagerly tear through the contents, voraciously reading and savoring each and every story. I don’t know why I stopped reading, but not along ago while standing in a supermarket I was thumbing through a copy-and decided to try Military History again.

Major Selling Point
Why have I always enjoyed Military History? Some of the reasons will be detailed below. But mostly it’s the focus of the magazine. I enjoy reading history. But most of the time, a history book has so much material to cover that it can’t possibly explore every skirmish, campaign, or historical figure in detail.

And that’s where Military History comes in. The stories here focus on the smaller events, or perhaps one particular aspect of a larger event. I like the detail the articles provide, and I like the way they serve as a refresher, adding to my knowledge and building upon lessons learned about that larger historical context.

The Cons
The first thing I noticed upon re-subscribing is the degradation in quality of the magazine itself. The clay-coated paper is much thinner than it used to be, and the magazine suffers for that. The pictures aren’t quite as vivid as they once were. For $5 a copy, I resent the cheaper format.

Especially considering the huge number of ads in Military History. The magazine is about half ads for all kinds of military figures, paintings, videos, books, hats, guns, watches and more. In that respect, nothing has changed; Military History has always been ad heavy. If you’re a collector of military figures, games, equipment, or paintings, however, this could actually be a big plus.

Departments
The magazine is divided up into a number of departments/categories. These will rotate from issue to issue, making each issue fresh. For example, my most recent copy has the following Departments:

Intrigue
This department deals with espionage, with recent stories pertaining to Nathan Hale and Anna Chase.

Weaponry
This is one of my favorites. It deals with not only personal weaponry and equipment but also tanks, planes, ships-you name it. Currently focusing on the early German navy.

Personality
Usually a biography of a historical figure, many times an obscure one you may never have heard of. Ever heard of James Barry? You will if you read Military History.

Reviews
Book reviews of interest to readers of history.

Perspectives
A different look at the history you may or may not have known. This section will always make you stop and thin, and consider a bit of history in a new light.

Illustrations
The illustrations alone are often justification enough for a subscription to Military History. They vary from color and black and white photos to glorious paintings and artwork. It’s a great thing to read about history, but the illustrations here really bring it to life. Seeing is believing.

Features
These are the real “meat and potatoes” of Military History. Military History will frequently cover the large events from all periods of history, right up to the present day. Again, Military History shines too with features on the obscure (Pharaoh Necho II, anyone?).

Overall
I’m glad I re-upped with Military History. It’s till a great magazine with so much information that is almost impossible to find anywhere else. Issues are great for archiving for reference, too. I look forward to seeing it in my mailbox for many years to come.