The story of how a JFK-backed, CIA-led operation to topple Cuban Communist leader Fidel Castro unfolded. And how a decision by JFK changed everything.

The new issue of History is Now magazine is out now. And the cover story is a daring tale of intrigue in a country that had just been rocked by a revolution.

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And here is what our editor has to say about the new issue…

Issue four of History is Now magazine has arrived. Since we left you in January, we have continued to refine the layout of the magazine, as well as writing some great history articles!

This month we have two pieces on how Cuba and America dramatically fell out following the Cuban Revolution. Firstly, we look at the fascinating real story of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. This invasion took place in 1961 and sought to topple Cuban Communist dictator Fidel Castro from power. But with US President John F. Kennedy wavering in his support for the Cuban dissidents, this task became much harder. Our second article considers Castro’s rise to power and argues that Castro was not a committed Communist when he visited Eisenhower’s America in 1959. Even so, the US would go on to try and assassinate Castro a number of times. These articles are complemented by our podcast on the Cuban Missile Crisis, an event that very nearly destroyed our world.

Then there is the story of David Porter and the USS Essex during the War of 1812, a tale of adventure, some success against the British, and much more. An equally intriguing article looks at the life of Sidney Reilly. Reilly was a Russian-born British spy who successfully changed the course of oil exploration in the Middle East in the early 20th century, and more significantly, almost changed the course of Russian and world history. Following, we finish our story of the Imjin War and look at Yi Sun-shin’s epic victories when faced against a Japanese fleet of epic proportions. This is a true story of success and tragedy – like many of the most captivating events in history are. Our final article takes a light-hearted look at food in the 19th century. What food did the average person normally eat? How did the upper-class dine? And what constituted good manners for a lady? You’re about to find out!

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George Levrier-Jones

Were the 1920s German paramilitaries known as the Freikorps Nazis, saboteurs or liberators?

Our cover story in the latest edition of History is Now magazine considers the fascinating tale of the Freikorps in the years after World War I and how they went on to influence the Nazis.

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Members of the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend) in 1933. Those in the photo were too young to have been in the Freikorps in the years immediately after World War I, but the Hitler Youth organization was influenced by the Freikorps.

Members of the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend) in 1933. Those in the photo were too young to have been in the Freikorps in the years immediately after World War I, but the Hitler Youth organization was influenced by the Freikorps.

What else can you expect from this issue of the magazine? Here are our editor’s words…

Three months since the launch of History is Now magazine, issue 3 is here for you! We’ve been working to refine the layout and content of the magazine over November and December and hope that you like the finished product.

This month’s cover story is on the Freikorps, the German paramilitaries that appeared following the end of World War I. They played an important role in the aftermath of the war, and would later influence the Nazis. Then we’ve got our podcast on the Korean War for you, and this month we’re doing things differently. To go alongside the podcast, we have an article on the little-known role of French troops in the Korean War. And we also go way back into East Asian history. As you may well know, we try to keep our magazine concentrated on topics from the 18th century onwards, but Alex Hawkins produced a fascinating article on the late 16th century Imjin War for us. The war was one of the great wars of its age, and one in which Korea was pivotal.

We shall also be looking at the life of James Forten, an African-American who succeeded against all odds in an age of prejudice. He fought against the British in the American Revolutionary War and was involved in the abolitionist movement. We’ve also got an article on the first and last Queen of Hawaii, a tale that is both sad and inspiring. Our other major piece this month is a very original and very opinionated piece on the 1830s Texas Revolution – among other topics. Let us know what you think of it!

Click here for more information and to take up your free trial

 

With all that and more, come and join us inside for a free trial of up to 2 months…

 

Just click here for more information! Alternatively search for History is Now on the app store.

 

George Levrier-Jones