History of Beijing Zoo

The zoo was called Wansheng Garden (Ten Thousand Animal Garden) in the Qing dynasty and renamed Beijing Western Park in 1950, where a number of rare animals from all different corners of China were collected, including crossbills, redpolls, brambling, waxwings, eagles, turkeys, gray cranes, deer, wolves and leopards. In addition, 48 animals of 10 species from overseas were kept in the park in February of 1953, including the white bears, the white foxes, American lions and yellow vultures, and Beijing Western Park was officially renamed Beijing Zoo in 1955.

Doves Of War by Paul Preston:
Paul Preston here presents a history of the Spanish Civil War as experienced by four protagonists. These are the stories of four women, two Nationalist, two Republican, who become deeply involved with different aspects of the conflict. In Doves Of War there is politics, social history, eye-witness account and carnage, alongside domestic bliss, divorce, marriage, birth and death. Above all else, these striking biographies remind us of how deeply the scars of war maim everyone involved.

Battalion History Book of The Australian 13th Brigade AIF To Villers - Bretonneux:
Tiaro is a small Australian town located between Gympie and Maryborough in Queensland. In the late 1800's the town sprang to life as an overnight stop for gold wagons making the rough arduous journey from Gympie Gold Fields to the seaport in Maryborough. These days the town rallies its tourism ranking by offering free overnight camping accommodation.

The Nordic Stone Age:
The Stone Age. The oldest signs of human movement in Finland are 10 000 years ago. The first residents have arrived here from the south and east.

The Repeating of History - A Book Review On NAZI Germany and an American Ambassador:
Well, we all heard that famous quote; "never again!" And yet, as I watch history and review what has transpired, and bring all of that forward to the present period. I have indeed noted that history really does repeat itself, and when you're caught up in the game, you often don't see the obvious signs as things are led astray, or someone took the wrong fork in the road.

Who Killed Kirov? By Amy Knight:
Who killed Kirov is a well written historical novel, and is a compelling narrative of the Kirov murder. It is also a well-researched analysis of the psychology of the Stalin years. There are no heroes in the story, but only villains and their victims. The writer portrays Stalin as the predecessor to the brutal autocrats who continue to haunt and hound humanity to this day. The book transcends the goriness of the violence by posing questions that the entire world should be asking itself. What it depicts seethes on in both rich and poor countries even in the 21st century.

Stalin's Folly Book Review:
Stalin's Folly by Constaine Pleshakov is an in-depth account of the first ten days of Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin held a large share of the blame for the Red Army's failure to repel the German invasion, yielding hundreds of miles of Soviet territory and millions of lives to the Germans. Soviet military leaders are also to blame for their actions in response to the invasion and for following Stalin's example. Despite its humiliating losses, the USSR's failure was an important factor in their eventual victory over Nazi Germany. Pleshakov dispels the incorrect assumptions most people make about Operation Barbarossa and provides an illuminating Soviet-oriented perspective of the invasion. Stalin's ineptitude and his military leaders' blind support played a crucial role in the Soviet Union's final victory in WWII.

The First World War: An Illustrated History by AJP Taylor:
AJP Taylor's The First World War: An Illustrated History was written fifty years ago, part of a project to commemorate the passing of half a century after the Great War. Now that we are in the midst of acknowledging the passing of a further fifty years, perhaps it is the right time to look back at how the conflict was described fifty years ago, when many of the survivors were still very much alive. Reading AJP Taylor's book, it soon becomes clear that he will pull no punches, hold back on no criticism that he judges might apply. We may conclude that our own age might be a little too respectful, but respectful to whom?