Military tourismis for those with an interest in current or historical military sites and facilities, including museums, battlefields, cemeteries and technology.
Almost any capital city and many other cities and towns will have some sort of monument for the fallen, and many museums include weapons or paintings of war. This article tries to cover the specifically military sites beyond that.
Understand
[edit]“ | War. War never changes. | ” |
—Falloutseries |
Wikivoyage has articles on some ancient empires—Alexander the Great,Persian Empire,Roman Empire,Imperial China,Mongol Empire—and more recent colonial empires—British Empire,Portuguese Empire,Spanish Empire,French colonial empire—and all of these include some military history. So do many country or city articles.
The articles oncastles,thecrusadesandspies and secretsare also related.
The Flashman Papersare comic historical novels about a cowardly British officer in Victoria's time, with accurate military history.
Destinations
[edit]Ancient conflicts
[edit]- See also:Roman Empire,Ancient Greece
- The Battle ofKadesh,fought in 1274 BC between theHittitesandAncient Egyptiansin what is now Syria, is the best documented ancient battle thanks to extensive contemporary inscriptions. It ended in the earliest known peace treaty, and the only ancient Near Eastern treaty with both versions surviving: the Egyptian version can be seen engraved partly on the walls ofKarnak Templeand partly on the pylons of theRamesseumin Luxor, while the three tablets bearing the Hittite version were found in the Hittite capitalHattusa;two of them are now exhibited in theArchaeological Museumof Istanbul and the other in theMuseum of the Ancient Near Eastin Berlin. A replica is displayed at theUN Headquartersin New York City.
- Kurukshetra,nearDelhi,was the site of a great battle described in the epicMahabarata.
- TheTrojan Warover1Troyin today's Turkey is a foundation myth ofAncient Greece,through the Iliad and the Odyssey. The war was supposedly fought in the 12th century BC, and while the epics were full of supernatural elements, the depiction of warfare is remarkably realistic.
- Alexander the Greatconquered thePersian Empirein the 4th century BCE. He never lost a battle and his tactics are still studied.
- Gaopingin northern China was the site of the Battle of Changping, a major military campaign between the State of Qin and the State of Zhao between 262 BC and 260 BC. There is an archaeological museum at the site of the battle and an exhibition on the battle can also be seen at the Jincheng Museum inJincheng.
Middle Ages
[edit]- See also:Medieval Europe,Islamic Golden Age
- KarbalainIraqwas the site of a battle in 61 AH (680 AD) in which Hussein, grandson of the Prophet, was killed. There are shrines, tombs and mosques of great significance toMuslims,especially Shi'a.
- In the 13th century CE, theMongol Empireconquered all of the Chinese and Persian empires, most of what is now Russia, and other parts of Europe and the Middle East.
- Bannockburn Battlefield,inStirling,Scotland,one of the most important battles in the history of Scottish independence
- Vikings and the Old Norse
- Crusades
- TheFall ofConstantinoplein 1453 marked the end of the Middle Ages, and proved the superiority of gunpowder use over even the most complex defensive fortifications.
- Thirty Years' War:One of the most destructive wars to ravage Europe, especially its center. Certain aspects are still commemorated on an annual basis or for "round" anniversaries.
- Lützenis the site where Gustav Adolph of theSwedish Empire,head and biggest hope of the Protestant camp, met an untimely death in battle
- Rothenburg ob der Tauberstill holds the "Meistertrunk" in commemoration of an event when the mayor saved the town by downing a big mug of wine in one gulp
- Fortifications of Vaubanfortifications around the French borders built during the reign of Louis XIV, 12 of which are listed as a world heritage site
American Revolution
[edit]- See also:Early United States history
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/WashingtonCrossingReenactment2005.jpg/220px-WashingtonCrossingReenactment2005.jpg)
- TheFreedom Trailis a 2.5-mile redbrick walking trail that makes its way to 17 ofBoston’s most historic sites which together tell the story of the American Revolution.
- The First Presbyterian Church inMorristownNJ was a hospital for soldiers; Washington crossed the Delaware River atTitusville (New Jersey)to enterPennsylvania.
- PlattsburghNY was the site of the Revolutionary War's Battle of Valcour Island and the War of 1812's Battle of Plattsburgh. FortTiconderogaNY was captured by Ethan Allen’s Patriots under cover of darkness in 1776 as part of a siege during the Revolution.
- Varioushistoric sites in the United States National Park Systemcommemorate portions of the war.George Rogers Clark National Historical Parkin Indiana commemorates the capture of Fort Sackville from British forces in 1779, this allowed George Rogers Clark to march to theMississippi River.
- Colonial Williamsburgre-creates 18th-century Williamsburg as it appeared preceding and during the American Revolution.
- Annapolis Royalin Nova Scotia has faced a total of thirteen attacks during its long history, including a raid during the American Revolution. After the war, it became home to United Empire Loyalist settlers.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Reenactment_of_the_Battle_of_Waterloo%2C_2010.jpg/220px-Reenactment_of_the_Battle_of_Waterloo%2C_2010.jpg)
- Austerlitz Battlefield,nearBrno,Czech Republic,site of one of Napoleon's greatest victories, and one of the most important battles of 19th-century Europe.
- Cabo de Trafalgar,inCadiz province,Spain,the site of a famed naval battle battle in which the British defeated a combined French and Spanish force, thus scuttling Napoleon's plan to dominate the seas, and cementing the United Kingdom's place as the dominant naval power of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries.Trafalgar SquareinLondoncommemorates Admiral Horatio Nelson, the commander of the victorious British forces who was killed in the battle.
- Waterloo Battlefield,atWaterloo,Belgium,where Napoleon lost his final battle against a combined British and Prussian force.
- There is a truly bombastic (built for the first centennial) monument for the 1813Battle of Leipzig
War of 1812
[edit]- Main article:War of 1812
With theNapoleonic Warsraging inEurope,perhaps colonial powers of the era could be kept distracted at this point inearly United States historyfor long enough for theUSto attempt an invasion ofCanada?
- Ireland Island,established in 1809 as a British naval base inBermuda,supplied British ships in the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.
- Various installations directly on the Canada-US international boundary date to this era, or were constructed in the immediate aftermath of this conflict. TheNiagara Peninsulawas a key battleground; Fort York inTorontoand Fort Wellington inPrescott (Ontario)also defendedUpper Canada.Much of theWindsor-Quebec corridorwas dangerously exposed, given its southern geographic location.Lewiston (New York)was burned to the ground;Champlain and Rouses Pointwere used as a staging area for attacks on Canada fromPlattsburghNY.
- Sackets HarborNY on Lake Ontario successfully fended off two British-Canadian attacks, only to knock itself out of much of the war - burning their own supplies for fear of them falling into British hands. Fort Ontario inOswegowas a US stronghold on the lake;Essex (New York)was an important ship building yard.
- Fort McHenry is immortalised in the "Star Spangled Banner" anthem for defendingBaltimoreHarbor and Chesapeake Bay from a British naval attack on September 13–14, 1814.
- Remains of Fort Madison's War of 1812 and Civil War fortifications are visible inCastine,Maine.
- The war ended on December 24, 1814. Word travelled slowly in this era, leaving one last battle (the 1815 Battle of New Orleans) to be fought nearChalmette.Andrew Jackson won this battle for the US, but the War of 1812 was already over.
- TheRideau Canalwas constructed after the war to divert Canadian domestic shipping throughOttawa.While the 1813 Battle of Crysler's Farm (nearMorrisburg) was a British-Canadian victory which kept the river open for British ships, the St. Lawrence River (a key transport corridor which is part of the Ontario-NY border) continued to be perceived as vulnerable in the aftermath of the war.
- Antietam National Battlefield and Cemetery,inSharpsburg,Maryland,site of the battle which became the bloodiest day in American military history.
- Batteries FandRobinettand theBeauregard Line,inCorinth,Mississippi
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield and Cemetery,inDover,Tennessee,site of an early battle which pushed the Confederates out of central Tennessee.
- Gettysburg National Military Park,inGettysburg,Pennsylvania,the site of North America's biggest battle and a turning point in the American Civil War.
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park,inKennesaw,Georgia,a preserved battleground featuring 11 miles of Union and Confederate earthworks.
- Manassas National Battlefield Park,inManassas,Virginia,site of the First and Second Battles of Manassas, also known as the First and Second Battles of Bull Run.
- Mansfield State Historic Site,inMansfield, Louisiana,is a preserved battleground and site of one of the largest Civil War battles west of the Mississippi River.
- Monocacy National Battlefield,inFrederick,Maryland,site of a summer 1864 battle between General Jubal Early of the Confederacy and General Lew Wallace of the Union.
- Pamplin Parkand theNational Museum of the Civil War Soldier,inPetersburg,Virginia,commemorating the siege and fall of Petersburg which led to the Lee's final surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.
- Richmond,Virginia,capital city of the Confederacy, is home toRichmond National Battlefield,theWhite House of the Confederacy,theMuseum of the Confederacy,and other historic points.
- Stones River National Battlefield,inMurfreesboro,Tennessee.
- Tupelo National Battlefield,inTupelo,Mississippi
- Vicksburg National Military Park,inVicksburg,Mississippi,site of a 47-day siege in mid-1863.
Other American wars
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Alamo_Entrance.jpg/220px-Alamo_Entrance.jpg)
- See also:Old West,Postwar United States
- The AlamoinSan Antonio,site of the most memorable battle of the war for Texas independence.
- Custer Battlefield Museum,in and aroundBillings,Montana,including all of the locations associated with the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, also known as Custer's Last Stand. The actual battlefield is on theCrow Agencyreserve.
- Wounded Knee,site of an 1890 massacre of several hundred Sioux by Custer's old regiment, the Seventh Cavalry.
Opium Wars
[edit]- See also:Imperial China
- Opium War Museum,inHumen,at the site where Lin Zexu destroyed large quantities of smuggled opium, an event that precipitated the First Opium War.
- Sea Battle Museum,a museum about the naval battles of the Opium Wars, near the Weiyuan Fort inHumen,one of several forts used to defend the Humen Strait during both Opium Wars.
- Memorial to the Sanyuanli People's Struggle Against the British,inBaiyun District, Guangzhou.A memorial dedicated to the Sanyuanli Incident, an uprising by local civilians against the British Army in 1841.
- Museum of the Treaty of Nanking,part of the Jinghai Temple Museum inNanjing.The Jinghai Temple was where the British and the Qing government negotiated the terms of the Treaty of Nanking.
- Taku Forts(Dagukou Forts), inTianjin,the site of several battles during the Second Opium War. Only one of the Taku Forts has been restored and it doesn't look much like it did during the Opium Wars. However, there is a decent museum next to the restored fort.
- Old Summer Palace,inHaidian District, Beijing.The palace was looted and destroyed by Anglo-French forces in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War. It has been preserved in a state of ruin by the Chinese government as a stark reminder of China's "Century of Humiliation".
Flashman and the Dragonis a historical novel with accounts of both the taking of the Taku Forts and the burning of the Summer Palace.
- Anzac Cove,Gallipoli,Turkey,a defining place for the Australian and New Zealand nations.
- Vimy Ridge,nearArras,site a major battle fought mainly by Canadian troops, with a large memorial
- The village of Thiepval nearAlbertinPicardyhas a memorial for over 70,000 British and Empire troops who have no known grave but fell during the threeBattles of the Somme,1915-1918. There is a memorial service on July 1 every year.
- TheIn Flanders Fields MuseuminYpres,Belgium
- Armenian genocide remembrance
- Russian Revolutions and Civil War: seeSoviet Union
- In East Africa a German force, surrounded by colonies of hostile powers and badly outnumbered, fought a brilliantguerilla campaignand did not surrender until after the German surrender in Europe.
Between the World Wars
[edit]- TheChinese Revolutionsfrom 1911 to the 1970s included theLong March,a retreat in 1934-35 that has been called "the founding myth of Communist China".
- The museum in Mongolia commemorating theBattle of Khalkhin Golin 1939, in which a combined Soviet and Mongolian force succeeded in defending the border in return for more casualties. This turned Japanese thought toward striking south instead of grabbingSiberia,so it influenced the later war.
- Atomic museums and memorialsofHiroshimaandNagasaki,cities hit by the two atomic bombs which heralded the end of the war.
- TheKokoda Track,inPapua New Guinea,an important battle line betweenAustraliaandJapan.
- Okinawa Peace Park and Himeyuri Monument,inNaha,Japan
- Pearl Harbor,site of the bombing east ofHonoluluthat caused theUnited Statesto enter the war.
- Burma Road,bringing supplies to beleagueredChina
The conflict between China and Japan began in 1937, and over time became entangled with both World War II and theChinese Revolutions.
- Nanjing Massacre MemorialinNanjing
- Whampoa Military AcademyinGuangzhouwas China's premier military academy during the Republic of China era, and trained many distinguished Chinese generals, both Nationalist and Communist, who fought the Japanese in World War II. The campus of the former academy is now a museum.
- Babyn Yar MonumentandGerman Military Graveyard,inKyiv,Ukraine.
- Churchill War Roomsand theHMS Belfast,inLondon,England.
- D-Day beachesinNormandy,sites of the Allied invasion of western Europe.
- Bletchley Park,nearMilton Keynes,was the headquarters for British codebreakers who were very successful against German ciphers, notably the Enigma machine. There is a museum.
- Dieppe,on the coast ofFrance,has a monument for a 1942 raid by mainly Canadian forces
- Volgograd,actually renamed Stalingrad for a few days a year, was the scene of one of the largest battles in World War II. The memorial, Mamayev Kurgan (The Motherland Calls), is the world's largest non-religious statue.
- Brestfortress in Belarus
- Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen inZandvoorthosts a wide variety of bunkers of the German Atlantikwall in a beautiful natural landscape.
- Auschwitz-Birkenau,nearOświęcim,Poland.Perhaps the most infamous cluster of concentration/labor/extermination camps.
- Sachsenhausen concentration camp,inOranienburg,Germany
Other Asian wars
[edit]- Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum,inNanjing,China.A museum about the Taiping Civil War.
- Museum of the First Sino-Japanese War,inWeihai,China.
- Guandu Battleground( quan độ cổ chiến trường ),Zhengzhou,Henan,China— the site of the famous Battle of Guandu towards at end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the warlord Cao Cao scored a decisive victory over the numerically superior forces of his main nemesis Yuan Shao, thus allowing him to consolidate his rule over most of northern China, thus setting the stage for the kingdom of Wei to be declared by his son Cao Pi following his death.
- Chibi( Xích Bích )Hubei,China— the site of the famous Battle of the Red Cliffs during the Three Kingdoms period, when an alliance between the warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan defeated the numerically superior forces of Cao Cao, who had already consolidated his rule over northern China, thus preventing him from expanding south of the Yangtze River.
- Sekigahara,Japan,where Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated loyalists of the Toyotomi clan in the pivotal Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, thus allowing him unify all of Japan under his rule.
- Wando,South Jeolla,South Korea— site of the annual Myeongnyang Battle Festival, where the famous Battle of Myeongnyang of 1597, perhaps the most famous battle during the late 16th century Japanese invasions of Korea, is re-enacted. During this battle, the Korean navy under the command of Admiral Yi Sun-shin defeated the numerically far superior Japanese navy, thus cementing Admiral Yi's position as a national hero in Korea.
Cemeteries
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Arlington_National_Cemetery_2011_4.jpg/220px-Arlington_National_Cemetery_2011_4.jpg)
- 1Arlington National Cemetery,inArlington,Virginiais the most important military cemetery in theUnited States
- The world's onlyUnited Nations cemeteryinBusan,South Korea.The resting place for many soldiers who fought under the UN in the Korean War
- Around 100,000 men died inNormandyin the summer of 1944, and most areburied there.
- Wagga WaggaWar Cemeteryis the most important military cemetery inAustralia
Museums of military vessels, aircraft and vehicles
[edit]SeeMilitary sites and museums in Australiafor sites in Australia.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Talvisotamuseo.jpg/220px-Talvisotamuseo.jpg)
- The BritishNational Maritime Museum(Greenwich) andImperial War Museum(Southwark) inLondon,England
- TheSeattleMuseum of Flighthas a range of military aircraft including a Lockhead SR-71 'Blackbird', the fastest manned aircraft in the world
- USS Nautilus,the world's first nuclear powered submarine, on display inGroton, Connecticut
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard,inPortsmouth,England,home to historic British military naval vessels such as theMary RoseandHMS Victory.The HMS Victory was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), where he was killed in action, and the oldest naval ship still in commission.
- The aircraft carrierUSS Intrepidhas been converted into a museum inManhattan,New York
- TheVasa Museum,Stockholm/Djurgården,with the world's only preserved 17th century warship
- Thedeutsches MuseuminMunichdisplays an original V2 rocket.
- TheMaritime MuseuminQuanzhouhas many relics from Chinese trading and naval vessels up to the early 1400s when the Emperor shut down the expeditions; seeVoyages of Zheng HeandMaritime Silk Road.Marco Polosailed home from here. BothKublai Khan's unsuccessful invasion of Japan in the 13th century andKo xing a's successful invasion of Taiwan in the 17th were launched from this port.
- Ottawahas the Canadian Aeronautical Museum and Canadian War Museum.
- TheUSS Constitutionis the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat. It is usually docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard inBoston,but may sometimes sail for special occasions.
- 2German Tank Museum(Munster nearSoltau,Lower Saxony,Germany).Headquartered in an old military town (which was basically a village before the army set up shop here) this museum tries to show the history of four German armies (Imperial, Nazi, East German, postwar West German and reunified) but of course most visitors come for the roughly 1/3 of the exhibition that shows Wehrmacht tanks.
- 3Heeresgeschichtliches Museum(Vienna,Austria).A museum on wars involving the Habsburg monarchy, including exhibits like the car in which Franz Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo 1914 or the blood stained order ofThirty Years Wargeneral Wallenstein to Pappenheim to intervene in the Battle of Lützen which led to the latter's death.
- 4Musée des Blindés(Saumur Tank Museum)(inSaumur,France).
- 5Kollaa and Simo Häyhä Museum(inRautjärvi,Finland).Museum's focus is battles of Kollaa front during the Winter War. The permanent special exhibition is dedicated to the deadliest sniper in history, Simo Häyhä (1905–2002), who was also known as the "White Death".
- 6Kubinka Tank Museum.
- The Bomber Command Museum of Canada,1659 - 21st Ave, AB Hwy 2 South,Nanton,Alberta.Many of Britain's aircraft for World War II were built in Canada, perhaps most notably the Avro Lancaster which was the mainstay of RAF Bomber Command.
Military academies
[edit]Virtually all countries with militaries have academies dedicated to training their commissioned officers. Some of these have beautiful historic campuses which are open to visitors, though a guided tour may be required to visit them.
- 7United States Military Academy(West Point,New York).The main officer cadet school for the United States Army. The academy has produced countless American military and governmental leaders, and its historic and scenic neo-Gothic granite campus can be toured only by guide which can be arranged at the visitor's center for a fee.
- 8(Annapolis,Maryland).The main officer cadet school for the United States Navy and Marines. Founded in 1845, its impressive campus on the Chesapeake Bay is steeped in history, monuments, and military tradition. Tours are available year round during regular visiting hours (9AM to 5PM daily), but access to the campus requires a valid picture ID for those over the age of 16.
- 9United States Air Force Academy(Colorado Springs,Colorado).The main officer cadet school for the United States Air Force and space Force. Founded in 1954, it does not have the same classical-style buildings of some of the other academies, but the campus is located in an area with breathtaking scenery, and the Cadet Chapel is widely regarded an icon of modernist architecture. Tours are available year round during regular visiting hours (9AM to 5PM daily).
- 10Royal Military Academy Sandhurst(Sandhurst,England).The main officer cadet school for the British Army. Guided tours may be booked in advance by visitors.
- 11(Dartmouth,England).The main officer cadet school for the Royal Navy. Guided tours are available for visitors.
- 12Royal Air Force College(Cranwell,England).The main officer cadet school for the Royal Air Force. Guided tours are available for visitors but must be booked way in advance.
- 13Royal Military College, Duntroon(Russell,Canberra).The main officer cadet school for the Australian Army. Visitors may walk around the campus but may not enter the buildings. Also the has the original Changi Chapel, which was built by Australian POWs inSingaporeduringWorld War II,and dismantled and moved to Canberra after the war.
- 14Royal Military College of Canada(Kingston (Ontario)).This is Canada's main military college; there are two others but most students do only two years there then transfer here. There is a museum and there used to betoursbut those were shut down due toCOVID-19and, as of March 2022, have not been restarted. A virtual tour is available.
- 15Heroico Colegio Militar(Heroic Military Academy of Mexico),Tlalpan, Mexico City.This is Mexico's foremost military academy, training army and air force officers. A separate academy inVeracruztrains naval officers.
Cold War and post-war history
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Panmunjeom_DMZ.png/220px-Panmunjeom_DMZ.png)
- Several destinations inCold War Europe
- TheKorean War,still seen today at theKorean Demilitarized Zone,a narrow strip of land dividing theKorean Peninsula.Contains the 'Peace' village ofPanmunjeom.
- Indochina WarsinSoutheast Asiafrom 1946 to 1989
- The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zonewas the border area between North and South Vietnam before the country's reunification in the Vietnam War
- Area 51,inNevada.Visit the area near a military base where top secret aircraft are tested (likely) and extraterrestrial aliens are apparently kept (somewhat less likely)
- Chinese revolutionsalso covers the Chinese Civil War between the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek and Communists led by Mao Zedong, which ending in victory for the Communists on the mainland and the retreat of the Nationalists to Taiwan in 1949.
- TheDiefenbunker,named for Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, was a nuclear-hardened emergency headquarters for the Canadian government, built deep underground near the small town ofCarpoutside the capital,Ottawa.Today it is a museum.
- TheNational Cryptologic Museumis run by the NSA and located next to their headquarters nearWashington, D.C.
- 16Titan Missile Museum,1580 W Duval Mine Rd, Sahuarita,Green Valley(30 minutes south of Tucson),☏+1 520-625-7736.daily 8:45AM-5PM.Site south of Tucson preserves a Cold-War-era underground silo housing an unarmed Titan-II ICBM, the only remaining Titan Missile silo in the US. Part of a larger field of such silos, this was one of the places from which nuclear war on the Soviet Union would have been waged. Visitors can take a tour of the underground facilities where USAF crews spent decades living underground waiting for the launch order which never came.$9.50 (adults).
Ceremonial guards
[edit]- Main article:Military and police ceremonies
- See also:Monarchies
Ceremonial guards, honour guards and palace guards usually protect the Head of State and their property, other important government properties, and important war memorials. They might be a military unit, a law enforcement unit, or an assignment shared between units. Larger parades for special occasions may also include contingents from the fire brigade and/or school uniformed groups (e.g. Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, etc.). Many of these are involved in various ceremonies that involve numerous precision military drills, making them a popular spectacle for tourists.
When interacting with these ceremonial guards, it is important to remember that despite the pageantry and their sometimes quaint ceremonial uniforms, they are emphaticallynotpurely symbolic figures stationed there as a curiosity for tourists, but real, serving soldiers and/or police officers performing an important job, often armedwith live weapons,and should be accorded an appropriate amount of respect. Attempting to mock or ridicule them, getting too close or otherwise disrupting them in their conduct of their job will at best get you yelled at with their weapons pointed at you, and in some cases even land you in prison. In the worst-case scenario you might even be shot dead.
Active military facilities
[edit]- See also:Fortifications,War zone safety
Visits to active military facilities can be limited for security reasons, in particular for foreign citizens. On site, photography and other documentation might be restricted. Military staff might be wary of fraternizing with foreigners, both at home and abroad.
Still, there are many opportunities to see active military units. Some air force units host air shows, and warships on training expeditions might receive the public on board.
In fiction
[edit]- See also:Fiction tourism
Anyone interested in military history, especially in the 19th century, who does not already know them should consider looking at George MacDonald Fraser'sFlashman novels.Between the text itself, copious footnotes, and some appendices, the military history is accurate and quite detailed.
Flash Harry is a completely despicable British army officer—a drunkard, racist, lecherous, dishonest, and an utter coward—who through knavery and luck becomes known as the famous hero General Sir Harry Flashman VC. He participates in most of Britain's wars during Victoria's reign and several outside the Empire. Among other famous battles, he is atLittle Bighornand rides with the Light Brigade in their famous charge.
The books are fine adventure stories, utterly hilarious, and quite bawdy without descending to pornography. The novels are written in the first person and, to a military history buff, are worth reading just for his amazingly snarky but quite likely accurate comments on some of the generals.
Related topics
[edit]- Historical travel
- Military museums and sites in Australia
- Fortifications
- Nuclear tourism
- Aviation history
- History of justice,concerning international law and violations thereof
- Space
- Spies and secrets
- Stockholm military tour
- On the trail of Alexander the Great
- Monarchies,for monarchs as military commanders, and for ceremonial guards