Photo Galleries (4)
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World War I: Trench Warfare
World War I: Trench Warfare(11 Photos)
11 Photos
Trench warfare reached its highest development on the Western Front during World War I (1914–18), when armies of millions of men faced each other in a line of trenches extending from the Belgian coast through northeastern France to Switzerland.
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World War I Leaders
World War I Leaders(16 Photos)
16 Photos
World War I ravaged Europe from 1914 until an armistice was signed in November 1918. In all, more than 9 million soldiers would be killed, and nearly 21 million more wounded.
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Christmas Traditions
Christmas Traditions(12 Photos)
12 Photos
View images of Christmas celebrations and traditions around the world, from creche scenes in Bethlehem to santas and storefronts in New York City.
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Christmas: History of Santa Claus
Christmas: History of Santa Claus(8 Photos)
8 Photos
Learn about the origins and evolution of Santa Claus from images of Saint Nicholas and the Dutch Sinter Klaas, all the way up to through Coca Cola Santas and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Videos (25)
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Origins of Christmas
Origins of ChristmasVideo Clip (3:04)
Video Clip (3:04)
The celebration of Christmas as we know it today stems from the traditions of several different cultures.
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History of the Christmas Carol
History of the Christmas CarolVideo Clip (2:40)
Video Clip (2:40)
Get the facts on the tradition of Christmas carols and find out how "Jingle Bells" came about.
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Treaty of Versailles Ends World War I
Treaty of Versailles Ends World War IVideo Clip (1:56)
Video Clip (1:56)
German resentment over harsh peace terms leads to a rise in nationalist sentiment and the eventual rise to power of Adolf Hitler.
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Christmas Becomes a Holiday
Christmas Becomes a HolidayVideo Clip (2:48)
Video Clip (2:48)
Today's Christmas celebrations combine secular and religious traditions.
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Evolution of Christmas
Evolution of ChristmasVideo Clip (2:39)
Video Clip (2:39)
Christmas has evolved from solstice celebration to family feast.
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Deconstructing History: North Pole
Deconstructing History: North PoleVideo Clip (1:36)
Video Clip (1:36)
Ever wonder how many miles it is from the North Pole to the South Pole? Take a journey to the northernmost point on earth to uncover this and other facts and figures of the Far North.
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Evolution of Santa Claus
Evolution of Santa ClausVideo Clip (2:48)
Video Clip (2:48)
The modern image of Santa Claus has been refined again and again.
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European Christmas Customs
European Christmas CustomsVideo Clip (2:59)
Video Clip (2:59)
In some parts of Europe, people still celebrate Christmas customs based on long-standing folk legends.
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The Christmas Tree
The Christmas TreeVideo Clip (2:39)
Video Clip (2:39)
From millions of homes worldwide to the White House, the Christmas tree is a tradition that owes its popularity in part to a popular British queen.
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WWI Firsts
WWI FirstsVideo Clip (1:18)
Video Clip (1:18)
WWI may have been the war to end all wars, but it was also the beginning of many military and civilian technologies.
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Trench Warfare
Trench WarfareVideo Clip (1:14)
Video Clip (1:14)
Although best known for its role in the long slog of World War I, trench warfare actually got its start on the battlefields of the American Civil War. Find out how new weapons and technology played a part in both its development and destruction.
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Why December 25th
Why December 25thVideo Clip (1:59)
Video Clip (1:59)
Find out why Christmas is celebrated on December 25.
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The Life of a Christmas Tree
The Life of a Christmas TreeVideo Clip (1:48)
Video Clip (1:48)
From the farm all the way to your living room, take a closer look at the big business of Christmas tree production.
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Christmas Light Technology
Christmas Light TechnologyVideo Clip (1:53)
Video Clip (1:53)
Christmas lights have evolved from novelty item to household essential.
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Christmas on the Western Front
Christmas on the Western FrontVideo Clip (0:58)
Video Clip (0:58)
Newsreel footage from WWII shows soldiers celebrating Christmas in 1944.
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Christmas Light Fanatic
Christmas Light FanaticVideo Clip (1:36)
Video Clip (1:36)
Outdoor Christmas light displays have become more elaborate over the years.
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Strange Christmas Traditions
Strange Christmas TraditionsVideo Clip (2:05)
Video Clip (2:05)
Ruled a legal holiday in 1894, Christmas has had its fair share of strange traditions.
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White House Christmas
White House ChristmasVideo Clip (0:45)
Video Clip (0:45)
Lyndon and Ladybird Johnson celebrate Christmas morning at the White House in 1968.
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Origins of Santa Claus
Origins of Santa ClausVideo Clip (2:24)
Video Clip (2:24)
In this video, learn about the history of Santa Claus and his real-life inspiration, St. Nicholas.
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World War II Diseases
World War II DiseasesVideo Clip (4:18)
Video Clip (4:18)
In a Color of War video, learn that for United States soldiers, cold and damp environments produced dangerous health risks, one of the worst being trench-foot, which struck when a soldier's feet were wet for an extended period of time.
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Fruitcake
FruitcakeVideo Clip (3:24)
Video Clip (3:24)
Find out how to make a fruitcake, one of the quintessential Christmas deserts.
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Crafting Glass Ornaments
Crafting Glass OrnamentsVideo Clip (2:10)
Video Clip (2:10)
A glass blower demonstrates the techniques used to create traditional glass ornaments.
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Candy Canes
Candy CanesVideo Clip (3:51)
Video Clip (3:51)
Though Christmas happens once a year, candy canes are manufactured all year long.
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Gingerbread House
Gingerbread HouseVideo Clip (3:53)
Video Clip (3:53)
The baking of gingerbread houses has long been a Christmas tradition, and some are truly architectural wonders.
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Babe Ruth Santa
Babe Ruth SantaVideo Clip (0:29)
Video Clip (0:29)
Newsreel footage of children gathering around Babe Ruth dressed as Santa Claus
Speeches & Audio (1)
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George V Silver Jubilee
George V Silver JubileeAudio Clip (2:22)
Audio Clip (2:22)
King George V speaks to the crowds gathered in London to celebrate his Silver Jubilee on May 6, 1935.
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Read More about Christmas Truce of 1914
On the first Christmas of WWI, the sounds of rifles firing and shells exploding faded along the Western Front in favor of holiday celebrations.
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