Jacob Newson
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Canadian. Also found on Medium.
Stories (9)
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Just How Effective Were Rhodesian Guerrillas?
Rhodesia, a country that is now divided into Zimbabwe and Zambia, with many people today only knowing of its existence as a result of Leonardo DiCaprio's cutthroat character in the 2006 film, Blood Diamond. One thing that you aren't able to learn from the movie, is the 15 year long civil war that tore apart the country's Southern region (present day Zimbabwe.) The Rhodesian Bush War was the result of a multitude of complex political factors, most notably the majority white government declaring independence from Britain without any kind of consent from the crown in 1965, as the South of Rhodesia was a self-governing colony since 1923.
By Jacob Newson9 months ago in History
Canadians in the Second Boer War.
Canadians were always well known for their fierceness and integrity in both World War I and World War II, yet the first time Canuck boots would hit foreign soil was 1899, in South Africa. Canadians served alongside the British troops against Dutch settlers named Boers. Approximately seven thousand Canadians volunteered for the service, including twelve nurses and three contingents of the Canadian Army, many others would even serve in British units. The Canadians would play an important role in the British war effort, taking part in the three biggest battles of the war.
By Jacob Newson10 months ago in History
Southeast Asia Earthquake. March 28th, 2025
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake caused destruction across Southeast Asia, most notably Mandalay, Myanmar as the country’s second largest city was the epicentre. Bangkok, Thailand would also see destruction, along with multiple provinces in China having recorded the earthquake. The scale of destruction in the city of Mandalay is unknown at this time aside from at least 144 deceased and an estimated 730 injured, with casualties expected to rise.
By Jacob Newson10 months ago in Earth
Why Was Thailand Never Colonized?
Countries across Asia have had quite a complicated relationship when it came to European powers throughout colonial times, with France colonizing what is now Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Britain would control present-day India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Borneo. The Dutch held Indonesia, and after the Spanish left, the Philippines would become a colony of the United States. But one country would stand out, remaining fully independent during colonial times, the country of Thailand. Known as the Kingdom of Siam until 1939, there were many factors that allowed the country to continue its self-governance. One example is simply due to the geographical location of the kingdom. Situated between French Indochina and British-ruled Burma, Siam would serve as a buffer state by default. Frankly, the Europeans were almost glad to have Siam separate the two colonies, as it helped avoid the trouble of border disputes and allowed Siam to steer clear of direct conflict with the Europeans.
By Jacob Newson10 months ago in History
Forgotten History: The Siege of Jadotville
In the early 1900’s while Europe’s strongest countries were in a scramble to see who could colonize Africa the fastest, Belgium would end up with more than you would expect. The small, linguistically confused country colonized Ruanda-Urundi in 1922-1962 later becoming Rwanda and Burundi, the Lado Enclave from 1884-1910 which is now the Central Equatoria province in South Sudan. The colony of The Belgian Congo lasted from 1908 to 1960 up until the people wanted independence, it would then be known as Republic of the Congo or Leopoldville up until 1964. (For this article I will be shortening the name to “RC.” Or “The RC.”) This would be the beginning of what we know now as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The RC’s battle for independence would be a long and extremely confusing one. From rebels with black market weapons fighting for control of the mineral rich country’s mines, to the Belgian army beefing up their presence, UN troops from all over the world, and deployment of some of France’s most decorated and seasoned Legionnaires. In this story, I will be digging up information that some wanted to stay hidden and give credit to the men who fought valiantly whether or not they had the means to. This is the story of the Siege of Jadotville.
By Jacob Newson10 months ago in History
Enver Hoxha. The Man Who Turned Albania Into a Hermit Kingdom.
Albania, a country not known to some, and not often thought about among those who are familiar. The South Balkan country bordering Montenegro to the North, Kosovo to the Northeast, North Macedonia to the East, and Greece to the South with the entirety of the Western border being a beautiful coastline stretching approximately 476 kilometres where the mouth of the Adriatic meets the Ionian sea. It is one of Europe’s most mountainous countries, yet roughly an eighth of the size of the UK. Ranking #3 among the poorest nations in the continent and suffering through years of political corruption that would later cause it to be the the third poorest country in the world, not the continent the small country had been apart of many empires.
By Jacob Newson10 months ago in History
First Boots on Vietnamese Soil.
Many of us know about the Vietnam war or depending on where you’re reading this from, the American war. As the 60th anniversary of the first landing rolls around, not many of us know actually where the first soldiers ended up at the beginning of this conflict, and sadly as the years go on more of us forget. In this article, I will share information that may not be known to you about the Xuan Thieu beach landing In Da Nang Vietnam. For both sides, it was the beginning of something bigger than what they originally thought it would be. Men and teenagers fighting for what they believed was right, not knowing what was going to come.
By Jacob Newson11 months ago in History
Forgotten History: Holodomor Famine.
When you think of the USSR, you probably think of industrialization, dull coloured apartment blocks usually consisting of buildings with only 4 floors, a powerhouse of a country, and probably a lot of red. It’s no secret that the 22.4 million square kilometre nation that has now become 15 independent countries, was a force to be reckoned with throughout most of the 20th century. Following the March 1917 revolution, the land mass would originally be split into 4 regions: Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, and the Belorussian and Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republics. The 4 socialist republics would band together in late December of 1922 to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR for short.
By Jacob Newson11 months ago in History
The forgotten history of The Kingdom of Cambodia. . Content Warning.
For those of us in the West who have heard of Cambodia without visiting, it may be seen as just a country in South East Asia that is not too well off. Those of us who have been lucky enough to travel to or simply read about this humble hidden gem, may know the rich yet dark history surrounding the Kingdom itself. I myself have been fortunate enough to travel here recently and spent about 3 weeks travelling throughout the country. From border towns and bustling cities with wild nightlife, to the vast green fields of rice paddies, all the way to the coast with some of the most gorgeous water I have ever seen. In my time spent in the country my eyes have been opened in more than one aspect.
By Jacob Newson11 months ago in History
