You tried:
onclick="history.back()"
with quotes?
And, in response to your claim that it does not work: au contraire, mon ami.
The following two files work fine on my IE8 installation using the files x1.html:
<html><head></head><body>
X1
<hr>
<a href="x2.html">x2</a>
</body></html>
and x2.html:
<html><head></head><body>
X2
<hr>
<button onclick="history.back()">Back!</button>
</body></html>
When I load x1, I can go to x2with the link, then the button will return to x1.
This works in all three compatibility modes: ergo is the setting of your browser that affects this.
, , , - Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced -> Security Allow active content to run in files on My Computer, , .