Claudia Mendes

Claudia Mendes holds a BA Archeology from the University of Leicester. During her degree, she focused on medieval fortifications. She works as a freelance writer and stays up to date with historical and archeological news.

@thatonethere

Articles by Claudia Mendes:

After Pearl Harbor, a Japanese Pilot Landed His Damaged Zero on a Tiny Hawaiian Island and Terrorized Its Residents

Damaged Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero in a field + Shigenori Nishikaichi standing at the wheel of an aircraft

December 7, 1941, is remembered as the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, but it’s also the day the Ni’ihau Incident began. The incident, involving Shigenori…

Debunking Myths About the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

USS West Virginia (BB-48) and Tennessee (BB-43) shrouded in smoke

A lot’s known about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but how much is true and what’s become twisted over the decades? The American entry…

Why Did John F. Kennedy Keep a Coconut in the Oval Office?

John F. Kennedy sitting in PT-109 + Coconut etched with a message by John F. Kennedy

Before John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, he was a lieutenant in the US Navy during World War II.  During…

Charles Lightoller: The Titanic Second Officer Who Helped Evacuate Over 120 Men at Dunkirk

Allied soldiers standing on a beach + Portrait of Charles Lightoller

The sinking of the RMS Titanic is an infamous event in history. Most people know about the iceberg and the fact there were too few…

The Celebrities who Fought for Their Country During WWII

Celebrities and war only seem to come together in the movies these days. However, after the outbreak of WWII, things were different. Both average people…

The Magician of WWII who Made Tanks Disappear

Maskelyne was approached by Brigadier Dudley Clarke who asked whether he would consider adapting his skills for espionage with MI9 as part of ‘A Force’.…

Over the Top: Why Were Whistles Used in the Trenches of WWI?

Artillery shells and bullets whizzing over the trenches created a cacophony of noise. With all of this noise, shouted commands could go unheard. Trench whistles…

The Home Guard: The Real Story Behind Britain’s WWII Dad’s Army

Over the course of the war, the Home Guard would gradually become a better equipped and better-trained army of 1.7 million men. The image of…

When Were Dog Tags First Used in the Military?

These were metal discs on a bracelet which held the name of the soldier, their rank, and their formation. Dog tags and the military are…

The Concentration Camps of the Anglo-Boer War

Concentration camps are usually linked to WWII and the horrors of the Holocaust. However, they were around long before this and were used by many…

Military Inventions We Use Every Day

When thinking about military inventions, weapons of war are what come to mind. Tanks, bombs, and guns are what we expect the military to create…

The $5 Billion Army Camouflage That Failed to Hide its Soldiers

The Universal Camouflage Pattern used grey, beige, and green as the primary colors. It was intended to help disguise soldiers in both desert and temperate…