Shahan Russell

Shahan Russell is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Shahan Russell:

After Pearl Harbor, A Japanese Pilot Crash-Landed On A Hawaiian Island And Tried to Occupy It

In 1941, a lone Japanese pilot tried to capture the Hawaiian island of Ni’ihau. The natives responded by holding a luau for him. Though part…

The Human Bomb – The American Airman Who Jumped From Stricken B-17 Without A Parachute… And Survived

In 1943, an American airman participated in the bombing spree of a French town, resulting in incredible devastation. The man wasn’t satisfied, however, so he…

The “Red Zone” In France Is So Dangerous that 100 Years After WWI It Is Still A No-Go Area

The Zone Rouge (Red Zone) is a region near Verdun, France spanning some 460 square miles of mostly virgin forest – at least on the…

Pierre Ortiz: French Legionnaire, US Marine, Hollywood Actor, German Nightmare

In late 1944, a man sat in a French café wearing a long, dark cape. Around him were German officers grumbling and cursing President Roosevelt,…

Retreat Does Not Always Mean Defeat – Epic Retreats From Military History

In war, retreats aren’t always about defeat. Sometimes, they’re a deliberate tactic to gain more defensible ground, consolidate forces, encircle an enemy, or lead them…

The Human Bomb – The American Airman Who Jumped From Stricken B-17 Without A Parachute… And Survived

In 1943, an American airman participated in the bombing spree of a French town, resulting in incredible devastation. The man wasn’t satisfied, however, so he…

He Parachuted Out Of His Crippled B-24 Then Killed The Enemy Pilot With A Head Shot From A Pistol

The following story may or may not be true, but the US Army Air Force (USAAF) believes it is. It is about a man who…

“Come and Fight A Gurkha!” He Yelled, Lost His Right Hand Throwing Back A Grenade Then “Single Handedly” Defended His Post For 4 Hours Against 200 Enemy Soldiers, Neutralized 31

Former Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw of the Indian Army once said: “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying…

The Mighty Japanese Battleship Musashi – The Launch that Flooded Nagasaki

It was one of the biggest ships to ever ply the seas and ensure Japan’s conquest of the Asia-Pacific region during WWII. It was so…

Le Paradis – The WW2 Massacre Of British Soldiers Which Outraged Even The Nazis

In 1940, members of the British military were slaughtered – after they had surrendered to German forces. Two survived, but no one believed their story.…

Project Acoustic Kitty – The CIA’s Top Secret Spy Cats Project

When Seal Team Six killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011, they did not do it alone. They had help from a Belgian Malinois dog named…

“Beyond the Call” – Captain Robert M. Trimble – The Unsung Hero Who Saved 1000 POWs In WW2

During WWII, the American government tricked him into going on a secret and dangerous mission to save lives. After the war, only France and Russia…