Shahan Russell

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

Articles by Shahan Russell:

The B-17 seemed to be holding formation, he assumed that the pilot, at least, was alive. This American misfit saved his plane & was awarded The Medal of Honor

Maynard Harrison “Snuffy” Smith was such a screw-up, he joined the US Army to avoid jail. He earned the nickname, “Snuffy Smith,” because no one…

The Strange And Cold Day The French Cavalry Captured a Dutch Fleet at Sea

The Hussars were a type of light cavalry that originated in medieval Hungary and were adopted by other European countries. Their bravery, cunning, and daredevil…

How A Japanese Sub Sank Three Ships With One Salvo In WW2

Japan entered WWII with the most diverse submarine fleet of any nation. Some subs were capable of the fastest underwater speeds and were armed with…

The Battle of Long Tan: 1500 Strong VC & NVA Force Ambushed 108 Australians – and Lost

During the Vietnam War, 108 Australian soldiers stood against some 1,500 to 2,500 Vietnamese forces near the village of Long Tan. When the battle was…

Things Nearly Went Nuclear When the Chinese Stole a Soviet Tank

In 1900, Russia signed the Treaty of Beijing which gave them Outer Manchuria and other Chinese lands. When both countries became communist, their nagging border…

The Japanese Tried A Second Raid On Pearl Harbor – It Was Not A Success

Everyone knows about the first bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Less well known, however, was the second attack. And there was almost a third……

WW1: German Spies Blew Up 100,000 Pounds of TNT in New Jersey And Damaged The Statue Of Liberty

The first terrorist attack on US soil happened when Germany attacked New Jersey in 1916 – an event which became known as the Black Tom…

After North Korea Captured Their Spy Ship, The Crew Invented The ‘Hawaiian Good Luck Sign’ In Defiance

In 1968, North Korea seized a US Navy ship, held its crew for almost a year, and tortured them. To free themselves, the captives had…

The Battle of San Jacinto – Where Santa Anna Lost Texas By Falling Asleep

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (Santa Anna, for short) thought very highly of himself – and with…

The Battle of Stoney Creek – A Minor Fight That Changed History

In the early 1800s, two US generals tried to invade Canada. They might have succeeded, too, except for a peculiar handicap – their inability to…

Libya Bombed A German Disco in 1986, So The US Bombed Italy

In 1986, Libya bombed a discotheque in Germany… so the US retaliated by bombing Italy. Not all of Italy, of course. Just a small portion…

Neutral Switzerland Has Invaded Liechtenstein 3 times in 30 years – by Mistake

Most people associate Switzerland with mountains, chocolates, watches, and Swiss Army knives. They also think of a peaceful and neutral country that’s fanatic about avoiding…