INSTANT ARTICLES | War History

Operation Tannenbaum: Why Didn’t Germany Invade Switzerland?

Todd Neikirk
Swiss guard standing in front of a line of sandbags

Switzerland was able to remain neutral throughout the Second World War. As soon as the conflict broke out in 1939, the nation prepared itself for…

Nambu Pistol: The Japanese WWII-Era Weapon That Heavily Featured in the Pacific

Todd Neikirk
Nambu pistol against a white backdrop

In the early 20th century, Japan was eager to improve its military. The country had high hopes of becoming a world power and, in order…

Ian Fleming’s Time on Seychelles Inspired His Eighth Novel, ‘For Your Eyes Only’

Geoff Moore
Lobby area with "007" on the wall + Hut at the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa

When James Bond author Ian Fleming experienced a period of writer’s block, he left his home in London, United Kingdom and traveled to the Republic…

Despite Being Up Against 2,000 Enemy Troops, Bernard Fisher Risked His Life to Save a Fellow Airman

Military portrait of Bernard Fisher

During the Vietnam War, a number of US military service members distinguished themselves. Among them was US Air Force pilot Bernard Fisher, who risked his…

A Faux Paris Was Built to Fool German Bombers During World War I

Aerial view of Paris at sunset + Map showing the streets of faux Paris

When Paris was the target of German bombers during the First World War, officials immediately began to devise ways to stop future air raids from…

Sister Ship of Famed Warship Vasa Discovered In Swedish Waterway

Vasa on display at the Vasa Museum + Divers swimming near the wreck of the MS Zenobia

The long-lost sister ship of the 17th-century warship Vasa has been discovered off the coast of Vaxholm, Sweden. According to the Swedish Museum of Wrecks,…

Germany Hoped the Krummlauf Would Change the Outcome of WWII – It Didn’t

US soldier holding an M3 with a curved barrel

The curved bullet scene in Wanted (2008) wasn’t the first time the concept of having a bullet travel around corners was thought up. In fact, during…

How Military Prison Differs from a Federally-Run Correctional Facility

Officer walking across a hallway in a military prison

In the United States, prisons, including those run by the military, housed a total of 1,380,427 inmates as of 2019. Incarceration is nothing like it…

Korengal Valley: Why the Region Is Nicknamed the ‘Valley of Death’

US Army soldiers walking along a dirt path in the Korengal Valley

Between the mountain ranges bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan lies the infamous Korengal Valley. The area saw some of the deadliest engagements to occur during the…

10 Surviving Buildings From Germany’s Era of Power

Aerial views of the Olympiastadion

The long-term effects of war are felt by all sides. This is even more evident in the case of the two World Wars, given the…

Vietnam Jungle: The Dangerous Snakes, Animals and Traps US Troops Encountered During the Vietnam War

American soldiers walking through the Vietnam jungle

The experience of war has always been intertwined with the environment. Weather, landmarks, climate and ecology all play a role in the outcome of a…

Project Fantasia: When America Planned to Use Glow-In-the-Dark Foxes Against Japan

Map of Japan + Fox looking back + Fox walking

When the United States entered the Second World War following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it seemed as though the country had a “no…