INSTANT ARTICLES | War History

Russian Reservists Being Sent Into Combat With ‘Firearms and Shovels’

Clare Fitzgerald
Russian conscripts walking together in uniform

As the Russo-Ukrainian War passes the one-year mark, it appears the invading Russian forces may be struggling more than ever with a lack of equipment.…

Folding Gun Models That Allow Operators to Hide Their Weapons In Public

PP-90 on display

A folding gun is a unique weapon that offers concealment, while also ensuring the operator is ready for action. Unfortunately, the designs are typically expensive,…

Is ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ Really the Greatest War Film Ever Made?

Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa as Lt. Col. Nicholson and Col. Saito in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' + Alec Guinness as Lt. Col. Nicholson in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' + Still from 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'

The 1957 historical epic The Bridge on the River Kwai has long been regarded as one of the greatest war films ever made. Based on…

Rheinwiesenlager: The Notorious American Prison Camps That Held German POWs Following WWII

American soldier keeping watch over prisoners of war (POWs) held at the Rheinwiesenlager

There were hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war (POWs) taken during World War II. Under the Geneva Convention, it was required they receive certain…

Matthew Modine Turned Down ‘Top Gun’ for ‘Full Metal Jacket’

Matthew Modine's head superimposed on the body of Tom Cruise

Top Gun (1986) was among the most popular films of the 1980s, and it’s just one of the few box office hits Matthew Modine didn’t…

Jason Everman: The Nirvana and Soundgarden Member Who Became a US Army Ranger and Green Beret

Rosemary Giles
Jason Everman standing atop a snowy ridge while holding a weapon

Jason Everman, with his long curly hair and piercings, looked the epitome of a rockstar – because he was. As a young man, he played…

The Polish 1st Armoured Division Served As the ‘Cork’ of the Falaise Pocket

Tanks driving across a field + Polish 1st Armoured Division insignia

Nicknamed the “Black Devils” by the German military, the Polish 1st Armoured Division was created in the middle of the Second World War. Working with…

Frank Fiegel: The Real-Life Popeye Wasn’t a Sailor Man (or in the Military)

Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as Popeye the Sailor Man and Olive Oyl in 'Popeye'

When E.C. Segar began his career as a cartoonist, he took inspiration from those around him. His most popular character, Popeye the Sailor Man, was…

Where Is Hacksaw Ridge, the Location Where Desmond Doss Rescued 75 US Soldiers?

Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss in 'Hacksaw Ridge'

Conscientious objector Desmond Doss staged one of the most daring rescues of the Second World War, risking life and limb to get 75 of his…

Two Aircraft Carriers Were Stationed In the Great Lakes During WWII

USS Sable (XI-81) sailing through Lake Michigan

If there’s one thing aircraft carriers were known for during the Second World War, it was their role in changing the face of aerial combat.…

Russia Loses 130 Armored Vehicles In Biggest Tank Battle of Russo-Ukrainian War

Clare Fitzgerald
Ukrainian tank driving through the snow and mud

For three weeks, Russian and Ukrainian ground forces have been embroiled in a costly tank battle on the outskirts of Vuhledar, in southern Ukraine. The…

‘Full Metal Jacket’ Facts Every Movie Fan Should Know

Still from 'Full Metal Jacket'

A number of Vietnam-era films were released in the decade or so after the conflict’s conclusion, and among the most popular was Full Metal Jacket…