The Dawn of the Submarine: U-21 sinks HMS Pathfinder
In 1914 submarines were still a novel idea. Many nations had not utilized them until 1900, Germany not until 1906. Soon their worth would be…
The Schneider CA1 Was The First Operational Tank Ever – A First In Military History
The beginning of armored weaponry dates back to the days of the First World War when a stalemate occurred on the Western Front due to…
Myths Of The Montana Class Battleships
War History Online presents this Guest Article by Chris Knupp. Artist’s impression of the Montana class Battleship Myth #1: The Montana class Ignored the Panama Canal…
The Oslo Report: How a German Scientist Gave Away Nazi Military Secrets and Why Britain Almost Ignored Him
Early in the Second World War, the British received a dossier of Nazi military secrets. The extraordinary contents had been sent at great personal risk…
Kaiten: The Japanese Suicide Submarines in WWII
During the last months of World War II, as the Japanese were becoming desperate, they turned to a new kind of weapon. While it incorporated…
U-Boat 96, and the film Das Boot
In 1981, a film was released which is still cited as one of Germany’s greatest cinematic triumphs. It followed the exploits of U-96, a German…
How the British Military Learned in Advance About the V2 Rocket – and How They Responded
The V2 rocket and its predecessor V1 had the potential to transform the Second World War. The world’s first long-range unmanned missiles, they were a…
The RAF and the Luftwaffe: Different Ways They Approached WWII
One of the most crucial conflicts of the Second World War was between the air forces of Britain and Germany. The Royal Air Force (RAF)…
British Naval Intelligence: Well Equipped for WW2 But Often Lacking Material
At the outbreak of the Second World War, much of the British military were not equipped for dealing with military intelligence. The exception was the…
Lt. Gen Wainwright, Prisoner Of War, Who Was Awarded the Medal of Honor in WW2
Being captured by the Japanese during the early days of WWII meant facing years of grueling conditions, torture, and starvation. Also, many were cut off…
In WW2, The Germans Tried to Copy the de Havilland Mosquito – And Failed
The de Havilland Mosquito was one of Britains most iconic aircraft. The high-velocity airplane made entirely from plywood was landing severe blows on the Reich…
How Tanks Decided The First And Second World Wars
The concept of a military tank was not particularly new in 1916. However, the ability to move troops safely through combat territories with a vehicle…