Modern | War History

A WWII-Era Mystery for the Ages – What Happened to the French Submarine Surcouf?

French submarine Surcouf at sea

Although they weren’t known as a naval superpower, the French still built one of the most impressive submarines of the Second World War. In fact,…

András Toma: The Last WWII Prisoner of War to Be Repatriated – In 2000

András Toma being pushed through a crowd while sat in a wheelchair

The end of World War II was a logistical nightmare. Between Victory In Europe (VE) Day and September 1945, some 1,417,850 Americans alone were repatriated. Other…

Fort Drum: The Unsinkable Concrete Battleship That Guarded the Philippines

Aerial view of Fort Drum

Fort Drum, or El Fraile, was a heavily-fortified island operated by the US in the Philippines for decades. The “concrete battleship” was constructed between 1909-14…

Why Did a Test Pilot Wear a Gorilla Mask In Flight?

Two Bell P-59 Airacomets in flight + Individual wearing a gorilla mask

Imagine flying through the skies during the Second World War when, suddenly, an aircraft appears to your left. The pilot waves at you, but it’s…

USS Wisconsin (BB-64): The American Battleship That ‘Lost Her Temper’ In Korea

USS Wisconsin (BB-64) docked at port

The USS Wisconsin (BB-64) was an Iowa-class vessel that served with the US Navy on and off from 1944-91. She was the second-last of her…

The Tank Museum Releases 8,000-Brick Model of Tiger 131

Tiger 131 brick model on display

Tiger 131 is known for being the world’s only running Tiger I, and now enthusiasts can bring the famed tank into their homes, in the…

Research Team Discovers Wreck of WWII-Era Japanese Ship That Sank With Over 1,000 POWs

Montevideo Maru at sea

The Australian government has announced that the wreck of the Japanese auxiliary ship Montevideo Maru has been located in the South China Sea. The announcement…

The P-38F Lightning ‘Glacier Girl’ Was Buried Beneath The Ice For 50 Years

Lockheed P-38F Lightning 'Glacier Girl' in flight

So many aircraft went down during the Second World War that it would be difficult to calculate the total. One was a Lockheed P-38F Lightning,…

The Morgenthau Plan Would Have Resulted In the Deaths of 25 Million Germans

Alexander Cambridge, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and William Lyon Mackenzie King sitting together

There reached a point during the Second World War where the Allies felt confident about victory, especially after their incredible success following the invasion of…

D-Day In Color: A Look at the Largest Amphibious Invasion In History

Ships, aircraft and landing craft positioned near the shore of a beach

On June 6, 1944, the Allies conducted the largest amphibious invasion in history. Landing on five beaches, as well as at various landing zones behind…

Orde Wingate: The Onion-Eating Major General Who Led Deep Penetration Missions In Burma

Orde Wingate standing with his men and a large map

Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate was one of many well-regarded British officers of the Second World War. By the time the conflict began, he’d already made…

Japan Deployed Suicide Commandos for a Raid on Yontan Airfield

US soldiers manning artillery

The Japanese were known for their use of kamikaze pilots throughout the Second World War. They were deployed during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941,…