Modern | War History

The Sleeping Giant Awakes: American Assembly Lines During WWII

Female operating a machine along a factory assembly line

Throughout the Second World War, countries ramped up their production efforts to levels not previously seen. The one that stood out the most with regard…

Henry Fonda Served In the US Navy During WWII – He Didn’t Want to ‘Be a Fake In a War Studio’

Military portrait of Henry Fonda

Henry Fonda was one of the most famous actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Starring in over 100 films, television specials and theater roles,…

The Integral Role Air Gunners Played During the First and Second World Wars

Walter R. Newbury sitting in the top turret of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator + Jesse Rhodes Waller aiming the .30-caliber machine gun of a Consolidate PBY Catalina

Aircraft made their combat debut during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-12. Just a few years later, during the First World War, they appeared in much…

High School Project Reunites Twin Brothers Seven Decades After WWII

Servicemen carrying a flag-draped coffin

On June 19, 2018, twin brothers Ludwig Julius Wilhelm “Louie” Pieper and Julius Heinrich Otto “Henry” Pieper were laid to rest side-by-side, some 74 years…

The Allies Faced Many Difficult and Ingenious Beach Obstacles During WWII

Todd Neikirk
Tank driving over Czech hedgehogs + Two soldiers squatting near Teller mines

The Second World War saw the implementation of a number of new weapons and devices. In particular, the Allied forces had to contend with many…

Bill Mauldin: The Unofficial Cartoonist of the Second World War

Bill Mauldin sitting at a desk

Journalism and war have gone hand in hand for many years, with the field truly coming into its own during the Second World War. On…

Jock McLaren: The Soldier-Turned-Guerrilla Fighter Who Performed Major Surgery on Himself In the Jungle

Todd Neikirk
Jock McLaren and others sitting in a boat

Throughout World War I and II, soldiers came from all backgrounds. Robert Kerr “Jock” McLaren was a veterinarian by trade, but during his service with…

Ernest Borgnine: The ‘McHale’s Navy’ Star’s Service During World War II

Todd Neikirk
Ernest Borgnine as Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale in 'McHale's Navy'

Ernest Borgnine had an incredible acting career that spanned decades, with arguably his most notable role being Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale in the ABC sitcom,…

The Good, the Bad and the Dirty: Understanding WWII Letter Acronyms

Envelope with "SWA(L)K" written in pencil on the back

Letter writing was used on all fronts of the Second World War as a way for soldiers to keep in touch with friends and family.…

Wait for Me, Daddy: The True Story Behind the Iconic World War II Photo

Warren Bernard running to his father who is standing in line with other Canadian soldiers

The Wait for Me, Daddy photograph became one of the most famous images to come out of Canada during the Second World War. A seemingly…

The Nuclear War Between Russia and China That Almost Happened

Mushroom cloud rising into the sky + Portrait of Leonid Brezhnev + Portrait of Mao Zedong

In the early stages of the Cold War, Americans saw Soviet Russia and China as working together as one Communist “monster,” threatening to destroy everything…

August von Mackensen: The German Field Marshal Dubbed ‘The Last Hussar’

August von Mackensen leaning over a table

Hussars originated in Central Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries and were made up of light cavalry soldiers. Though military in nature, they can…