Modern | War History

Where Did The Term ‘G.I.’ Come From For US Troops?

Where did we get the GI name for American Soldiers

Depending on who you ask, the meaning of “G.I.” can vary. From government issue to general issue, no one can seem to agree on one…

The RAF Airman Who Used German Air Raids to Mask His Heinous Crimes

Damaged buildings during the London Blitz + Military portrait of Gordon Cummins

For the first years of World War II, the United Kingdom was under constant threat of German bombing. London, in particular, was an especially popular…

8 Times the US Was Attacked on Home Soil During World War II

Fu-Go floating over land

Many Americans assume that, prior to 9/11, the US hadn’t suffered an attack on its own soil since Pearl Harbor in World War II. However,…

A Doctor’s Note Allowed Winston Churchill to Circumvent Prohibition in America

Winston Churchill standing in the middle of a crowd

In the relatively short history of the United States, the country has gone through turbulent, violent and just plain crazy times. One of the weirdest…

Most of the Combat Footage from D-Day Was Dumped Into the English Channel By One Man

Troops wading to shore from a landing craft

Have you ever noticed a distinct lack of footage from the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944? Maybe you assumed it was simply too dangerous…

Sillamae was Removed from Soviet Maps during the Cold War and now it’s a Popular Tourist Destination

Sillamae

A town in Estonia was removed from all Soviet maps during the Cold War but is now a popular resort destination on the Baltic coast.…

PT Boats Were Feared During WWII And Their One-Man Turrets Were Particularly Deadly

PT Boat Turret Operator

During WWII the US realized their PT boats had more potential than just simple torpedo dispensers. These rapid machines proved deadly as highly mobile machine…

Pearl Harbor Survivor and WWII Veteran Requests Cards to Mark 100th Birthday

Jack Holder + Attack on Pearl Harbor + Distinguished Flying Cross

A World War II veteran who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and participated in over 100 missions is requesting cards to celebrate his…

The CIA Once Built a Giant Claw to Recover a Sunken Soviet Submarine

Gomar Explorer Color Photo

For the United States during the Cold War, no project was too crazy or too expensive. One of these, known as Project Azorian, cost the…

The CIA Lost Nine Cores of Plutonium in the Himalayas

CIA

Of all the things you don’t want to lose, radioactive plutonium cores are near the top of the list. But this is exactly what the…

Iconic Photos of Marilyn Monroe Entertaining American Troops in Korea

Marilyn Monroe performing in front of an audience of American troops

Following the signing of the armistice during the Korean War, the Korean Peninsula entered into a period of uncertainty. While negotiations occurred, the UN forces…

Project Underworld: The US Navy’s Unexpected Mafia Alliance

Charles "Lucky" Luciano + Tanker explosion off the coast of Italy + General George Patton

Project Underworld was the US Navy’s codename for its joint mission with New York’s crime families. Active from 1942-45, it aimed to obtain information regarding…