Updated | War History

Cats Served As Mascots, Pest Control… Oh, and Gas Detectors

French soldier lying in the entrance to a dugout, watching a cat eat

In recent years, cats have been the subject of immense online fame. Users can’t get enough of their adorable faces and “toe beans” – and…

Mobile Expeditionary Base Named for MoH Recipient Robert Simanek Delivered to US Navy

USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB-3) at sea + Portrait of Robert Simanek wearing his Medal of Honor

Robert Simanek was a US Marine who received the US military’s highest award – the Medal of Honor – for his heroics during the Korean…

Dwight D. Eisenhower Lost a Bet to Bernard Montgomery and Had to Pony Up a B-17 Flying Fortress

Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery looking over a document together

War isn’t normally a time for playing games and making bets, but that’s exactly what happened in 1943 between Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen.…

Digby Tatham-Warter: The British Major Who Disabled a German Tank With an Umbrella

Debris strewn across Arnhem Bridge + Allison "Digby" Tatham-Warter sitting in his military uniform

Allison “Digby” Tatham-Warter might be the most interesting member of the British Army to have fought during World War II. Known for his humor and…

Yamato: Japan’s Prized Battleship Couldn’t Survive An Air Assault By the Americans At Okinawa

Yamato at sea

As the fighting in the Pacific Theater neared its end in 1945, the Japanese were desperately trying to turn the tides of the Second World…

The United States Unknowingly Predicted the Attack on Pearl Harbor Years Before It Happened

USS Maryland (BB-46) afloat beside a capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37)

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century, possibly in human history. The assault brought the…

The ‘Desert Fox’ Crafted the 7th Panzer Division to Be One of Germany’s Best Military Units

German soldiers manning a Sd.Kfz. 251 in the middle of the street

The German invasion of France during the middle of 1940 was swift and effective. Within a matter of months, they’d overrun the country’s defenses and…

Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star: The American Aircraft That Flew Over Vietnam’s Treetops Undetected

Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star in flight

When discussing American stealth aircraft, designs like the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Northrop B-2 Spirit and the Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady” are often brought up. However,…

Lumber Jills: The Women Who Made Up Britain’s Timber Corps

Two members of the Women's Timber Corps (WTC) cutting a tree with a hand saw

Throughout the Second World War, women in Britain stepped up wherever they were needed. Many volunteered as air wardens or joined civilian organizations dedicated to…

Athenian Hoplites: An Overlooked Part of Greece’s Military Success in the Ancient World

AI rendering of Athenian Hoplites running into battle

Ancient warfare has been heavily analyzed by scholars, and it’s made waves in movies like 300 (2006). However, popular culture and scholarly studies tend to…

How World War II Spurred the Creation of the Flu Vaccine

Two sailors being administered vaccines

It’s hard to imagine a time when vaccines didn’t exist. However, up until the Second World War, they were few and far between. It wasn’t…

The Highs (and Lows) of the Czech Panzer 38(t)

Tanks are often thought of as a technology of the First World War, but the Czech Panzer 38(t) played a major role in some of…