Updated | War History

John F. Kennedy’s Assassination Secured the Future of Britain’s Special Air Service

John Connally sitting in a convertible with John F. and Jackie Kennedy + Emblem for the Special Air Service (SAS)

Every great event has unexpected side effects. However glorious or terrible, each will trigger other moments – good or bad, small or significant. After the…

Maynard Harrison Smith Was Given Two Options: Go to Jail or Join the Army – He Wound Up Receiving the Medal of Honor

Henry L. Stimson placing the Medal of Honor around Maynard Harrison Smith's neck

Often, war brings out traits in people they never quite knew they possessed. The most outwardly confident and confrontational individuals can turn out to be…

Pearl Harbor: The Worst Military Decision In History?

Aerial view of Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack

The morning of December 7, 1941, is a date remembered across the world, particularly by American citizens. That morning, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) caught…

John Wayne, Draft Dodger? Why the Duke Never Served In World War II

John Wayne as Lt. Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort in 'The Longest Day'

John Wayne is undeniably one of the most popular actors in American history. His vast legacy of films set the standards for years to come…

‘Hold My Beer’ – War Hero Thomas Fitzpatrick Twice Landed His Aircraft in New York City (While Drunk)

AI rendering of an aircraft parked in the middle of a Manhattan street at night

Thomas Fitzpatrick was a World War II and Korean War veteran who stole and landed an aircraft in front of a bar in New York…

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt: The Most Produced American Fighter of World War II

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in flight

The “Juggernaut,” the “Jug” – whatever you want to call it, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was an absolute beast in the skies over Europe and…

Dreyse Needle-Gun: The Rifle That Won the Austro-Prussian War and Gave Birth to the German Nation

Painting of the Battle of Königgrätz + Dreyse needle-gun

History runs its course, but, sometimes, there are things that push said course in a specific direction. There are examples from the past of how…

The BBC’s Coded Messages to the French Resistance During World War II

French Resistance member sitting in front of a radio

One of the best-known films about the Second World War is The Longest Day (1962), which centers around D-Day. In a number of scenes, members…

Wilfred Wood: The British Private Who Took Over 300 Prisoners In Just One Battle

Soldiers gathered around a vehicle

Over 100 years ago, British Pvt. Wilfred Wood earned the Victoria Cross for his actions in the First World War. He may have seen action…

The Most Decorated Unit in US Military History Fought for a Country That Locked Up Their Families

Members of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion loading 105 mm shells into a weapon

The heroes of World War II came in all shapes and sizes, and some of the biggest fought for their country, despite facing injustice at…

Browning Hi-Power: The WWII-Era Semi-Automatic Pistol Canada Struggled to Part Ways With

Browning Hi-Power being held up in a field

At the Armed Forces Skill at Arms (AFSAM) competition in 2017, the Canadian Armed Forces’ best marksmen arrived with 20 of their field-issued, World War…

Did German Americans Actually Leave the US to Fight for Germany During WWII?

German soldiers marching together in uniform

In the acclaimed HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers (2001), Tech. Sgt. Donald Malarkey, played by Scott Grimes, asks a German prisoner of war (POW) where…