Commando-Style Raid: Stealing Fuhrer’s Radar
In October 1942, Adolf Hitler issued the infamous Kommandobefehl (“Commando Order”) which instructed German officers to immediately execute any Commandos or troops carrying out Commando-style…
The Most Powerful Explosions of WWI
In any military conflicts, the opposing sides are looking for new means and methods to defeat the enemy. After the invention of blasting explosives, several…
The Sack Of Baghdad In 1258 – One Of The Bloodiest Days In Human History
When we think of the darkest, most bloody days of human history, our minds inevitably turn to the horrors of modern warfare. We think of…
‘It was our war’ – Veteran Describes Service With U.S. Navy Seabees in WW2
The summer of 1942 should have been a joyous period and full of prospects for Charles “C.B.” Smith, who had recently graduated from high school.…
When Iceland Wanted To Remain Neutral In WW2, Britain Had Other Ideas
Iceland is a beautiful and unique country situated in the North Atlantic somewhere between the British Isles and Greenland. The island is riddled with…
The “Ceramic Grenade”: Japan’s last-ditch weapon of WWII
Grenades have long been used in warfare across the world. However, their manufacture requires certain industrial materials and production lines. In the closing stages of…
“White Lily of Stalingrad” & The Valiant Women Pilots of The Soviet Union
In the Second World War, about 800,000 women of the Soviet Union took part. Most of them served in hospitals and communications units or as…
Famous Cellist Frieda Belinfante Dressed as a Man to Save Jews
Frieda Belinfante was a woman who, blessed with immense musical talent, seemed destined for greatness – at least until the Nazi occupation of Holland in…
The Super Fighter That Never Was – The Heinkel 113
In 1939, a German combat aircraft set a world speed record. The new Heinkel fighter appeared to be a fearsome addition to the Luftwaffe –…
The Louisiana Native Guards – The First African-American Civil War Unit To Go Into Battle
While the far more well-known 54th Massachusetts Infantry regiment is usually portrayed as the first African-American unit of the American Civil War to have seen…
The German U-Boat. The Deadliest Hunter Of The Sea -The Destroyer of Souls
The name “U-boat,” an abbreviation of the German unterseeboot which, literally translated, means “undersea boat,” is a name that has become synonymous with swift and…
Firestorm Hell: Operation Gomorrah – ‘Hiroshima’ of Germany
During the Second World War, the bombing of cities by opposing countries was commonplace. The goals were both the destruction of industrial potential and the…