War Articles | War History

Tommies: Did the Endearing Term for British Soldiers Actually Originate During WWI?

Three British "Tommies" sitting together in uniform

The term “Tommies” is most closely associated with British soldiers who served during the First World War. However, where and how did the nickname originate?…

Prince Philip and An American GI Are Two Deities Worshipped By WWII-Era Cargo Cults

John Frum followers dancing in a circle

Undoubtedly, the arrival of the Allies in Melanesia had a profound effect on those who lived there. Troops and natives came into contact for the…

John R Fox Ordered An Artillery Barrage On His Own Position to Save His Comrades

US artillerymen manning an artillery battery + Military portrait of John R Fox

In one of the greatest acts of bravery seen during the Second World War, John R Fox ordered an artillery barrage on his own position…

PBRs: The US Navy’s Small and Nimble Watercraft In Vietnam

Still from 'Apocalypse Now'

The Patrol Boat, River – commonly known as PBR – was a nimble, speedy riverboat commissioned by the US Navy, for use during the Vietnam…

The German V-1 ‘Buzz Bomb’ Was Developed to Terrorize the British Public

V-1 "buzz bomb" on display

Vengeance weapon one (V-1), the “buzz bomb,” the “doodlebug” or the “Fi 103” – whatever name you call it by, this impressive World War II-era…

The Plumbing Disaster That Led to the Sinking of U-1206

Toilet onboard the HMS Alliance (P147) + Painting of a U-boat being sunk at sea

During the later years of the Second World War, the German U-boat U-1206 was cruising silently off the coast of Scotland. It was one of…

Pardo’s Push Saved the Lives of Two Men, But Wasn’t Recognized for Decades

John "Bob" Pardo standing with his arms crossed + McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in flight

Capt. John R. “Bob” Pardo was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, which attacked an integral North Vietnamese steel mill.…

MoH Recipient Robert Simanek Dove On a Live Grenade to Save His Comrades In Korea

Rosemary Giles
Two US Marines positioned on a ridge + Portrait of Robert Simanek

Between 1950-53, only a few years after the end of the Second World War, the United States entered another conflict: the Korean War. As part…

WWII Plans That Never Happened – There’s a Reason These Were Shelved

British Royal Marines running through heavy fog

There were many clever plans created by both the Allies and Axis during the Second World War, such as Operations Mincemeat and Overlord. However, there…

The Last Defenders of the Führerbunker Were French SS Troops

Légion des volontaires français contre le bolchevisme leaning out of the windows of a departing train

Typically, the Schutzstaffel (SS) is viewed as an all-German organization that filled its ranks with those who deeply resonated with the Führer’s message and goals.…

Dwight D. Eisenhower Took Extra Measures to Ensure the Holocaust Was Never Forgotten

Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Patton standing with other US military officials + Exterior of Ohrdruf concentration camp

Dwight D. Eisenhower viewed firsthand the crimes that were committed by the Germans at concentration camps when he visited the newly-liberated Ohrdruf during the Second…

The Laconia Incident Took More Lives Than the Sinking of the Titanic

Survivors of the Laconia Incident standing on the top decks of the U-156 and U-507

During the Second World War, an incident occurred that appeared to make the Germans the heroes and paint the Americans in a bad light. While…