War Articles | War History

Frederic Walker: The Most Successful Anti-Submarine Commander During the Battle of the Atlantic

U-boat sinking at sea + Military portrait of Frederic Walker

Imperative to the success of the British Royal Navy in the Second World War was curbing the nefarious German U-boats that terrorized the Allies throughout…

Human Shadows Left Etched In Stone By the Atomic Bombs Dropped On Japan

Human shadow on the steps at the entrance of the Hiroshima branch of Sumitomo Bank

There were many scars left behind in Japan after the Americans dropped the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The explosions had lasting effects on…

How Canadian Paratroopers Prevented the Soviet Red Army’s Westward Advance

Pvt. L.H. Johnson and Sgt. D.R. Fairborn manning a PIAT anti-tank gun

As the Second World War drew to a close, the Allies became suspicious of those they’d previously been fighting alongside. This was particularly clear with…

HMS Prince of Wales (53): The British Battleship That Took on Bismarck – and Survived

HMS Prince of Wales (53) at sea

The HMS Prince of Wales (53) was one of five King George V-class battleships commissioned during the Second World War. Laid down at a time…

Ahmet Ali Çelikten: Why Have We Forgotten History’s First Black Aviator?

Ahmet Ali Çelikten standing in his pilot's uniform

Exactly two years before World War I came to an end, Ahmet Ali Çelikten became one of the world’s first Black military aviators. Çelikten, who…

Fritz X: The World’s First Precision-Guided Missile Took Out the Italian Navy’s Flagship

Fritz X on display

The Fritz X was a German radio-guided anti-ship missile that went by many names: Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, PC 1400X, Kramer X-1 and FX 1400.…

The Allies Crafted the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosion to Win the Battle of Messines

Damaged German trench + British soldiers digging into the ground

The origin of mine warfare dates back all the way to the mid-19th century, during the American Civil War. In December 1861, Confederate officer Maj.…

Academy Award-Winning Actor David Niven Had to Fight to Serve In WWII

British soldiers walking on a beach during D-Day + David Niven dressed as a soldier

A famous Hollywood star of the 1940s, through to the ’80s, David Niven featured in numerous popular films, even taking on the role of James…

The Second Battle of Fort Wagner Proved the 54th Infantry Regiment Had the Chops

Still from 'Glory'

The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment proved their bravery and courage in fighting against Confederate forces at Fort Wagner.

Was Thomas Dobney the Youngest Bomber Pilot of World War II?

Pilot climbing into the cockpit of an aircraft

It’s no secret that, during the First World War, it was common for men to lie about their age when enlisting. While it was more…

The Tragic Story Behind One Man’s Refusal to Salute the Führer

Blohm+Voss employees performing the German salute, while August Landmesser stands with his arms crossed over his chest + August Landmesser standing with his arms crossed

Among the rows of men saluting the Führer in an infamous photo dating back to July 1936, one individual is seen standing, arms crossed, daring…

How the USS Yorktown’s (CV-5) Sacrifice Helped Lead the US to Victory at Midway

USS Yorktown (CV-5) at sea

After suffering extensive damage in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the USS Yorktown (CV-5) limped her way back to Pearl Harbor as preparations for…