“I did my bit” – Veteran served as pilot with Army Air Corps during World War II
War History online proudly presents this Guest Piece from Jeremy P. Ämick, who is a military historian and writes on behalf of the Silver Star…
He Started As An Artillery Officer And Became An Emperor – The Spectacular Rise Of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte began life as the son of relatively minor Corsican nobility. Through talent, perseverance, and charisma, he forged a path that took him to…
When London Burned – 10 Extraordinary Stories From The Blitz In WW2
From September 1940 through to the summer of 1941, British cities came under attack. Night after night, German aircraft dropped bombs on Britain’s major centers…
This Is How The Different Armies Approached Trench Warfare In The First World War
Trench warfare is the iconic image of the First World War. All along the Western Front, the battleground to a halt as the opposing armies…
Why the US Coast Guard Goes To (Mock) War With American Citizens Every Year
The United States Coast Guard is, as the name implies, tasked with protecting and guarding Americans. Every year, however, this small branch of the military…
Fast Facts – History of the Hand Grenade – An Essential Infantry Weapon In Modern Warfare
Hand grenades play an important part in modern war as lightweight and hard-hitting infantry weapons. But their development hasn’t been a steady one, and for…
Poetic Justice and the Plot to Kill Hitler
Poetic justice is when the good are rewarded and the evil punished. It usually comes about by an ironic twist of fate. It happened to…
Massively Super-Sized Siege Guns From World War One And Two
In the 19th century, transport limitations restricted the size of artillery. If a piece of equipment could not be pulled by horses, then it could…
When Napoleon Invaded Russia, Freezing Weather And Determined Defenders Drove Him Back
Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia is one of the most famous campaigns of his career. It was extraordinary for many reasons. The Size of the…
A Real Life Weapon Of Legend: Greek Fire
Greek fire was a real weapon which has achieved near-legendary status. An incendiary device deployed against advancing Arabs by the defenders of Constantinople; it became…
The Fokker Scourge: Imperial Germany’s Secret Weapon in the First World War
When World War 1 Broke out in 1914, most nations were ill-equipped for a sustained aerial war. The Treaty of Madrid, in 1911, outlined aircraft…
Get Out of Jail Free – How Monopoly Helped Allied POWs Escape
Imagine the following scenario: you’re with the Allies during WWII. Fortunately, your side eventually won. Unfortunately, you’ve ended up in a Nazi POW camp before…