Robert Howard McCard, the American corporal who did not know how to quit
Most people have heard of the D-Day Landings in France, but few know there was (almost simultaneously) another set of landings in the Pacific. As…
“I guess they didn’t know I was a Marine” – Heroism and Honor at Guadalcanal
Despite being the smallest of America’s Armed Forces, the US Marine Corps are considered the cream of the crop. There is a good reason for…
Patton, Guderian, Rommel – Three Great Tank Commanders of WWII
The Second World War saw tanks dominate the battlefield for the first time. Gifted commanders seized this way of fighting, becoming legends. Heinz Guderian As…
Otto Skorzeny: Hitler’s Elite SS Commando Leader of World War Two
In September 1943, Hitler sent SS commandoes to rescue his ally Mussolini from the new Italian government. For the man leading the raid, Otto Skorzeny,…
Heinz Guderian: A Great German Commander of WWII – He Stood Up To Hitler
General Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was one of the most innovative military commanders of the 20th century. He helped to develop modern tank warfare, bringing success…
General James “Jumpin Jim” Gavin – WWII Airborne Division
James Maurice “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin was the youngest lieutenant-general in the US Army ever, and the only general to make four combat airborne jumps in…
Christine Granville: One of the Early Leaders of Female Special Ops Agents
Born Krystyna Skarbek in Poland, Christine Granville became one of the most important early female players in the British Special Ops. Working in Nazi-occupied Poland…
The Perfect, Unkillable Soldier – He Fought In Wars For Almost Fifty Years
Some men have no fear of death, while others have no fear of personal injury. One man snubbed his nose at both, which was why…
Heinze And Reinhard Heydrich – A Tale Of Two Brothers Who Went Different Ways In WW2
In 1918 two teenage brothers posed for a photograph. The older brother has his arm protectively around the younger one. They are Heinze and Reinhard…
Violette Szabo: British Female Spy Killed Behind Enemy Lines
A British Special Ops agent in World War II, Violette Szabo was a posthumous recipient of the George Cross for her impressive work in occupied…
The Gray Ranks – The Fighting Boy-Scouts Of The Polish WWII Resistance
When people think of boy scouts, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Setting up a tent? Singing songs around the fire? Wearing…
A German and an American Meet at the end of WWII
War is full of brief encounters. A sudden glimpse of the face of an enemy; the brief sighting of an enemy submarine; or seeing a wounded…