Playing at War: Zarnitsa – The Soviet Youth Military Exercises
Zarnitsa was a mass sports game of the 20th century. It was a team competition with elements of military field exercises. “Oh, yes, we also…
The Crazy Major – WW2’s First Partisan
When, in 1939, Germany and USSR conquered Poland, Polish soldiers found themselves in a dire situation. They had to choose whether to give up all…
From “Bat Bombs” to Bio-Terrorism – Project X-Ray in WWII
Military organizations all over the world are always on the lookout for new ways to wreak havoc on their enemies, and the animal kingdom has…
Romania Narrowly Avoided Getting Bombed by the Soviets
On the 77th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Russia published secret documents from the Second World War including an order dated…
Daring Female Secret Agents of WWII
The slightest slip or one wrong word might have blown their cover and reveal them for what they were. Betrayal, too, was an ever-present threat.…
The Last U-Boat Commander Passes Away at 105
It was four months after Pearl Harbour when Kapitanleutnant Reinhard Hardegan’s submarine, U-123, torpedoed the tanker SS GulfAmerica off of Jacksonville, Florida. After the attack,…
Operation Goodwood – Good, Bad and Ugly for Montgomery
In July 1944, Allied armies were fighting the Nazi German occupiers in Normandy, northern France. They had successfully gained a foothold and were pushing inland…
Best Warriors in the World – 5 of the Top Special Forces Units
When the mission is close to impossible, and drastic measures are needed to get crucial things done in the face of huge odds, this set…
13 Roles Soviet Women Filled in WW2
As they started running out of manpower, many nations in the Second World War turned to their womenfolk to staff their war machines. In most…
The Heat Is On! Tankfest 2018
Friday is now heralded as rehearsal day with a limited program in the arena. It was possible to have a choice of spots to snap…
US Armored Recon – M8 Greyhound with 30 photos
Armored warfare excelled during the Second World War, and the future seemed to be written on the turret of a tank. But still, technology was…
Faithful to the End – Service Dogs that Defied the Germans
In the Ukrainian village of Legezino in the Cherkassy region, there is a monument to “Heroes of frontier guards and their dogs.” It is devoted…