America’s First Ever Paratrooper Assault – Operation Torch
On the night of November 7, 1942, American forces launched Operation Torch, the invasion of Axis-occupied North Africa. It was an operation that involved several…
Crazy French Count Blew Up German Factory With Baguettes Filled With Explosives
In 1938, 15-year-old Count Robert Jean-Marie de La Rochefoucauld went to pay Hitler a visit in Bavaria. The German Chancellor gave Rochefoucauld a friendly pat…
Ira Hayes – Iwo Jima Flag Raiser & Very Reluctant Hero
Ira Hamilton Hayes was one of five men who helped raise the American flag over Mt. Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima on…
From The Tank Museum: First Tiger I Knocked Out By The British
While Tiger 131 was the first intact Tiger I to be taken back to Britain, it was not the first to be knocked out. This…
The German Officer Who Rescued the ‘Pianist’
Sometimes, things aren’t always so black and white. Take the Nazi officer who ran a concentration camp in Poland. Who would ever have thought that he’d…
Michael Wittmann, the Deadly German Panzer Ace Of WWII
Between the myth and reality lies a figure of great importance in the history of armored warfare. Michael Wittmann, the most successful panzer ace of…
Britain’s Plan to Kill Hitler By Having a Sniper Shoot Him During His Daily Walk To The Tea House
In 1944, the British hatched a plan to assassinate Hitler – a project known as Operation Foxley. It could have shortened the war, saved millions…
The Battle of Ortona – When 2,600 Canadian Men Were Sacrificed for a General’s Pride
In December 1943, a group of largely untested Canadians went up against German forces in the Italian town of Ortona. The result was a bloodbath…
The Empire Of Japan & The Invasion Of The Philippines In WW2
On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines. A mix of local and American forces, most without combat experience, rushed to hold off the professional…
The US 503rd Parachute Battalion Seize the “High Ground” From the Axis
When American forces arrived in North Africa in November 1942, the 503rd Parachute Battalion were among the first troops on the ground. A week later,…
Japanese Schindler Helped 5,580 Jews Escape The Holocaust Ended Up Selling Lightbulbs To Survive
Although Japan was one of the Axis Powers during WWII, one Japanese diplomat did his best to mitigate the horrors of his country’s ally, Nazi…
The Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and Warhawk – American WWII Fighters
An American Fighter The Curtiss P-40, known as the Warhawk, was an American fighter plane. It went into service during WWII, where it was widely…