World War 2 | War History

The most decorated Marine in United States history – Chesty Puller, American Hero

“Chesty” Puller is the most decorated Marine in United States history. Heroic service in Haiti, Nicaragua, the Second World War, and the Korean War earned…

Thaman Gurung, V.C. – A Brave Gurkha Gives His Life To Save His Comrades In WW2

Since their first interactions with the British East India Company in 1814, the Gurkhas are renowned for their bravery and skill in combat. These Nepalese…

The Officials Who Hindered Britain’s Readiness for World War Two

In 1939, Britain was poorly prepared for war. Although some people in power had foreseen a conflict with Germany, others had not. For a range…

Learning the Luftwaffe’s Secrets: How Intelligence Gathering Shaped the Battle of Britain

In WWII the Battle of Britain was fought in the air. A victory was achieved through the skill and courage of the rightly revered fighter…

The Reluctant Hero Who was awarded a Victoria Cross… Twice

The Victoria Cross is Britain’s highest award for military valor, and only three people have received it twice. One was so incredible, in fact, he…

The First Medal of Honor Recipient of WW2 Stood His Ground at Pearl Harbor

It is fitting in a war which would require inexplicable gallantry to win that it would begin with actions worthy of the nation’s highest military…

A Race for Superiority – The Sources of Military Intelligence in World War Two

During the Second World War, military intelligence came into its own in a way it never had before. The increasing speed, scale, and complexity of…

Seven Reasons Why Britain was Unprepared for World War Two

In retrospect, the outbreak of the Second World War seems both obvious and inevitable. However, to many people at the time, particularly in Britain, there…

A Soldier’s Noble Quest to Return a War Medal to its Rightful Owner

This is the story of how a young soldier’s passion for collecting antiques led to a quest to reunite lost war medals with their owners…

Born to Fight – The Only Non-Commonwealth Recipient of the Victoria Cross

People say that some men were born at the right time in history for their gallantry to shine. For Dane Anders Lassen, WWII was his…

Vistula-Oder Offensive: The Offensive That Brought The Soviets To 70km From Berlin

In the 2004 film Downfall, depicting the last few days in Adolf Hitler’s bunker under Berlin before the city finally fell to Soviet troops on…

Britain’s Sacrifice of Crete Preserved North Africa For The Allies In World War Two

In May 1941, German paratroopers invaded and overran the island of Crete. A British force, which included New Zealanders and supported by the local resistance,…