World War 2 | War History

Operation Wikinger: The Kriegsmarine’s Disastrous Mission in the North Sea

German destroyer Z1 Leberecht Maass at sea + Heinkel He 111 in flight

The Luftwaffe was the main arm and, arguably, the most dangerous aspect of the German military. Another branch intended to be just as strong was…

Dean Laird: The Ace Who Downed Both Japanese and German Aircraft During World War II

Dean Laird sitting in the rear seat of a Beechcraft T-34 Turbo-Mentor + Two aircraft in flight

There were numerous air aces during the Second World War. These aviators exhibited bravery and courage in the face of danger, earning the status of…

Lee Van Cleef Received the Bronze Star For His Service in the US Navy During World War II

Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes in 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'

Lee Van Cleef was a regular fixture during the boom-time of Western films in American cinema. His sharp features and stoicism made him the ideal…

The OSS Manual That Encouraged Axis Citizens to Sabotage the War Effort

Cover of the Simple Sabotage Field Manual + Woman crying while speaking with a police officer

As the Second World War raged on, the Allied and Axis powers employed various tactics to gain ground. One way was to utilize spies and…

Ex-Concentration Camp Guard Sentenced to Five Years in Prison By German Court

Josef S. hiding his face behind a blue folder

A 101-year-old German man has been found guilty of 3,518 counts of accessory to murder for serving as an SS guard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp…

Fact or Fiction: Did Christopher Lee Embellish His World War II Service?

Todd Neikirk
Christopher Lee wearing a suit and tie

Written by Todd Neikirk and Clare Fitzgerald. Christoper Lee had an incredibly long acting career that began in the late 1940s. He gained notoriety for…

Allied Snipers and Their Effectiveness During the Second World War

Finnish soldiers crouched in the snow

Snipers have played an important part in warfare for hundreds of years. The term was first officially used during the American Civil War, but sniper-like…

Richard H. Best: The Only WWII Pilot to Bomb Two Japanese Aircraft Carriers in One Day

Ed Skrein as Richard Best in 'Midway' + Douglas SBD Dauntless on the deck of the USS Enterprise (CV-6)

Of the four Japanese aircraft carriers sunk during the Battle of Midway – one of the most critical battles to occur in the Pacific Theater…

What Made the Polish No. 303 Squadron the Most Effective Pilots During the Battle of Britain?

Todd Neikirk
Polish pilots standing together

At the outset of World War II, the Germans decided to treat Poland like a prize for the taking. What they didn’t realize, however, was…

American Soldiers Teamed Up with Germans and Cossacks to Save Horses from the Red Army

Man standing beside a Lipizzaner horse

On April 28, 1945, a portion of the American forces set off on an incredibly dangerous and unique mission. Dubbed Operation Cowboy, it saw them…

The Doolittle Bombers Traded Their Tail Guns for Broomsticks

James Doolittle and his crew standing together

On April 18, 1942, the United States responded to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor by doing something that had never been done before: launching bombers…

Why the Battle of Ortona Was Nicknamed the ‘Italian Stalingrad’

Todd Neikirk

While initially intended to be a super power on the Axis side during World War II, Italy wound up playing a smaller role in the…