World War 2 | War History

Bill Slim and WWII’s Forgotten Army – One of the most successful commanders of the war

One of the greatest military commanders of WWII is usually forgotten in stories of the war. Bill Slim, the British general commanding troops in Burma,…

The Raid on Alexandria – Military History of Italy in WW2

War History Online presents this Guest Article by Bruera Clément Italy’s military history of World War II is not well known by common people; this is…

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

Elly Farelly

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…

John Bridge: Heroic Bomb Disposal Expert of the Second World War

Unexploded munitions are a problem in war. Bombs and mines need to be deactivated to ensure operations can continue. It is difficult, dangerous, highly skilled…

Medal of Honor: He Took Out Three German Bunkers On His Own at the Battle of Crucifix Hill

Late in WWII, the obstinate Germans were on the defensive, and one American soldier had had enough. Unfortunately for the Germans, he was even more…

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

Jeff Edwards

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…

Saving Sara Matuson: How 10 POWs Risked Their Lives to Save One Woman

Life in a prisoner of war camp could be hard and dangerous during the Second World War. It was even more so for ten British…

Japanese-American Soldiers, The Nisei: The Purple Heart Battalion

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japanese-Americans became enemy aliens and were sent to internment camps. One responded in a most spectacular way. Daniel…

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…

Medal of Honor – One American’s Daring Escape from German Soldiers In WW2

Jeff Edwards

Typically, the actions for which a man earns the Medal of Honor are the most exciting and frightening of his military career. For Russell Dunham,…

One Secret Agent Who Helped Pave the Way for D-Day

Many agents served in secret during the Second World War. Sent behind enemy lines, they risked their lives gathering information and supporting acts of resistance…

Second World War Naval Reservist Was Awarded the VC After Surviving 31 Air Attacks in 4 Days

At the start of the Second World War, thousands of reservists were called up to serve in the armed forces of Britain and other European…