World War 2 | War History

Thaman Gurung, V.C. – A Brave Gurkha gives his Life to save his Comrades in WW2

Gabe Christy

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…

Hugh Seagrim, Who Fought WW2 from Behind Japanese Lines

In the small Karen village of Mewado, Burma, two men stood smoking cigarettes. The owner of the cigarettes, Captain Inoue, was an officer in the…

A Terrible Mistake – Why The USSR Ignored Britain’s Warnings of Impending Invasion

On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the USSR. It was a move that came as a shock to the Soviets, but less so to the…

Four British Intelligence Agents of World War Two and Their Very Different Civilian Lives

In the early stages of WWII, Britain had to hastily improve its capacity to make war. It included recruiting skilled professionals to previously neglected military…

Harry Errington: The Only London Fireman to Earn a George Cross for Service in the Blitz

The bombing campaigns of WWII put a massive strain on firefighters. In both Britain and Germany, campaigns of deliberate destruction set cities alight. Not just…

Godfrey Place: World War Two Submariner, Future Admiral, And Victoria Cross Recipient

A daring submarine exploit of the Second World War was an attempt to sink the battleship Tirpitz using midget submarines. One man who came close…

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

Jeff Edwards

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…

13 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…

The Crew Of The B-24 Liberator “Star Valley” – Downed Behind Enemy Lines

War History Online presents this Guest Article by Mark Gero Saturday, February 5th, 1944, in a remote part of central France lies a village called…

Eric Liddell, the Record Breaking Olympian Who Kept Hope Alive in a Japanese Prison Camp

The Scotsman Eric Liddell is best remembered for his sporting accomplishments from the 1981 film that dramatized them, Chariots of Fire. However, his record-breaking performance…

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…