INSTANT ARTICLES | War History

May 15 Incident: When Japan Tried to Spark a War Using Charlie Chaplin

Two Japanese newspaper clippings + Portrait of Charlie Chaplin

On May 15, 1932, the world was almost plunged into an unexpected war. The Imperial Japanese Navy had organized a coup d’état through a series…

GIGN: The Elite French Force Charged with Counter-Terrorism and Hostage Rescue

Rosemary Giles
Four GIGN members in full tactical gear

The Groupe d intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) – National Gendarmerie Intervention Group in English – is an elite French tactical unit that was…

Indian Navy Commissions First Home-Built Aircraft Carrier

Indian Navy sailors standing on the deck of the INS Vikrant

The Indian Navy has officially commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier. Nearly 20 years after it was ordered, the INS Vikrant, whose name is Sanskrit…

Last Remaining WWI-Era Dreadnought, USS Texas (BB-35), to Undergo $35 Million Repairs

USS Texas (BB-35) at port

Some three years after it was closed to the public, the USS Texas (BB-35) has been transported from its home at the San Jacinto Battleground…

Poland Demanding $1.3 Trillion in World War II Reparations from Germany

German soldiers running down a dirt road

Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party has released a report, which puts the country’s monetary losses during World War II at $1.32 trillion (6.2…

Snipers: The Four Greatest Marksmen In Military History

Chris Kyle staring at someone + Simo Häyhä smiling + Chris Hathcock smiling + Vasily Zaytsev holding his sniper rifle

Becoming one of the greatest snipers in history isn’t an easy feat to accomplish. The following four snipers, however, proved themselves worthy of the title…

Inside a Submarine: A Glimpse Into the Lives of Those Serving Beneath the Ocean’s Surface

Submarine surfacing in the water

Submarines are among the most mysterious places on Earth, with only a small number of people having experienced what it’s like onboard one. While most…

The Japanese Battleship Kongō was Among the Most Heavily Armed When It was First Built

Kongō at sea

The Japanese battleship Kongō had some of the greatest nicknames in history; the Japanese translations for the vessel’s many names are “Indestructible Diamond,” “Indra’s Spear” and…

Special Forces Veteran Ryan Hendrickson Is Clearing Land Mines for Ukrainian Farmers

Rosemary Giles
Three men in camouflage clearing land mines from a field

Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, land mines have been laid by Russians soldiers, leading to a high number of civilian casualties. They’ve…

Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry Faced Death Twice While In the US Army Air Forces

Todd Neikirk
Gene Roddenberry sitting in a chair

Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-69) remains enormously popular and influential; critics still point to the creator’s forward-thinking views on race and human…

CIM-10 Bomarc: The First Operational Long-Range SAM Ever Developed

People standing below a CIM-10 Bomarc

The United States was in a strange position following the end of the Second World War. Not only was this an era that saw rapid…

Bruce Carr Was Shot Down Behind Enemy Lines and Flew Back In a Stolen Aircraft

Bruce Carr standing in front of his North American P-51D Mustang "Angels' Playmate"

There were many astounding feats accomplished by flying aces throughout the course of the Second World War. Earning the title of “flying ace” is itself…