Written by Jesse Beckett and Clare Fitzgerald
We’re all drawn to the allure of mysteries, and World War II presents a plethora of questions to ponder. The sheer magnitude of the conflict, coupled with the devastating tactics employed during it, resulted in individuals disappearing and technologies vanishing. The answers to these puzzles were buried alongside those who held them, making the quest to unravel them one of the most fervently pursued endeavors since the war’s conclusion.
Below are some of the most perplexing mysteries from the Second World War.
Battle of Los Angeles
One of the most peculiar episodes of the Second World War was undoubtedly the so-called Battle of Los Angeles. What makes it so extraordinary? Simply put, it never actually occurred. At the time, California was gripped by concerns of a potential Japanese assault, fueled further by circulating rumors of their proximity to the US mainland.
The purported “battle” unfolded in the wake of the Ellwood bombardment, spurred by a cautionary message from the Office of Naval Intelligence predicting an imminent attack on California within the next 10 hours.
On the morning of February 25, 1942, radar systems detected what seemed to be hostile activity 120 miles west of Los Angeles, triggering the blare of air raid sirens. In the ensuing hours, the 37th Coastal Artillery Brigade unleashed a barrage of 1,400 shells into the sky, while residents reported sightings of Japanese aircraft, paratroopers and even unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
Ultimately, the city faced no real threat, and the US Navy attributed the frenzy to heightened anxieties. Nevertheless, the incident remains shrouded in mystery, with many feeling that no explanation provided thus far fully elucidates the events of that night.
Foo fighters
Unidentified flying objects are a favorite among those interested in unsolved mysteries, and World War II played host to many weird aerial sightings. Strange objects of all different shapes, sizes and colors were encountered by pilots during the conflict and were collectively known as “foo fighters.”
To begin with, US military officials believed the sightings to be the result of combat fatigue, tiredness or atmospheric phenomena, but after reports kept coming in, an official investigation was launched to try and figure out what they were. There were fears the objects were a secret enemy technology, but their seemingly friendly nature made this explanation unlikely. Investigators were unable to find any answers, and the mystery of the foo fighters remains unsolved.
We’re not saying it’s aliens, but…
Who turned in Anne Frank and her family?
One of the most well-known unsolved mysteries of World War II is that surrounding who ratted out the Frank family’s location to the German Army stationed in the Netherlands. Their story was made famous by the publishing of 15-year-old Anne Frank’s diary, which is now considered essential reading in classrooms across the world.
Following their hiding place being revealed, the Franks were sent away, with Otto Frank being the only one to survive the war. The identity of the person who led to the Germans finding out where the family was is not known, despite the passage of nearly 80 years. A book published in 2022, The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation, claimed to have identified the person, but it was later pulled by the publisher after being discredited by historians and researchers.
Columbus Globe for State and Industry Leaders
The German Führer was known to like large things – just look at the tanks he approved during the later years of the Second World War. However, none are as shrouded in mystery as the Columbus Globe for State and Industry Leaders. It was built for him by a Berlin-based company in the 1930s, and it came to symbolize the Führer’s despotic ambitions.
Following the war, the globe’s location became a mystery. Similar ones were built around the same time, while more have come up for sale over the decades, but none are confirmed to be the Führer’s. It may have been destroyed in the chaos of the conflict’s final days or looted by a soldier who has kept it hidden ever since.
Disappearance of Flight 19
Strange events are known to occur in the Bermuda Triangle, so it’s not surprising that one of the most unusual unsolved mysteries to happen just months after the conclusion of World War II involved the site. On December 5, 1945, the US Navy sent 14 aviators on a navigational training flight. The mission involved them flying through the Bermuda Triangle, an area of the Atlantic Ocean where unexplainable incidents and disappearances occur.
Not long into the flight, all five of the General Motors TBM Avengers lost contact with base. An investigation was launched to try and determine what happened, but while a conclusion was initially agreed upon, it was later retracted. Currently, the case of the missing airmen is listed as having a “cause unknown,” as they’ve never been located.
What’s even eerier is that the aircraft sent in to search for the missing torpedo bombers, a Martin PBM Mariner, also disappeared, leaving the whereabouts and fate of its 13 crewmen unknown to this day… This story makes us never want to set foot in the area.
Gold Train
Another German-related topic, the infamous Gold Train is one of the greatest unsolved World War II mysteries of them all. While stories vary, many believe the German Army loaded up a train with gold, art, treasure and other valuables when all hope of winning the war had vanished. The locomotive was then hidden, likely in a sealed-off tunnel, and has never been found. If true, the haul could be worth millions of dollars on its own, before accounting for the incredible history attached to it.
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The story has essentially become an urban legend, but that hasn’t stopped many from taking it seriously. The Polish military hunted for the train following the war, but were unsuccessful. No evidence has been found to suggest it ever existed. However, the hunt was reignited a few years ago by two Polish men who claimed to have received a deathbed confession about its whereabouts.
Once again, no Gold Train was found.