Shahan Russell

Shahan Russell is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Shahan Russell:

Poetic Justice and the Plot to Kill Hitler

Poetic justice is when the good are rewarded and the evil punished. It usually comes about by an ironic twist of fate. It happened to…

The Curious Tale of an Extremely Jinxed Ship – The USS William D. Porter (DD-579)

During WWII, the Allies had a ship so jinxed, it destroyed itself by nearly destroying something else. And yes, you read that correctly. The USS William…

The Strange And Cold Day The French Cavalry Captured a Dutch Fleet at Sea

The Hussars were a type of light cavalry that originated in medieval Hungary and were adopted by other European countries. Their bravery, cunning, and daredevil…

On His First Mission, This American Air Force Misfit Saved His Plane And Was Awarded The Medal of Honor

Maynard Harrison “Snuffy” Smith was such a screw-up, he joined the US Army to avoid jail. He earned the nickname, “Snuffy Smith,” because no one…

Private Dirk J. Vlug: the Bane of Japanese Tanks – Fighting in the Philippines in WW2

Ten hours after bombing Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked the Philippines. Because of their brutality, many Filipinos fought back as they had little to lose.…

Robert Anderson Hoover of Nashville, Tennessee: the Father of Aerobatics

He was among the world’s greatest pilots – despite suffering from severe air sickness. Robert Anderson “Bob” Hoover was born on January 24, 1922, in…

Disease, Starvation, and the Brutal Russian Winter – Why Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia Failed

In 1812, Napoleon’s Grande Armée (Great Army) invaded Russia. Though made up of about 680,000 soldiers, they lost. Historians have given many reasons as to…

This Member Of The Nazi Party Became Known as a Modern Buddha

A “Buddha” is an enlightened being – one who breathes wisdom, goodness, compassion, and mercy. A saint, to put it in Christian terms. In one…

This Fighter Pilot Saved a Bomber Squadron From German Fighter Attacks For over Half an Hour – Alone

During WWII, he single-handedly protected a bomber squadron against German planes… even when he ran out of ammo. They called him the “One Man Airforce”…

The First Man to Sink a Japanese Warship – The Battle Of Wake Island

Most people believe that although the Japanese succeeded in bombing Pearl Harbor during WWII, they never managed to occupy so much as an inch of American soil,…

Flying Tigers Veteran Glen Beneda Never Forgot How The Chinese Saved His Life, Nor Did They Forget Him

When the US entered WWII, many believed they’d lose because Japanese victories kept piling up at America’s expense. Historians claim that the Battle of Midway…

After Pearl Harbor, A Japanese Pilot Crash-Landed On A Hawaiian Island And Tried to Occupy It

In 1941, a lone Japanese pilot tried to capture the Hawaiian island of Ni’ihau. The natives responded by holding a luau for him. Though part…