Shahan Russell

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

Articles by Shahan Russell:

Marcus Luttrell – Lone Survivor of One of the Bloodiest Days in the History of the SEALs

It was the single deadliest mission in Afghanistan for US Navy SEALs. Only one would live to tell the tale, and he survived only because a…

The Dutch Terrorized the Philippines in 1600 Before Circumnavigating the World

In 1600, two Dutch ships terrorized the Philippines. They then went on to become the fourth group of Europeans to circumnavigate the world. This is…

The “Red Zone” In France Is So Dangerous that 100 Years After WWI It Is Still A No-Go Area

The Zone Rouge (Red Zone) is a region near Verdun, France spanning some 460 square miles of mostly virgin forest – at least on the…

The Battle of Ortona – When 2,600 Canadian Men Were Sacrificed for a General’s Pride

In December 1943, a group of largely untested Canadians went up against German forces in the Italian town of Ortona. The result was a bloodbath…

Wilhelm Adalbert Hosenfeld – The German Who Saved “The Pianist” And Is Honored by Israel

Sometimes, things aren’t always so black and white. Take the Nazi officer who ran a concentration camp in Poland. Who would ever have thought that he’d…

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”…

After North Korea Captured Their Spy Ship, The Crew Invented The ‘Hawaiian Good Luck Sign’ In Defiance

In 1968, North Korea seized a US Navy ship, held its crew for almost a year, and tortured them. To free themselves, the captives had…

WW1: German Spies Blew Up 100,000 Pounds of TNT in New Jersey And Damaged The Statue Of Liberty

The first terrorist attack on US soil happened when Germany attacked New Jersey in 1916 – an event which became known as the Black Tom…

The Cádiz Expedition, Involving a King’s Boyfriend And A Disatrous Invasion Of Spain

The Cádiz Expedition of 1625 involved a king’s boyfriend and an invasion of Spain. It had disastrous consequences for Britain and left the Spaniards extremely…

Libya Bombed A German Disco in 1986, So The US Bombed Italy

In 1986, Libya bombed a discotheque in Germany… so the US retaliated by bombing Italy. Not all of Italy, of course. Just a small portion…

The Battle of Stoney Creek – A Minor Fight That Changed History

In the early 1800s, two US generals tried to invade Canada. They might have succeeded, too, except for a peculiar handicap – their inability to…

The Battle of San Jacinto – Where Santa Anna Lost Texas By Falling Asleep

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (Santa Anna, for short) thought very highly of himself – and with…