Hermann Ramcke, German Marine Turned Paratroop General
In an American prison cell, a former German officer sat writing a letter to his captors. The war was over, but his concern for his…
Many of Germany’s finest tacticians & commanders of WWII served in the panzer forces. One of those men was Walther Nehring
First World War Born in 1892, Nehring entered the German army in 1911. At the start of WWI, he was sent to the Eastern Front…
America’s First Ever Paratrooper Assault – Operation Torch
On the night of November 7, 1942, American forces launched Operation Torch, the invasion of Axis-occupied North Africa. It was an operation that involved several…
The Mongol Invasions of Japan and the Origin of the Word “Kamikaze”
In the 1270s and 1280s, the menacing forces of the Mongols attacked Japan. Through courage, determination, and good luck, the Japanese drove them off. It…
The Empire Of Japan & The Invasion Of The Philippines In WW2
On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines. A mix of local and American forces, most without combat experience, rushed to hold off the professional…
Powerful Hardware After WWII – Soviet Tactical Ballistic Missiles of the Cold War
Missiles were a vital part of the Cold War. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) threatened to hurl nuclear payloads from one side of the globe to…
The US 503rd Parachute Battalion Seize the “High Ground” From the Axis
When American forces arrived in North Africa in November 1942, the 503rd Parachute Battalion were among the first troops on the ground. A week later,…
Breaking The Deadlock – Machine Gun Tactics of WWI
The machine-gun was possibly the most valuable weapon in defining the fighting of WWI. Its massive firepower devastated infantry formations and virtually eradicated the use…
The Sub-Machine Gun – A New Kind Of Weapon For A New Kind Of War
Born from Trenches WWI created a new sort of fighting. Weapons that could deliver high volumes of fire were essential to defending trenches. If they…
The Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and Warhawk – American WWII Fighters
An American Fighter The Curtiss P-40, known as the Warhawk, was an American fighter plane. It went into service during WWII, where it was widely…
A Powerfully Symbolic Moment – On September 11, 1944, The First US Troops Cross The Border Into Nazi Germany
On Monday, September 11, 1944, an event of powerful symbolic importance took place. An American patrol crossed the border into Nazi Germany. They were the…
Heavy Armor of the Cold War – 13 Soviet Anti-Tank Vehicles From Post-WWII
In the period following WWII, anti-tank weaponry was very important in warfare. Anti-tank vehicles, which were themselves sometimes mistaken for tanks, became a vital part…