Shahan Russell

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

Articles by Shahan Russell:

“Behind Enemy Lines” – The Real Story Behind The Film And Why The Pilot Sued 20th Century Fox

He was shot down, hunted, and eluded his enemies by surviving on bugs and worse. Hollywood made a movie, and he sued the movie-makers. Scott…

Mers-el-Kébir In WW2 – When The British Devastated The French Fleet With One Ten-Minute Hail Of Fire

Unable to stop the German advance in Europe, British soldiers fled through the Port of Dunkirk with French help. Weeks later, the British thanked their…

Project Acoustic Kitty – The CIA’s Top Secret Spy Cats Project

When Seal Team Six killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011, they did not do it alone. They had help from a Belgian Malinois dog named…

They Called Him “Mad Jack” – The Sword-Wielding, Bagpipe-Playing Longbowman Of WWII

Once upon a time in France, a soldier attacked his enemies with a sword and a longbow. When not doing so, he enjoyed playing bagpipes,…

Sir Winston Churchill – Britain’s War Leader

In 2002, the BBC launched a nationwide poll asking Britons who they thought the Greatest Briton was. Among those nominated were William Shakespeare and Princess…

James Doohan – Star Trek star shot two snipers on D-Day and was shot seven times in WWII

He saw action during WWII and in outer space. His exploits inspired many to enter the engineering profession, while one followed him to the moon.…

Making An Aircraft Carrier Out of Ice and Sawdust In World War Two

In WWII the British were desperate. Metal was in short supply, and German U-boats were sinking Britain’s lifeline – ships. The Allies needed an unsinkable…

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 Long Tan: 1500 Strong VC and NVA Force Ambushed 108 Australians – And Lost

During the Vietnam War, 108 Australian soldiers stood against some 1,500 to 2,500 Vietnamese forces near the village of Long Tan. When the battle was…

Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg, A WWII Hero – He Saved Many Lives, But His Final Fate Is Still Not Certain

Many people saved Jews during WWII, but one person was perhaps unique for three reasons. First; he became a citizen of six different countries simultaneously.…

Léo Major, The One-Eyed Liberator of Zwolle – A One-Man Powerhouse In World War Two

Some men are driven by a need to prove themselves to their fathers. One took it to an extreme, however, by single-handedly liberating an entire…

Al Chilson, The Real Rambo – “The Most Incredible List Of Citations I Have Ever Seen”

Llewellyn Morris “Al” Chilson was born on April Fools’ Day, 1 April 1920 in Dayton, Ohio to a WWI veteran. The family later moved to the…