Shahan Russell

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

Articles by Shahan Russell:

The Slave Who Stole A Confederate Ship, Met President Lincoln & Bought His Master’s House

In 1862, Robert Smalls stole a Confederate ship, gave it to the Union Army, freed slaves, and met President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he…

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 US Special Forces Major who fought in the SS

Some men choose sides, others choose battles, and others fight regardless of the side or battle. One such man not only fought for three different…

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…

James Hill: Highly Decorated WW2 Paratrooper Who Fought On Despite Terrible Injury

Some men will stop at nothing when it comes to achieving their objectives suffering through all manner of pain, discomfort, and embarrassment. One man took…

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…

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…

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…

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”…

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…

The Cádiz Expedition, A Disastrous 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…

The USAAF pilot who defected with his plane and joined the SS

During WWII, an American pilot defected to Nazi Germany. Despite this, he was allowed to reenlist in the US military. Martin James Monti was born…