Shahan Russell

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

Articles by Shahan Russell:

Two WW2 Planes Collided Over Australia, Then The Pilot Who Saved Them Was Punished

In 1940, two planes collided in mid-air over Australia. Remarkably, there were no fatalities. Even more remarkably, the pilot responsible for saving the planes was…

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…

Half Blind Japanese Pilot Flies His Damaged Zero For 5 Hours, Then Refuses Medical Attention Before Making His Report

During WWII, Sub-Lieutenant Saburō Sakai served as a naval aviator with the Imperial Japanese Navy. He claimed 64 victories, one of which was made after…

Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics

The grandson of slaves, he got a college degree and became an international legend. Despite being sickly, he set athletic records that took decades to…

She Bought Her Own T-34 Tank And Went On a Rampage After Nazis Killed Her Husband

They say that “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” But if you take her love away, it gets a helluva lot worse –…

Wars Fought For Stupid Reasons: Stray Dog Sparked War Between Greece and Bulgaria in 1925

Wars had started over land, resources, religion, and politics. When people say that “wars have been fought over less,” however, they’re usually right; in 1925,…

Red Against Red – China’s Failed 27 Day Invasion Of Vietnam

In 1979, China invaded Vietnam because Vietnam had invaded Cambodia, whose rulers were backed by China. The conflict lasted a month and resulted in tens…

How The Stringbag, an Outdated Biplane, Took Out the Gigantic Battleship Bismarck in the Second World War

The German battleship, Bismarck, was one of the biggest vessels ever built in the first half of the 20th century. A marvel of advanced engineering…

When the Chinese Stole a Soviet Tank, Things Nearly Went Nuclear

In 1900, Russia signed the Treaty of Beijing which gave them Outer Manchuria and other Chinese lands. When both countries became communist, their nagging border…

In 1956, An Obsolete WW2 Drone Took on Two State-of-the-Art Manned Jet Fighters Over the US – And Won

In August 1956, a drone went rogue over Southern California, threatening cities, including Los Angeles. In its aftermath, over 1,000 acres were destroyed, forests and…

Neutral Switzerland Has Mistakenly Invaded Tiny Liechtenstein 3 Times in 30 Years

Most people associate Switzerland with mountains, chocolates, watches, and Swiss Army knives. They also think of a peaceful and neutral country that’s fanatic about avoiding…

When They Dropped a 22,000 lb Grand Slam Bomb On This Massive Submarine Factory, It Barely Made A Dent

Erich Friedrich Michael Lackner is considered to be one of the most influential engineers of the last century. He developed a revolutionary type of concrete…