Modern | War History

The Real-Life US Marines Behind the Characters of ‘The Pacific’

June Steele
Still from 'The Pacific'

The Pacific (2010) is one of the most realistic depictions of the fighting that occurred in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War. It…

With the Type 93 Torpedo, the Allies Didn’t Know What Hit Them… Literally

Type 93 torpedo on display

The Type 93 torpedo was developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the interwar period and became the most advanced and superior torpedo of…

Behind-the-Scenes Facts About the Popular WWII Film, ‘The Longest Day’

Still from 'The Longest Day'

If asked to name a film about the D-Day landings, The Longest Day is likely the first to come to mind. The 1962 feature, directed…

Expedition Produces New Images of Shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway

Wreck of the USS Yorktown (CV-5) on the seafloor

The Battle of Midway in June 1942 was a turning point of the War in the Pacific. While the United States lost a handful of…

US Navy SEAL Solomon Atkinson Embodied the Spirit of Dedicated Military Service

Portrait of Solomon Atkinson + Solomon Atkinson sitting in a chair

There have been an innumerable amount of US Navy SEALs who’ve served since the 1960s, but few have earned themselves the reputation of Solomon Atkinson.…

The Tank Museum Republishing Trevor Pidgeon’s ‘The Tanks at Flers’

Copy of 'The Tanks at Flers' on display

The Tank Museum has announced it’s collaborating with historian Stephen Pope to republish Trevor Pidgeon’s The Tanks at Flers: An Account of the First Use…

MoH Recipient Larry Taylor Disregarded a Direct Order and Saved a Four-Man Reconnaissance Team

Joe Biden placing the Medal of Honor around Larry Taylor's neck

The Medal of Honor has been handed out to just over 3,500 servicemen since its inception during the American Civil War. It’s a symbol of…

Hiroshima Survivor Kiyoshi Tanimoto and the Co-Pilot of the Enola Gay Met on an American TV Show

Mushroom cloud rising over Hiroshima + Kiyoshi Tanimoto sitting at a table + Military portrait of Robert A. Lewis

Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto was one of the lucky ones to survive the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the United States on August 6, 1945. Following…

The True Story Behind the Spaghetti Run in ‘Band of Brothers’

David Schwimmer as Herbert Sobel in 'Band of Brothers'

Band of Brothers (2001) is often considered a realistic retelling of the bravery of the men of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,…

Clint Eastwood Turned Down the Opportunity to Star in ‘Apocalypse Now’

Martin Sheen as Capt. Benjamin Willard in 'Apocalypse Now' + Robert Duvall as Lt. Col. William "Bill" Kilgore in 'Apocalypse Now' + Portrait of Clint Eastwood

Apocalypse Now (1979) is arguably one of the best Vietnam War movies ever released. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring the likes of Marlon…

The Purple Heart and Letter That Forever Haunted Harry Truman Following the Korean War

Harry Truman sitting at his desk + Purple Heart

The president of the United States makes a lot of tough decisions. It’s hard to order troops into battle and even more difficult to notify…

The True Story Behind the USS Indianapolis Monologue in ‘Jaws’

Robert Shaw as Quint in 'Jaws'

Jaws (1975) is a thriller and summertime classic directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. The film is based…