MSN Slideshow | War History

24 Photos That Show the Remnants of World War I-Era Trenches Across Europe

World War I-era trench running along a path + White cross positioned near a World War I-era trench

World War I forever changed the European landscape, in terms of the loss of human life and the scars left behind in the earth via…

The Battle of the Atlantic Was a Never-Ending Fight for Control of the High Seas

June Steele
Gunner standing on the deck of a destroyer at sea

The Battle of the Atlantic stretched across the entirety of the Second World War, from 1939-45. The monumental engagement was about more than just naval…

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Experiences During the Battle of the Somme Influenced ‘The Lord of the Rings’

Shell exploding on the battle field + Still from 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'

J.R.R. Tolkien is renowned for crafting the legendary high-fantasy tales of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Before earning fame as an author,…

Hedy Lamarr Helped Develop the Technology Behind Wi-Fi – All the Way Back in World War II

June Steele
Portrait of Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr is often celebrated for her captivating performances on the silver screen during Hollywood’s illustrious Golden Age, but behind her luminous facade was a…

The Soviet MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ Gave the North Vietnamese An Edge Against American Aircraft

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 in flight

Developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 quickly became a symbol of advanced aerial warfare technology. A successor to the famous…

Operation Market Garden Led to a Decades-Long Treasure Hunt That’s Still Ongoing

Close-up of the map detailing the possible location of the hidden treasure

In 2023, the Dutch National Archives unveiled a collection of documents that had previously been classified as “confidential,” as per the customary 75-year term. Among…

The M249 SAW Machine Gun Continues to Enhance the Role of Infantrymen in Combat

June Steele
Spc. Shawn Kennedy looking through the sight of an M249 SAW machine gun

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) machine gun – also known as the Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249 – is a critical tool for…

The Japanese Bolt-Action Arisaka Type 99 Rifle Saw Extensive Use In the Pacific Theater

Soldier aiming an Arisaka Type 99 rifle

The Arisaka Type 99 rifle was a significant evolution in the realm of military armaments. Born out of necessity in the 1930s, its development reflected…

The Battle of France Saw a European Power Fall in Just Six Weeks

German soldiers driving tanks down a dirt road

One campaign changed the direction of the Second World War: the Battle of France. The period leading up to the engagement was known as the…

Kaiser Wilhem and Tsar Nicholas II Tried (and Failed) to Avert World War I

Tsar Nicholas II and Kaiser Wilhelm standing together on a ship

The First World War, commonly referred to as the Great War, was an era characterized by profound upheaval, wherein major global powers engaged in intense…

20 Photos That Show the Remnants of World War I Scattered Across Europe

British soldiers running along a trench

The scars of the Great War, which raged from 1914-18, remain visible in Europe more than 100 years after the fighting stopped. The conflict left…

Ending the Deadliest Conflict in Human History: Why Did Japan Surrender in World War II?

Allied and Japanese military personnel standing on the deck of the USS Missouri (BB-63)

The Japanese surrender in World War II brought to a close one of the darkest and deadliest chapters in human history. While the Germans waved…