MSN Slideshow | War History

Richard Marcinko: The Controversial Navy SEAL Legend

Members of US Navy SEAL Team One onboard an Assault Boat + Richard Marcinko wearing a tank top and sunglasses

Richard “Demo Dick” Marcinko had an average upbringing. Born into a family of Croatian and Slovakian immigrants living in Lansford, Pennsylvania, he was only 17…

Only 10 Crewmen Survived the Sinking of the Japanese Battleship Fusō – Out of 1,600

Fusō at sea

Prior to the First World War, Japan designed two dreadnought-style battleships. They were developed at a time when international players were engaged in a naval…

The Char B1 Tank’s Superiority Couldn’t Stop France’s Fall to Germany

Soldiers standing beside a wrecked Char B1

When the Second World War began, German leadership ordered the use of blitzkrieg tactics to quickly overwhelm their enemies. One of the key aspects of…

Panamax: How the Panama Canal Has Impacted Naval Ship Design

Elisabeth Edwards
Ship passing through the Panama Canal + Aerial view of the Panama Canal

Roughly 14,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal annually, but more than half can barely squeeze through the over 100-year-old locks, which are only 110…

The Enduring Legacy of Submarine Commander Dudley Morton

Todd Neikirk
Sailors standing on the USS Wahoo (SS-238) + Military portrait of Dudley Morton

Many heroes from the Second World War became famous upon returning to the United States. Audie Murphy became an actor and songwriter, while Dwight D.…

The Unbelievable True Story of John ‘Chickie’ Donohue and ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’

Zac Efron as John "Chickie" Donohue in 'The Greatest Beer Run Ever'

There are a number of wartime stories involving beer. For example, William Speakman of the Royal Highland Regiment is famous for holding back 6,000 Chinese…

Operation Claymore: A Daring British Commando Raid in Norway

Todd Neikirk
Woman standing on the deck of the HMS Legion (G74)

The German Army was riding high in the early part of 1941. The country’s occupation of France had begun in June 1940, and the US…

The M134 Minigun Was Designed for Helicopter Crews in the Vietnam War

Rosemary Giles
Door gunner manning an M134 Minigun from a Chinook helicopter

With an impressive legacy of roughly 60 years of service, the M134 Minigun was created in 1960 for use by the US military in Vietnam.…

Northrop F-89 Scorpions Once Carried Nuclear Weapons to Combat Soviet Bombers

Three Northrop F-89D Scorpions in flight

During the Cold War, the US Air Force was in need of a new interceptor aircraft to combat Soviet bombers. The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was…

Glock 19: One of America’s Most Popular Firearms

Todd Neikirk
US Air Force pararescueman aiming a Glock 19

While the “Glock” name has become iconic in the world of firearms, the brand only released its first pistol, the Glock 17, in 1982. The…

The Remarkable North American P-82 Twin Mustang Was Two Aircraft In One

North American P-82C Twin Mustang in flight

The North American P-82 Twin Mustang may be one of the strangest and most remarkable piston-engine aircraft ever produced. Its connected wing and double fuselages…

A 500-Mile March By French Cavalrymen Helped Bring an End to the First World War

Cavalrymen on horses

Images of the First World War often capture the difficulties of trench warfare, with soldiers on all sides of the conflict engaging in a war…