MSN | War History

Forget CGI! A B-17 Was Actually Crashed During the Filming of ‘Twelve O’Clock High’

Gary Merrill, Gregory Peck and Dean Jagger as Col. Keith Davenport, Gen. Frank Savage and Maj. Harvey Stovall in 'Twelve O'Clock High'

We live in a world where CGI is commonplace in movies. It’s actually become a selling point to say that flight sequences, such as those…

Royal Engineer Divers Are Some of the World’s Finest Frogmen

Three Royal Engineer Divers crossing a road

When it comes to military operations in challenging underwater environments, the Royal Engineer Divers are a distinguished and highly-skilled force. This elite group combines engineering…

Battle of Khe Sanh: The Siege That Shook America

US Marines standing together in uniform

The Vietnam War, one of the most contentious conflicts of the 20th century, witnessed numerous fierce enagements that left a lasting impact. Among them was…

Royal Navy Submarine Buried Beneath British Park? Experts Say It’s Likely

Aerial view of Coronation Park, Dartmouth + SMS S17 at sea + HMS E1 at sea

There’s long been an urban legend surrounding Dartmouth’s Coronation Park, which states a Royal Navy submarine is buried beneath the green space. Residents of the…

Why the US Made the Japanese Surrender Aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63)

Aircraft flying over the USS Missouri (BB-63) and other Allied vessels

On September 2, 1945, the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies. Ending hostilities, the Japanese agreed to an unconditional surrender by signing the Instrument…

Soldiers Got Creative When Testing Out Gas Masks In WWI

Soldier peeling onions while wearing a gas mask

World War I marked a dark era of unprecedented technological advancements in warfare. One of the most notorious was the use of poisonous gas, first…

Building the Berlin Wall – And How It Fell Several Decades Later

Members of the Combat Groups of the Working Class standing in front of the beginnings of the Berlin Wall

The construction of the Berlin Wall is a tangible symbol of the Cold War, dividing a city and its people for nearly three decades. The…

Benelli M4: The Superior Semi-Automatic Shotgun Built Specifically For Combat

US Marine holding a Benelli M1014

Produced by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA, the M4 semi-automatic shotgun is the fourth and final model of the Super 90 line. Built for…

The B-17 Tail Gunner Who Continued to Fight, Even After Being Shot Down

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in flight

On November 29, 1943, tail gunner Eugene Paul Moran survived what could have been a horrific crash aboard a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. While on…

British Soldiers Were Heralded As Heroes Following Dunkirk

Cecil Collins playing the banjo while British soldiers walk around him

In the spring of 1940, the world witnessed a harrowing episode of human resilience and bravery on the shores of Dunkirk. As the Germans closed…

The Harley-Davidson WLA Was Affectionately Dubbed the ‘Liberator’ By American Troops

US Armored Division troops sitting on Harley-Davidson WLAs

During the tumultuous years of the Second World War, the Harley-Davidson WLA played a pivotal role in US military operations. Renowned for its ruggedness, reliability…

The USS Triton (SSRN-586) Was the First Vessel to Complete a Submerged Circumnavigation of the World

Rufino Baning in a boat, as seen through the scope of the USS Triton (SSRN-586)

The Cold War saw the development of nuclear submarines by both the United States and the Soviet Union. One of them was the US Navy’s…