MSN | War History

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…

Creating the Magnificent US Marine Corps War Memorial

Felix de Weldon standing beneath a plaster cast of 'Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima'

The US Marine Corps War Memorial – also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial – stands as an iconic symbol of valor and sacrifice. Located…

The Japanese Defeat During the Guadalcanal Campaign Was a Turning Point for the Allies

Wreck of a Japanese ship along the coast of Guadalcanal

Above is a photo of an unidentified Japanese ship that the Americans sank during the Guadalcanal Campaign. The vessel was sunk sometime during the fighting…

Convair XFY Pogo: The Tail Sitter That Looked Like a Mallard Duck

Convair XFY Pogo in flight

The Convair XFY Pogo was an American experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tail-sitter aircraft. Following World War II, the Americans began developing VTOL combat…

The Freelance Photographer With the Amazing Mustache Who Survived Enemy Fire In Vietnam

Kurt Rolfes holding his damaged camera

Photographers played an incredibly crucial role in documenting the Vietnam War, capturing the harsh realities and human side of the conflict. These brave individuals, such…

Before He Was Herman Munster, Fred Gwynne Served With the US Navy During World War II

Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster in 'The Munsters'

Fred Gwynne, the beloved actor known for his iconic roles in The Munsters (1964-66) and Pet Sematary (1989), led a remarkable life beyond the silver…