Articles | War History

10 Photos of US Troops Displaying Enemy Flags Like Trophies

US soldiers walking in a line through tall grass + US Coast Guardsmen posing with a captured Japanese flag

The “loss” of a unit or army’s colors refers to the capture of a flag in battle or it being taken away as a form…

Vincent Speranza: The American Soldier Who Went On An Epic Beer Run to Help a Comrade

Military portrait of Vincent Speranza + Portrait of Vincent Speranza

Soldiers who’ve been injured in battle can often be comforted with items that remind them of home. During the Siege of Bastogne in World War…

The Gewehr 98 Was A Favorite During WWI And For Good Reason

Todd Neikirk

The Gewehr 98 was one in a series of guns designed by Mauser during the 19th century. Like many of their rifles, the weapon was…

Two Members of the Real-Life von Trapp Family Served in WWII

von Trapp family singing into a microphone

The von Trapp family’s incredible story is one of the most well-known events of the Second World War. Though not entirely accurate, it was forever…

Turning Personal Experiences Into Song: Six Musicians Who Served in the US Military

Tony Bennett + Elvis Presley

The very best songwriters in the world call on their life experiences to help inform their music – and serving in the US military is…

The Controversial History of Napalm and Its Use in War

Napalm bomb explosion

The use of fire in warfare is horrific and terrifying. It’s also nothing new. The ancient Greeks used petroleum-based fire weapons, referred to as “sticky…

Dimitar Peshev: The Politician Who Saved 48,000 Bulgarian Jews from Deportation

Portrait of Dimitar Pershev

During the Second World War, Bulgaria was committed to staying neutral. That does not mean, however, that its Jewish citizens were safe. Jews had lived…

The Medal of Honor Recipient Who Shot Someone He Accused of Being a Communist Spy

Arthur Jackson shaking hands with President Harry Truman

Arthur Jackson enlisted in the US Marine Corps when he was only 18 years old. He quickly became a super soldier, earning both the Purple…

The Poor Treatment of Bulgaria’s Jewish Population During World War II

Two men at a memorial ceremony for Bulgarian Jews

Jewish people are said to have first settled in Bulgaria in the year 46 CE. They’ve created a long and rich history over their almost-2,000…

Why Did the US Army Attack the Lakota Sioux at Wounded Knee?

Painting of the Massacre at Wounded Knee

On December 29, 1890, soldiers with the US Army opened fire on hundreds of Lakota Sioux. The group of Native Americans was largely unarmed and…

Navy Deserter Living Under Stolen Identity Arrested, Convicted of Fraud

Close-up of a US Navy Sailor in uniform

A Tennessee man who deserted the US Navy over 40 years ago has been identified and arrested, after the man whose identity he stole received…

Kurt Vonnegut’s Time as a Soldier During WWII Inspired His Popular Anti-War Novel, ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’

Written by Todd Neikirk and Clare Fitzgerald Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most beloved and influential authors of the 20th century. While he was…