Project Iceworm: The secret Cold War-era plan to build nuclear missile sites under Greenland’s ice
At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. Army launched Project Iceworm, a secret plan to build a network of nuclear missile sites beneath…
Decades after it was abandoned in a lake, a captured Soviet T-34 tank was in remarkably good condition when it was recovered
Since World War II, pieces of the past have slowly come to light, discovered by historians, collectors, and battlefield explorers. Across Europe and the Pacific,…
Horizontal Collaboration: It’s estimated that 200,000 children were born as the result of relationships between French women and German soldiers during WWII
After France was liberated from German occupation in 1944, photographers and journalists rushed in to record the country’s turbulent recovery. Some of the most powerful—and…
John Wayne didn’t serve during WWII and was criticized by the public and close friends like director John Ford who considered him a draft dodger
John Wayne remains one of the most famous figures in American film history. During his long career, he appeared in many influential movies that helped…
During a 1942 mission over the Pacific, a B-17E Flying Fortress crashed in the jungle and became a local legend known as the ‘Swamp Ghost’
The “Swamp Ghost” became much more than a recovered aircraft—it turned into a powerful reminder of World War II’s lasting impact. Studies of the B-17E…
Inspired by their father’s deep patriotism, all four of Theodore Roosevelt’s sons enlisted in WWI, but one tragically did not make it home
Military service has long been part of America’s presidential legacy, with 31 presidents serving in the armed forces before taking office. That sense of obligation…
A Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit was once caught mid-flight on Google Maps
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is renowned for its cutting-edge stealth design, featuring a distinctive flying-wing shape and radar-absorbing surfaces that make it extremely hard…
Legendary sniper Simo Häyhä was shot in the jaw and read about his own ‘death’ in the newspaper while recovering at the hospital
The Winter War of 1939–1940 saw Finland’s relatively tiny military take on the massive Soviet Red Army. Although Finland ultimately had to cede some land,…
As part of their reliance on guerrilla warfare tactics, enemy soldiers constructed deadly booby traps that targeted American soldiers
During the Vietnam War, Viet Cong forces gained a fearsome reputation for their skillful use of guerrilla tactics, particularly through ingenious and deadly traps. Constructed…
After Japan lost 3,000 men during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, officials issued an order mandating every soldier learn how to swim
Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japanese forces rapidly seized large swaths of the Pacific, inflicting heavy losses on U.S. and Allied…
How salaries and compensation have evolved for American troops throughout history
Joining the U.S. Army has long required sacrifice and resolve, yet for much of American history those sacrifices were not matched by fair wages. Enlisted…
To defend against a potential Allied invasion, Japan trained soldiers as ‘kamikaze frogmen’ who attacked underwater with explosive-tipped spears
As World War II approached its final phase, both Allied and Axis planners pursued ever more audacious measures to gain the upper hand. For the…