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…
Instead of following orders to retreat, Desmond Doss endured enemy fire to save 75 men at Hacksaw Ridge
Desmond Doss exemplified remarkable valor in World War II, saving the lives of 75 injured comrades while resolutely declining to bear arms. His actions atop…
George S. Patton, the famous American WWII general, believed in leading from the front and even bought his men supplies from the Sears catalog
General George S. Patton remains one of the most formidable personalities in American military history. Known by the moniker “Old Blood and Guts,” he gained…
U.S. Army Rangers and Green Berets: Elite forces that have distinct purposes that set them apart
Looking at U.S. Army Rangers and Green Berets isn’t about declaring one superior to the other, but about recognizing how differently each unit is designed…
Military units across the centuries that earned terrifying reputations for their skills on the battlefield
Across the centuries, certain military units have earned reputations that struck terror into enemy ranks. Their fearsome status was built on more than brute strength—it…
Audie Murphy achieved the title of WWII’s most decorated soldier and became a Hollywood star before his life was cut short in a plane crash
Audie Murphy’s impact extends well beyond his decorated military service and Hollywood career. Behind the public persona was a man molded by adversity, relentless perseverance,…
American military leaders throughout history who rose to the rank of Five-Star General
Since the death of General Omar Bradley in 1981, the five-star rank has stood as a rare emblem of exceptional military leadership. Instituted by Congress…
Only a single Kugelpanzer survived WWII, but historians are still baffled as to what its purpose was
During the Second World War, Germany fielded a wide range of armored and combat vehicles, the vast majority of which are well recorded and studied…
Little-known facts and stories about D-Day, the invasion that changed the course of WWII and history as we know it
On June 6, 1944, the course of World War II shifted dramatically when Allied forces began their long-planned assault on German-controlled France. Troops from the…