Robert Smalls, a Slave, Stole a Confederate Ship And Earned His Freedom
A year after the start of the American Civil War, a slave helped turn the tide of the fighting around Charleston Harbor. He was Robert…
That Day The Serbs Did The Impossible And Shot Down An F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a stealth fighter that was so advanced for its time that it remained a secret for a long time. What…
This German Flying Ace Saved an American Pilot; Years Later They Found Each Other Again
Humanity can sometimes manifest itself in the most amazing ways and the unlikeliest of places. Take the case of the pilot who shot down another,…
CSS Alabama and USS Kearsarge: Duel off the Coast of France
In June 1864, the American Civil War had been raging for three years, and merchant ships were increasingly becoming targets. For the previous two years,…
Tsingtao: A Microcosm of the First World War
When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, a global war erupted. Both nations had colonial possessions around the world. Those small colonies,…
The Daring Bruneval Raid To Capture German Radar Technology
One of the most important raids in the Second World War was the British raid on Bruneval in occupied France. Its aim was to steal…
Against All Odds – When United States Revenue Cutter Eagle Defended Itself For Three Days
On October 11, 1814, the town of Riverhead, on Long Island, erupted with the sound of cannon fire. Iron balls whistled over the cliffs on…
Unexpected Consequences – How The Spanish-American War Improved American Food
America declared war on Spain in 1898. In the aftermath, the Spanish Empire came to an end, the US grew bigger, and the US Food…
Vera Atkins: Incredibly Brave British SOE Squadron Officer of World War Two
Early in WWII, the Germans were marching through Europe, and Britain was next. On July 16, 1940, the British prime minister, Winston Churchill, declared, “Set…
Japan Tried To Set The U.S. West Coast Ablaze in WWII- It Nearly Worked
Most believe that those at Pearl Harbor were the only casualties on American soil during WWII. Not true. There were more in Oregon. The Japanese…
The Youngest (Confirmed) British Soldier of World War One
In 1998 Richard van Emden’s book, Veterans: the Last Survivors of the Great War was published. Later it became the basis of a 2009 television documentary.…
“I guess they didn’t know I was a Marine” – Heroism and Honor at Guadalcanal
Despite being the smallest of America’s Armed Forces, the US Marine Corps are considered the cream of the crop. There is a good reason for…