Terrible Punishments, Desperate Men – Desertion in the American Civil War
It is the American Civil War. You have been walking hundreds – perhaps thousands of miles – in tattered clothes and worn out shoes. You…
Vistula-Oder Offensive: The Offensive That Brought The Soviets To 70km From Berlin
In the 2004 film Downfall, depicting the last few days in Adolf Hitler’s bunker under Berlin before the city finally fell to Soviet troops on…
The Battle of Edgehill, October 1642 – Both commanders hoped to force battle
War History Online presents this Guest Article by Jemahl Evans Everyone thought it would all be over by Christmas. Everyone expected a single sharp engagement and…
Britain’s Sacrifice of Crete Preserved North Africa For The Allies In World War Two
In May 1941, German paratroopers invaded and overran the island of Crete. A British force, which included New Zealanders and supported by the local resistance,…
Saving Sara Matuson: How 10 POWs Risked Their Lives to Save One Woman
Life in a prisoner of war camp could be hard and dangerous during the Second World War. It was even more so for ten British…
At the Chosin Reservoir, Robert Kennemore Stepped On Two Grenades to Save His Marines
War is full of the actions of brave men launching themselves onto explosives to save their fellow soldiers. A grenade thrown into a trench could…
The One-Armed Warrior Who Was Awarded The Victoria Cross
Some soldiers are so pig-headedly persistent that they go down in legend; including one who did so with only one arm. George Albert Cairns was…
Against All The Odds – Battles Where The Underdogs Won The Day
Outnumbered and outgunned, the underdogs that defeat their enemies through strategy, cunning or pure luck often give us the most compelling stories. Although numerical strength…
Canadian Aircrew Memorial in Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons on a hot, bright summer’s day provides one of the most fantastic views in Britain. However on a dark rainy night in…
“That’s how they did things” – Veteran shares story of WWII Navy service in the Pacific
War History online proudly presents this Guest Piece from Jeremy P. Ämick, who is a military historian and writes on behalf of the Silver Star…
Inspiring Officers of the First World War – A Time of Great Bravery, Great Horror, and Great Sacrifice
Thousands of men served as officers in the British army during the First World War. Many of them lost their lives, and the survivors were…
Four British Intelligence Agents of World War Two and Their Very Different Civilian Lives
In the early stages of WWII, Britain had to hastily improve its capacity to make war. It included recruiting skilled professionals to previously neglected military…