World War I | War History

100 Years After She Sank, The Mystery of USS San Diego’s (ACR-6) Tragic End Was Finally Solved

Painting of the USS San Diego (ACR-6) sinking at sea

Shortly after 11:00 AM on July 19, 1918, the Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser USS San Diego (ACR-6) – formerly known as the USS California – was…

Ahmet Ali Çelikten: Why Have We Forgotten History’s First Black Aviator?

Ahmet Ali Çelikten standing in his pilot's uniform

Exactly two years before World War I came to an end, Ahmet Ali Çelikten became one of the world’s first Black military aviators. Çelikten, who…

The Allies Crafted the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosion to Win the Battle of Messines

Damaged German trench + British soldiers digging into the ground

The origin of mine warfare dates back all the way to the mid-19th century, during the American Civil War. In December 1861, Confederate officer Maj.…

17 Powerful Images That Show the Human Side of War

Soldiers making a human pyramid + Soldiers lifting a woman up to kiss their comrade in the back of a truck

Since the First World War, every conflict has been well-documented. There are millions of photos showing soldiers, aircraft, tanks and battlefields, and behind them are…

How the Soldier ‘Worth a Million Men’ Single-Handedly Saved His Comrades from a German Assault

British Home Guard members aiming Lewis guns + Military portrait of Aníbal Augusto Milhais

On April 9, 1918, Aníbal Augusto Milhais and his comrades with the 2nd Infantry Division of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps were embroiled in the intense…

Tommies: Did the Endearing Term for British Soldiers Actually Originate During WWI?

Three British "Tommies" sitting together in uniform

The term “Tommies” is most closely associated with British soldiers who served during the First World War. However, where and how did the nickname originate?…

Battle of Tannenberg: Annihilation of the Russian Second Army

Russian prisoners of war (POWs) standing together + Russian flag

Five hundred years before the start of World War I, the Teutonic Knights were gravely defeated by Slavic and Lithuanian forces at the Battle of…

John Simpson Kirkpatrick: The ‘Man with the Donkey’ in Gallipoli

John Simpson Kirkpatrick and Duffy the donkey aiding an injured soldier + Statue of John Simpson Kirkpatrick and Duffy the donkey aiding an injured soldier

Best known as the “Man with the Donkey,” John Simpson Kirkpatrick was one of many larger than life figures who landed with the ANZACs during…

‘This is What Madness Looks Like’ – WWI-Style Trench Warfare Being Used In Ukraine

Soldiers walking through a trench during World War I + Ukrainian soldier standing in a trench

Modern warfare has provided armies with an endless arsenal of high-tech weaponry, vehicles and aircraft. However, at their core, most conflicts today are similar to…

Maurice Rose: The Highest Ranking US Officer Killed By the Enemy In Europe During WWII

Military portrait of Maurice Rose

Maurice Rose lived through the horrors of the First World War and bravely returned to the battlefield when the global population was plunged into conflict…

How Trenches Changed the Face of Warfare During WWI

Aerial view of trenches on the Western Front + Soldier walking across a wooden bridge in a trench

If there’s one thing World War I is known for, it’s the use of trenches as a means of protection and strategy. They could be…

Schwarzlose MG: The Unusual Austro-Hungarian Machine Gun of World War I

Two soldiers manning a Schwarzlose MG

A number of machine guns saw action during the First World War. While the Vickers, Maxim and Lewis guns are likely the ones that come…