World War I | War History

Battles of the Isonzo: Two Years, Over One Million Casualties

Austrian soldiers take aim with rifles on a mountaintop

Many of the bloodiest battles in World War I occurred along the Western Front. There was, however, another lesser-known combat theater that was as equally…

Indra Lal Roy was India’s Sole Flying Ace During World War I

Todd Neikirk
Royal Air Factory S.E.5a in flight + Portrait of Indra Lal Roy

World War I was the first major conflict to feature aircraft engage in aerial battles. At the time, it was incredibly dangerous to take to…

The Lee-Enfield Repeating Rifle Has the World’s Second-Longest Service History

Todd Neikirk
British soldiers training on Lee-Enfield repeating rifles

The first version of the Lee-Enfield repeating rifle entered into service in 1895. Since then, 17 million units and a number of variants have been…

Canadian War Crimes in WW1: How German Soldiers Were Exploited by Canadian Troops

Canadian soldiers sitting on the back of a truck

As World War I dragged on, an unexpected group became known for being ruthless. Canadians, stereotyped as friendly, kind and agreeable, certainly displayed none of…

Aníbal Augusto Milhais: The Portuguese Soldier ‘Worth a Million Men’

Todd Neikirk
Aníbal Augustus Milhais sitting with his fellow soldiers

The story of Aníbal Augustus Milhais, also known by the nickname Soldado Milhões (“Soldier Millions”), reads like something out of Star Wars. A simple farmer…

Historic Deception and Camouflage Techniques Used By Militaries

Dummy tank on display

Deception and military subterfuge have been used throughout history. The aim is to give armies the upper hand by tricking the enemy. The practice dates…

Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan on His Military Career and the Service of African-Americans in WWI

Military portrait of Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan

The US military has a long and complicated history when it comes to the treatment of minorities within its ranks. While things have certainly improved,…

The Titanic’s Sister Ship Took Out a German U-boat in World War I

The RMS Olympic in dazzle camouflage

When the RMS Olympic was launched in October 1910, she was the largest man-made moving object in the world. At 882 feet long, Olympic set…

Six Things War Movies Get Wrong About Grenades

Elisabeth Edwards
Soldier preparing to throw a hand grenade

When it comes to explosive weapons, nothing is more recognizable (and misunderstood) than the hand grenade. Movies and video games usually depict someone pulling the…

Konstantin Rokossovsky Was the Marshal of Two Armies During the 20th Century

Konstantin Rokossovsky dressed in winter gear

Russia during the first half of the 20th century was both massive and constantly engaged in military conflict. One man who made a name for…

Adrian Carton de Wiart: The Unkillable Soldier Who Frankly Enjoyed War

Artist's portrait of Adrian Carton de Wiart + Adrian Carton de Wiart sitting in a chair

Adrian Carton de Wiart. Not many people know the name, but it belonged to one of the most battle-scarred soldiers in the history of the…

British Tank Crew Survived Being Stuck in No Man’s Land for Three Days

Mark IV tank stuck in the mud

The Third Battle of Ypres – better known as the Battle of Passchendaele – is famous for the difficult conditions the British had to contend…