World War II | War History

The Japanese Battleship Kongō was Among the Most Heavily Armed When It was First Built

Kongō at sea

The Japanese battleship Kongō had some of the greatest nicknames in history; the Japanese translations for the vessel’s many names are “Indestructible Diamond,” “Indra’s Spear” and…

Before He Was Herman Munster, Fred Gwynne Served With the US Navy During World War II

Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster in 'The Munsters'

Fred Gwynne, the beloved actor known for his iconic roles in The Munsters (1964-66) and Pet Sematary (1989), led a remarkable life beyond the silver…

Lionel Crabb: The Mystery Behind the Missing British Frogman

Rosemary Giles
Soviet cruiser Ordzhonikidze at sea + Lionel Crabb wearing a suit

During the Second World War, there were a variety of special units created to deal with threats from enemies both at home and overseas. One…

Road Workers Were Amazed By An Unexpected World War II-Era Discovery In Chartres

Crew using a mechanical digger to lift a mud-covered M5 Stuart from the ground

During the six years that made up the Second World War, the Allied and Axis nations deployed an astonishing number of troops and armaments across…

Joe Foss: The MoH Recipient Who Took Out Japanese Aircraft Over Guadalcanal

Todd Neikirk
Joe Foss standing in front of an aircraft

Joe Foss lived for 87 years, and he packed more living into those 87 years than any other American in recent history. Not only was…

Little-Known Facts About ‘The Dirty Dozen’ – Charles Bronson Threatened Lee Marvin!

Still from 'The Dirty Dozen'

The Dirty Dozen (1967) is a classic war film that features a number of the biggest Hollywood stars of the time: Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine,…

S-Mine: Nicknamed ‘Bouncing Betty,’ It Struck Fear Into Allied Soldiers

Samantha Franco
Soldier searching for landmines

The S-mine, originally named the Schrapnellmine, was a German bounding mine used extensively by Wehrmacht troops throughout the Second World War. When detonated, it thrust…

The USS Texas (BB-35) Was Intentionally Flooded During D-Day

USS Texas (BB-35) at sea

The USS Texas (BB-35) saw more combat action in her lifetime than most other US battleships, seeing service in both World War I and II,…

Museum Housing the Führer’s Desk Temporarily Closed for Roof Repairs

Exterior of the Keep Military Museum

A museum housing the Führer‘s desk, which was taken from the Reichskanzlei in 1945, has had to close to the public because of a leaking…

Relic Hunters Surprised By What They Discovered In WWII-Era ‘Swamp Ghost’ Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

While flying over Papua New Guinea in 1972, airmen from the Royal Australian Air Force spotted something strange in the swamplands below. The large object…

Red Army Cook Ivan Pavlovich Sereda Took Out a German Tank With Just an Axe

Todd Neikirk
German soldiers riding on a Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) + Axe + Pot filled with vegetable soup

Over the course of human history, unlikely heroes have emerged from surprising places, and the battlefields of World War II were no exception. Ivan Pavlovich…

The Names of 425,000 Individuals Who Collaborated With the Germans in World War II Have Been Released

Dutch collaborators being marched down a street

For the first time, the names of 425,000 individuals who collaborated with the Germans during the occupation of the Netherlands in World War II have…