World War II | War History

War Dog That Served in the Pacific Theater Awarded Distinguished Service Medal

Monument dedicated to Smoky and "Dogs of All Wars" + Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medals displayed on a table

Dogs are a semi-common sight on the battlefield, but one you wouldn’t expect to see is a Yorkshire Terrier. Despite the breed’s small size, one…

The Most Important Battleships in American History

USS Missouri firing during an operation

In order to remain a prominent world power in the late 1800s, the US had to keep up with the latest military technology. When South…

P-80 Shooting Star: The Fighter Jet that Took Out America’s Top Flying Ace of WWII

Richard Bong in the cockpit of his airplane

During World War I, Eddie Rickenbacker became America’s top flying ace. By the time World War II came around, airplane technology had improved significantly. As…

Isoroku Yamamoto: The Japanese Marshal Admiral Who Planned Pearl Harbor

Todd Neikirk
Isoroku Yamamoto in full uniform

Isoroku Yamamoto had plenty of relationships in the United States. The Imperial Japanese Navy officer spent considerable time there as a student and naval attaché…

The Japanese Set Up Internment Camps in the Philippines During WWII

Santo Tomas Internment Camp

During World War II, the United States forced 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. The action represented one of the darker moments in American history.…

8 Baseball Hall of Famers Who Served During World War II

Joe DiMaggio + Ted Williams + Bob Feller

The December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was unprecedented. In reaction, scores of young men almost immediately enlisted in the services, and they came from…

Erich Hartmann: The Most Successful Fighter Ace of All Time

Erich Hartmann smiling

Despite to horridness of their cause, the pilots of the German Army were among the most successful of the Second World War. The most storied…

The Legend of Unsinkable Sam: Did This Death-Defying Cat Really Exist?

Bismarck at sea + Pastel portrait of Unsinkable Sam

Unsinkable Sam was the nickname given to a cat who reportedly survived the sinking of three ships during World War II. Also known as “Oscar,”…

The Myth That Carrots Are Good for Your Eyes Came from a WWII Propaganda Campaign

WWII-era propaganda poster promoting a diet of carrots and other vegetables + Bundle of carrots

When I was younger, my parents always told me that carrots would give me better eyesight. Much to their surprise, even though I ate the…

These Unsettling Facts About WWII Aren’t Taught In School

WWII-era German aircraft flying over a destroyed city

Volumes have been written about the Second World War. Generations of students have learned about the conflict and, depending on the extent of their education,…

NOAA Launches Search for B-29 Graveyard in the Pacific Ocean

Joltin' Josie the Pacific Pioneer crew standing around the B-29 Superfortress + Map showing the location NOAA researchers will be searching for the downed World War II-era aircraft

Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are conducting a search of the Pacific Ocean for what’s been dubbed the largest graveyard of…

Karl Plagge Saved Jewish Lives Ahead of a Camp Liquidation – and Lived

Military portrait of Karl Plagge

The Second World War saw numerous atrocities committed against a large portion of Europe’s Jewish population. Upon being drafted into the German Army, engineer Karl…