World War II | War History

The All-Female Civilian Organization That Provided Air Defense for Hawaii

Four members of the Women's Air Raid Defense (WARD) and a male co-worker gathered around a table

The Women’s Air Raid Defense (WARD) was a civilian organization working alongside the US military to protect the Hawaiian Islands from Japanese air attacks during…

Hill 400 And Hürtgen Forest: The Longest Battle Fought On German Soil During WWII

German soldiers setting off an infantry gun in the forest + American infantrymen walking beside a stream

The Battle of Hürtgen Forest for Hill 400 is often overlooked due to its proximity to the Battle of the Bulge. A German stronghold, it…

Meat is Such a Treat – and the Black Market’s Hottest Commodity in the 1940s!

Sign placed in front of a chicken coup, which reads, "Please DO NOT BUY ANY POULTRY on the Black Market"

Americans faced a major toilet-paper shortage with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this wasn’t the first time they nearly ran out of a…

Last Surviving Member Of Britain’s Force Benedict Mission Dies At 101

Military portrait of Eric Carter + grounded Hawker Hurricane

Former Royal Air Force pilot Eric Carter has died at the age of 101. Carter was part of the top-secret Force Benedict mission in Russia,…

Konstanz: The German City That Tricked the Allies Into Thinking It Was Part of Switzerland

View of Konstanz from the water + Rubble strewn across a city

Air raids were a common occurrence during World War II. Cities across Europe were subjected to nighttime bombings aimed at throwing their military forces off…

Lawyers Argue Over Fines After Antique Tank Removed From Pensioner’s Basement

Five German soldiers preparing the 1943 Panther tank for loading

While most pensioners spend their retirement vacationing, there are some who prefer to dedicate their time to collecting war memorabilia. While seemingly harmless, there are…

Dwight D. Eisenhower Lost a Bet to Bernard Montgomery and Had to Pony Up a B-17 Flying Fortress

Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery looking over a document together

War isn’t normally a time for playing games and making bets, but that’s exactly what happened in 1943 between Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen.…

Comparing Historic Battlefields, Then and Now

French troops standing together in a trench

Battles typically have a lasting physical impact on the places where they occur, leaving behind scars that hint at what happened. The following in a…

Digby Tatham-Warter: The British Major Who Disabled a German Tank With an Umbrella

Debris strewn across Arnhem Bridge + Allison "Digby" Tatham-Warter sitting in his military uniform

Allison “Digby” Tatham-Warter might be the most interesting member of the British Army to have fought during World War II. Known for his humor and…

Yamato: Japan’s Prized Battleship Couldn’t Survive An Air Assault By the Americans At Okinawa

Yamato at sea

As the fighting in the Pacific Theater neared its end in 1945, the Japanese were desperately trying to turn the tides of the Second World…

Britain’s New Normandy Memorial Pays Tribute To Fallen Troops

Aerial view of Britain's Normandy Memorial in France

The Normandy invasion was the largest naval operation in history. Involving thousands of Allied soldiers, it was the beginning of the end for the German…

The United States Unknowingly Predicted the Attack on Pearl Harbor Years Before It Happened

USS Maryland (BB-46) afloat beside a capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37)

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century, possibly in human history. The assault brought the…