The bittersweet story of the Christmas Truce of 1914
War stems from division. It happens when there are problems we just can’t seem to solve. War is seldom beautiful, but every now and then, a little light shines through….
Today in military history: The WWI Christmas truce
On Dec. 25, 1914, German troops engaged in World War I laid down their weapons and began to sing Christmas carols. World War I began on July 28th, 1914, after…
5 awesome foreign awards US troops are allowed to wear
You may be looking fresh with that stack of awards and badges, but cool flashy medals are reserved for the most prestigious of US military awards.
But how do you stand out at your next unit ball or dress inspection? Rock some foreign ones…
Listen to a German WWI veteran describe killing on the Western Front
Stephan Westmann was a German physicist who studied and taught at the University of Berlin during the interwar years. When the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany in the…
4 things that got a Nazi an automatic Iron Cross
Germany’s highest awards for valor, the Iron Cross, was the most awarded of the top tier medals of any nation in World War II. But Germany awarded more top-tier valor awards than any other country for two very good reasons. First, most German troop…
The Army Chief learned about Pearl Harbor in 14 words
December 7, 1941, is a day which lives in infamy. But it dawned normally at 7:13 a.m. in Washington, D.C., and the attack on Pearl Harbor didn’t begin until the afternoon in Washington. For leaders like Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall, …
4 German designs used by Japan in WWII
Although the Japanese feudal period ended at the turn of the 17th century, isolationist policies delayed the country’s advancement compared to western nations. The shogunate and samurai culture persisted until…
Today in military history: Royal Air Force bombs Hamburg
On Nov. 16, 1940, the Royal Air Force bombed the German city of Hamburg. The Battle of Britain began the summer before, with the German Luftwaffe launching large scale attacks…
German tanks were made to look like Americans during the Battle of the Bulge
The act of deception on the battlefield is an integral part of armed conflict. From the Trojan Horse to the American Ghost Army, wartime trickery can mean the difference between…
This flying boat was the heaviest aircraft of WWII
The Second World War saw huge advancements in the aviation industry. From the validation and establishment of monoplanes to the introduction of the jet engine, the technology of flight moved…