A Belgian officer took Nazi aggression personally – and got revenge
Jean de Selys Longchamps was born into Belgian aristocracy in 1912. When Germany invaded Belgium in May of 1940, he was a Baronet, the son of the Baron Raymond Charles…
Did this British soldier have 9 lives?
How many times can a person come close to death, without actually succumbing to that ill fate? In the case of one British soldier, the number grew until it was…
6 of the biggest failed gambles of World War II
Everything in war is risky but depending on who’s leading an army, some gambles are better than others. Mistakes are always made, but when the biggest risks on the battlefield…
Winston Churchill (initially) hated the tank named after him
Having a military ship or tank named after you is usually a pretty big honor. But what happens if the vehicle turns out to be dud (at least, at first)?…
This amphibious WWII tank could be launched from a submarine underwater
The Imperial Japanese military’s structure during WWII can be considered unorthodox by modern standards. For example, its navy (IJN) crewed and fielded amphibious tanks. Their goal was to support amphibious…
Here’s what communication looked like during WWII
With the onset of World War II, the United States was experiencing many changes in the way it communicated. That meant new ways to communicate internally, and faster ways to…
5 types of extra armor added to tanks during WWII
The technological evolution of warfare is cyclical. As weapons become deadlier, armor becomes stronger. As armor becomes stronger, weapons become deadlier. During WWII, tank technology rapidly advanced from small light…
6 badass military quotes created by combat
The only things more badass than these quotes were the actions that followed them.
1. “Just hold the phone and I’ll let you talk to one of the bastards!” – Maj. Audie Murphy, U.S. Army
Filipino soldiers wore helmets made from coconuts during WWII
Following the Spanish-American War, the Philippines ceased to be a Spanish colony. Instead, the islands became the largest colonial commonwealth of the United States. Alongside American units from the states,…
How the first ‘night vision’ scope turned the tide against Japan on Okinawa
It’s the little things in life that make life worth living. During World War II, those little things literally made life worth living, allowing American GIs to survive in situations…