Normandy Archives

Normandy

Interview with a Screaming Eagle

By Brandt Heatherington

Reginald Alexander was born in Gardnerville, Nevada, in 1924 to Scottish émigré parents who were originally from Westcolvin, Scotland. Read more

Normandy

Jean Bureau, Master Gunner of France at Castillon

by William E. Welsh

No single Frenchman was more responsible for the rapid victories in Normandy and Gascony that drove the English once and for all from France than Jean Bureau. Read more

More so than other more visible factors, superior American logistics contributed to the reduction of the Battle of the Bulge.

Normandy

The Battle of the Bulge: An Allied Logistic Victory

by Michael D. Hull

When Adolf Hitler’s last major World War II offensive burst through the chill Ardennes Forest early on December 16, 1944, it scattered American frontline units and caused many anxious hours in the Allied high command. Read more

The British Cromwell tank would eventually prove to be one of the most successful WW2 vehicles made by the U.K. But how was it developed?

Normandy

The British Cromwell Tank: What Made it Such a Success

By Arnold Blumberg

At the outbreak of World War II, the British War Office assumed that conditions on the Western Front in France would be the same as those experienced in the Great War of 1914-1918. Read more

Normandy

Battle of the Standard — August 22, 1138 AD

By Terry Gore

The English commander, William de Aumale, heard the roar of the Scots army even before it appeared out of the early morning mists. Read more

Normandy

Operation Overlord’s Colonel Alexis von Roenne

During the early part of 1944, an event took place that would change the outcome of World War II. It seemed insignificant at the time, but would have a profound influence upon Operation Overlord, code name for the invasion of German-occupied France, as well as the resulting Battle of Normandy and the breakout that followed.;  Read more

The contrasting styles of Eisenhower and MacArthur both proved to be war winners during the Second World War. Here's how they compare.

Normandy

Eisenhower and MacArthur: an In-Depth Comparison

by Michael Haskew

Two of America’s most famous senior commanders to emerge from World War II were Eisenhower and MacArthur. These officers were largely responsible for command decisions that resulted in Allied victories in the South Pacific and in Europe. Read more

Normandy

Rollo the Viking, First Ruler of Normandy

by Michael Haskew

Roving bands of Viking seafarers raided extensively in Western Europe from the Eighth to the 11th centuries, looting and sacking settlements and population centers including London, Paris, and Hamburg. Read more

Normandy

Important Women in World War 2: Virginia Hall

By Michael D. Hull

Slender, five feet, seven inches tall, and with a warm smile that belied toughness and leadership ability, Virginia “Dindy” Hall of Baltimore had a wooden leg and a price on her head. Read more

In the October 2014 issue of WWII History Magazine, you'll see rare photographs of French children who struggled to cope with the hardships of war.

Normandy

Taking Guam from Japan in 1944

Above all, the island was defendable.

From Ritidian Point in the north to the extreme southern coastline, Guam is 34 miles long, made in an irregular shape covering 228 square miles, the largest of all Pacific islands between Japan and New Guinea. Read more

Roy Morris Jr. recalls his father's experiences at the Battle of the Bulge and the Ardennes forest.

Normandy

Looking Back on the Battle of the Bulge

by Roy Morris Jr.

In the Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, Adolf Hitler rolled the dice for the last time in World War II. Read more

A four-year-old French boy, his head in bandages, was treated by GIs behind the battle lines after he was wounded by German shrapnel.

Normandy

Normandy’s Little Victims

By Kevin Hymel

War spared no one. As modern armies clashed in France’s Normandy countryside, French civilians found themselves in the crossfire or on the receiving end of bombs and heavy weapons. Read more