WWII
The Mauser 98: The Best Bolt-Action Rifle Ever Made?
By Blaine TaylorAccording to The History Channel’s Tales of the Gun, the Mauser 98 was “the best bolt action rifle ever made.” Read more
WWII
Ireland in World War II: The Swastika vs. The Shamrock
By James BilderThe south of Ireland, officially known as Eire and often referred to by many residing there as the “Free State,” declared its neutrality when World War II erupted suddenly in September 1939. Read more
WWII
Saga of the Eggbeater
By Mark AlbertsonOn September 14, 1939, Igor Sikorsky attained stability and control with the initial flight of an open cockpit test bed known as the VS-300. Read more
WWII
Famous Military Spies: Ralph Van Deman
By Peter KrossIn the long history of American military intelligence, the names that come to mind most often are those of Nathan Hale, Benedict Arnold, Herbert Yardley, and William Donovan. Read more
WWII
The French 75 Gun: The Secret Cannon Used for Over Half a Century
By Christopher MiskimonA regiment of Bavarian infantry advanced quietly in the dark, rising from its own trenches and moving toward the French lines across the desolate no-man’s-land in between. Read more
WWII
Famous Military Weapons: Mortars
By William McPeakThe mortar is perhaps the oldest surviving ordnance piece developed during the Middle Ages. The earliest known forerunner to the mortar, introduced by Spanish Muslims about ad 1250, was essentially an iron-reinforced bucket that hurled stones with gunpowder. Read more
WWII
The P38 Can Opener: WWII’s “Other” P-38
By Richard A. BerantyFar down on the list of important inventions essential to victory in World War II is a modest gadget built of stamped metal called the GI Pocket Can Opener—commonly known as the P-38 can opener—which was used by American troops in the field to sever the lids off combat rations. Read more
WWII
The Bridges at Nijmegen
By Christopher MiskimonLieutenant Colonel Ben Vandervoort’s 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2/505) was fighting its way through the Dutch town of Nijmegen on September 19, 1944. Read more
WWII
Was It Right to Drop the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki?
By Sam McGowanThe most controversial decision of the 20th century—probably in all of history—was the one reportedly made by President Harry S. Read more
WWII
To Field an Army: A Short History of the Draft
By Mike HaskewThe call of a nation on its civilian population either to create a military force or to augment a standing army is virtually as old as civilization itself. Read more
WWII
A Memorable Marine Mascot
By Eric NiderostSoochow was a mongrel dog with a remarkable gift for self-preservation. A homeless stray, he attached himself to some U.S. Read more
WWII
Profiles: ROTC Success
By Bruce PettyMore than 16 million Americans served in the U.S. military during World War II, but as fluid as the situation was in the Pacific, and considering the priority given to the European Theater, it is difficult to obtain an accurate count of how many served in the Pacific at any one time during World War II. Read more
WWII
Insight: Bombing the Abbey
By Duane SchultzFor the thousands of Allied soldiers who had fought and suffered for so long in the shadow of the abbey of Monte Cassino, Tuesday morning, February 15, 1944, was a time of joy and celebration. Read more
WWII
A List of American Commanders in WWII Who Lost Their Lives
By Thomas R. CagleyGeneral George S. Patton, Jr., once said, “An army is like a piece of cooked spaghetti. You can’t push it, you have to pull it after you.” Read more
WWII
Sleep in the Military: Not Dead, Just Dead Tired
By Kevin M. HymelOne of the most precious resources in war, and the one most often in short supply, is sleep. Read more
WWII
The History of the U.S. Coast Guard
By Blaine TaylorOn August 4, 1790, at the urging of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the United States Congress authorized the construction of 10 armed revenue cutters. Read more
WWII
The Heroism of Vision: Photographs from the Battlefield
By Al HemingwayOn the morning of February 23, 1945, on the tiny Pacific island of Iwo Jima, a 40-man patrol gathered at the 5th Marine Division headquarters for their final briefing with battalion commander Lt. Read more
WWII
The Modern Grenade: A Brief History
By William McPeakWhen did humanity begin throwing explosive devices? What are the origins of the modern grenade, and how did explosives evolve? Read more
WWII
Sherman Tanks of the Israeli Army
By Christopher MiskimonFrom its inception, Zahal, the Israeli Army, has been forced to use ingenuity and improvisation to arm itself against its Arab enemies. Read more
WWII
The Short-range Shotgun
By Christopher MiskimonComing upon the enemy’s rear guard outside the western Kentucky village of Sacramento, four days after Christmas 1861, Confederate Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest ordered his cavalry to advance. Read more
