No one would associate General Douglas MacArthur with cowardice. One of the few men to rise to the rank of 5-star general, MacArthur was known for bravery, daring, and determination in the […]
The Adversary Who Made MacArthur Vomit
The Failed Soviet Plan to Build a Flying Tank
Imagine that you are a soldier in World War II. In the heat of battle, your attention is focused on the advancing enemy. With no sounds to suggest any hostile aircraft are […]
The Sweet Story of Candy Instead of Bullets
The War to End All Wars was over. So was the one that came after it. It was 1949, and Edward Dee was trying to find a peacetime use for machinery that […]
America’s Lost War Against a Highly-Addictive Substance
Who could have anticipated the dire consequences of the pharmacist’s experiments? It started so innocently. Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès was participating in a challenge that was sanctioned by none other than Emperor Napoleon III. […]
Why Did Europe Get Bombed With Severed Chicken Heads?
The countries of Europe had been invaded. The attack had come swiftly, and the invaders were winning. These desperate times called for extreme measures if there was going to be any hope […]
Which War Killed One-Sixth of the World’s Population?
If you had to list the deadliest military conflicts in human history, which would take the #1 spot? The easy answer is World War II. With some estimates placing the death toll […]
A Sailor, A Prayer, and a Purposeful Life
Lieutenant King heard the alarm and rushed to duty. It was December 1944. His ship was facing its biggest battle of World War II. The mighty USS Monterey had been in service […]
The Unkillable General Adrian Carton de Wiart
In the realm of science fiction, one of the most formidable fighters of all time is a Terminator. These robotic soldiers from the future are the ultimate killing machine because they are […]
The Great Panjamdrum — the Hilarious and Horrible Failed Weapon of WWII
Necessity is the mother of invention. Few things create greater necessity than war. Consequently, some of the greatest innovations in technology have arisen out of military conflict. World War II generated great […]
How the Wizard of Oz Destroyed the Musical Career of a Famous Actor
It seemed that Christian Ludolf was destined for musical greatness. His father was a choreographer, and Christian was dancing as soon as he was able to walk. When he was ten years […]
Patton’s Pugnacious Party Pummeling
The greatest battlefield commander of the modern age was, by most accounts, General George S. Patton. His understanding of military history, instinctive grasp of technological innovation, and dogged determination rightly cemented his […]
The Nazi Invasion of Winnipeg
If you have spent any amount of time learning about World War II, you were probably taught that the lands of North America were blessedly exempt from combat. If so, you may […]
How the Baby Ruth Candy Bar Influenced the Bombing of Hiroshima
This morning’s headlines are filled with reports of war, pandemic, political turmoil, and — perhaps most distressingly — further chronicles in the lives of a couple of people named Harry and Meghan. […]
How General Patton’s Latrine Became a National Hero
Many monuments have been inspired by the horrors of war. None is more significant than the graves of soldiers who were killed in combat. Battlefield burial sites stand as sober reminders of […]
The Crazy Plan to Raise Hippos for Food in the USA
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special thanks to the office of Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (4th District, Missouri) for providing the legislative history on the American Hippo Bill. Who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ slab of […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 