Few things are more distressing than an overflowing toilet. Aside from the utter revulsion at having one’s home invaded by the toilet’s contents and the need to get it cleaned up as […]
How an Overflowing Toilet Caused a Submarine to Sink
Smoky and the Army Airborne
Originally posted on Pacific Paratrooper:
SMOKY At the beginning of of 1944, Smoky, a Yorkshire terrier, was found by an American soldier with a stalled jeep in the New Guinea jungle where…
The Reign of Terror of the Nazi Guillotine
Few images are more closely associated with France and its Reign of Terror than the guillotine. The horrifying execution device seems to be a relic of the past that faded away with […]
The Crazy Story of the Finnish Soldier Who O.D.’d on Speed, Stepped On a Mine, Skied 250 Miles, and Outmaneuvered the Soviet Army
Aimo Koivunen needed some help. As a soldier and proud citizen of Finland, he was committed to serving his homeland, but when faced with the overwhelming might of the Soviet enemy, there […]
“A Cacophony of Hell” — The Terrifying Crocodile Massacre at the Battle of Ramree Island
War can be terrifying enough when humans are the only combatants. Imagine how much worse it can be when nature takes sides. Such was the case during the Battle of Ramree Island […]
Churchill and the Foiled Plot of the Exploding Chocolate
Given Winston Churchill’s well-known fondness for food, it stands to reason that doctors warned him about the health risks of eating too many sweets. Little did they know just how dangerous certain […]
USS William D. Porter: The Navy’s Unluckiest Ship
When a new ship is commissioned, those associated with the vessel always have high hopes that it will be remembered. For those connected with the USS William D. Porter, that goal was […]
Trapped Underwater for 16 Days: The Tragic End for Three Sailors at Pearl Harbor
Over 2,000 Americans were killed as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. For three sailors, their deaths would come after 16 horrifying days of being […]
Did A Crossword Puzzle Reveal Secrets About the D-Day Invasion?
One of the biggest secrets of World War II was the Allied plan for the invasion of mainland Europe. Codenamed “Operation Overlord” and commanded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, D-Day’s details were […]
An Illuminating Strategy for Avoiding Destruction
The city of Konstanz, Germany was one of the few areas of Germany to emerge unharmed from World War II. While other communities endured devastating bombing by Allied air forces, this beautiful […]
A Kiss on All Four Cheeks
Winston Churchill and Charles De Gaulle had a difficult relationship, at best. Churchill viewed the French general as a spoiled child who always demanded his own way. On one occasion Churchill was […]
From Tyrant Teacher to Despicable Dictator
Benito Mussolini started out as a school teacher. He soon realized he was unsuited for the job. This was no shock to his students, who conferred a nickname upon their teacher: “The […]
The Fearsome Weapon in the War Against Slow-Moving Bunnies
They may seems cute and cuddly, but rabbits have been known to take on such powerful adversaries and Napoleon and Jimmy Carter. Knowing this might make you breathe a sigh of relief […]
Did One Wrong Word Cause the Hiroshima Bombing?
Readers of Commonplace will not be surprised to learn that one little mistranslation from one language to another can be embarrassing. Whether it is one misplaced letter when cheering General Douglas MacArthur, an incompetent […]
The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs
Tsutomu Yamaguchi could tell you stories about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and on August 6, 1945 his work took him […]
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