World War II showcased two powerful military strategies: Blitzkrieg and Deep Battle. Germany, with limited resources, used Blitzkrieg, like a surgeon's scalpel, making precise strikes. They combined tanks, soldiers, and planes to punch through …
Picture this: a young German soldier arrives in North Africa, uniform stiff and new. He quickly learns that the desert doesn't care much for regulations. It's scorching hot, sand gets everywhere, and those heavy boots are a nightmare. He see…
My grandpa, Valentino, had a surprising adventure during World War II. He was a cook in the Italian army, captured by the British in 1943. But things changed quickly when Italy switched sides. Grandpa was given a choice: stay in the prison camp or …
To protect & support the calves & ankles & prevent rocks, debris, etc., from entering the boot.They also provided a measure of warmth in cold weather. Initially, German soldiers in both World Wars initially wore high leather boots, “Mars…
Called the Washington B-1 by the RAF it was never well-liked by the RAF. These bombers we not made for the RAF but rather were in-service USAF B-29s that were handed over to the RAF which received 87 of them. To the RAF their B-29s were merely a sto…
When the minister for armament and ammunition ,Albert Speers, calculated in September 1944 that there would only be enough resources for one more year of war, many officers lost faith in Hitler’s leadership.They decided to organise an assassination …
US submarines in WW2 were, with very few exceptions, fleet boats that were designed to operate with the battle fleet. That led to some specific design features. They were fast compared to other submarines, with a top speed surfaced of 20-21 knots, t…
During the Korean War, the MiG-15 and the F-86 Sabre were two of the most prominent jet fighters employed by the opposing sides. The MiG-15 was a Soviet-built aircraft used primarily by the North Korean and Chinese forces, while the F-86 Sabre was a…
I was a soldier in the infantry in Vietnam, and I didn’t hate my weapon, the M16. But, depending on which part of the country you were in, it required a lot of TLC. I was in the Mekong Delta exactly 50 years ago this month, and the M16 did not take …
Gabby Gabreski, one of the top American fighter aces in Europe during World War II, had a unique way of flying. He was known for flying incredibly low to the ground, sometimes so low that he could look out of his cockpit and see himself eye-to-eye w…
Eisenhower biggest mistake was that he ignored warnings and advice. The US Military had a very peculiar way of working. High ranking officers would draw up a war plan themselves and their subordinates had to make it work, no mater how insane. Admira…
When I joined the army a long time ago, I was the regular teenager with my face barely visible behind my long, wavy, bathed in gel hair. The first day of training, I was taken to the barber shop where my lovely tresses were ruthlessly and mercilessl…
June 6, 1944, was a triumph for General Dwight D. Eisenhower (left). Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (right) knew it meant inevitable defeat. In April of 1943 Eisenhower called Rommel 'Great General,' but 'Not a Superman' . When we think…
Rommel knew that he was beaten by the Allies superior logistics rather than any sensational generalship on the part of Montgomery. However, Montgomery played his hand effectively and resisted all the pressure on him from Churchill to commence offens…
Surprisingly, Germany did actually have an aircraft carrier during WWII. A photo of the Graf Zeppelin taken in 1941. Graf Zeppelin was never fully completed, but it did exist. It had been laid down in late 1936, and launched in 1938. It was intended…
During the Vietnam war, navigation was extremely difficult because the jungle has extremely limited view range, so it becomes difficult to locate landmarks. In fact, there aren’t many landmarks at all. So even if sight range was further, there wasn’…
There is a story , that just might be true and is quite telling about that moment. During the allied bombing campaign of Germany , the bombers of the The 8th air force suffered tremendous losses because they could not provide fighter cover and prote…
Many were frustrated by the American way of warfare, especially the officers who could not call upon the resources that their enemy could. The common soldier was annoyed that the American infantry declined to “fight fairly” and relied heavily on art…
I teach World History at a private high school in Japan. In 10th grade, we covered World War II, and the students also learned about it in their Japanese history classes. My class is a bit different because the students are preparing for the IB Prog…
Many believe that Napoleon and Hitler's invasions of Russia failed solely due to the harsh winters. While winter played a part, their downfall was more complex. Both leaders invaded during the summer, aware of Russia's brutal winters. But th…
