The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, belonging to Norway, is famous for being home to the Global Seed Vault and for having recently emerged as a tourist destination where visitors can witness the northern lights, polar bears, and the midnight sun. However, while catering to tourists has become a new economic niche, the backbone of its […]
Second World War
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world’s countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
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The Disastrous Italian Invasion of Egypt During World War II
Wavell’s Thirty Thousand might sound like the title of a play about an inheritance or lottery prize, but nothing could be further from the truth: it was the nickname given to the troops of Archibald Percival Wavell, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Middle East Command between 1939 and 1941. The reason for this name was […]
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The Battle of Thermopylae in Which No Greek Soldier Participated: April 1941
Persians, Spartans, Leonidas, Xerxes, Ephialtes… Everyone has heard these names and can place them—more or less—in the 5th century BCE, when the Battle of Thermopylae took place. It was one of the key moments of the Greco-Persian Wars because, along with the battles of Salamis and Plataea, it saved Greece from an invasion by the […]
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James Stagg, the Meteorological Officer Who Determined the D-Day Date with His Accurate Weather Forecast
All history enthusiasts—or at least those particularly interested in military history—remember a date that marked a before and after in World War II: June 6, 1944. That day is usually referred to by its code name, D-Day, the day when Operation Overlord began; in other words, the Allied forces’ continental invasion. However, the landings on […]
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The Unusual German Bomber from World War II with a Delta-Wing Shape, Considered a Possible Cause of Early UFO Sightings
The NASM (National Air and Space Museum) is a Smithsonian Institute museum dedicated to the history and technology of aviation and spaceflight, one of whose locations is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, near Dulles Airport. It’s a place that will delight any enthusiast who visits, offering the chance to discover fascinating artifacts like the original […]
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Black Panthers: The African American Soldiers of the 761st Tank Battalion Who Fought at the Battle of the Bulge
They made a good first impression, but I have no faith in the inherent fighting ability of the race. This was what General Patton declared after inspecting the 761st Tank Battalion in 1944, on the eve of their baptism of fire. The renowned military leader was merely reflecting the prevailing opinion among U.S. commanders regarding […]
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How the Germans Developed and Used the First Operational Jet Bomber in History During World War II
The first operational jet bomber in history was called the Arado Ar 234 Blitz and entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1943 during World War II. It participated in several operations, demonstrating a speed that made it impossible for enemy fighters to intercept. However, it did not have the impact it could have had because […]
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The Invasion of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1941, the Only Nazi Germany-loyal Territory in North America, Lasted 20 Minutes
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), a French archipelago of two islands located in North America about twenty-five kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland, is the last remaining vestige of the former Viceroyalty of New France (which encompassed parts of what are now Canada and the United States, such as Quebec and Louisiana). Like other territories, […]
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Operation K: The Failed Second Japanese Aerial Attack on Pearl Harbor with Seaplanes, Three Months After the Initial Strike
It is not widely known due to the limited scale of the action and its poor results, but three months after their devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese carried out a second raid. The aim was to force the U.S. fleet to venture into open waters and engage in a decisive battle, taking advantage […]
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A German Junkers Ju 88 Plane from World War II, Found 51 Meters Deep in the Sea South of Sicily
In a recent discovery that adds yet another piece to the complex mosaic of World War II in the Mediterranean, a Junkers Ju 88 plane was found 51 meters deep on the seabed near the small island of Capo Passero, located at the southern tip of Sicily. This aircraft, identified by its serial number, belonged […]
