In 1942, the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment was created in Great Britain. It was a special forces unit that was trained to conduct secret missions using small boats. It was headed by the dashing Maj. Herbert “Blondie” Hasler. He came up with a plan to hit the Germans Read more…
During the Blitz of London in 1940, many people were killed by German bombs. Sometimes they left pets behind. After a bombing raid, a mixed breed terrier was found amongst the ruins. An Air Raid Warden named King fed the dog some scraps and the little dog followed him Read more…
“Truth is the first casualty in war” is a phrase used to describe government lies to the public to justify war and to boost morale during the war. But it’s not just the government pronouncements that you need to be skeptical about. Military reports and press releases often include exaggerations Read more…
In 1943, the Anglo-Americans invaded Italy because Churchill convinced Roosevelt that a cross-Channel invasion should be postponed until 1944. To appease Stalin, it was agreed that an Italian campaign would tie down German units that might otherwise face the Red Army. Churchill felt a strike at the “soft underbelly Read more…
The first enemy attack on American soil since the British attacked Washington during the War of 1812 occurred on Feb. 23, 1942. In the period after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese sent seven subs to roam the California coastline in search of warships and merchant ships. They sank two merchant Read more…
The USS William D. Porter was a destroyer commissioned on July 6, 1943 with a crew of rookies commanded by Lt. Commander Wilfred Walter. Little did they know, they would attempt to assassinate the President. In November, 1943, the “Willie Dee” was assigned escort duty for the battleship Iowa. Read more…
Millard Gillars was born in Maine, but in 1934 she was living in Germany. In 1940, she got a job as an announcer for German State Radio. When the U.S. declared war on Germany, she declined to return because she was engaged to marry a German soldier. When he Read more…
In American History classes, teachers tend to talk about Eisenhower and Montgomery as simply the generals that helped win WWII. We don’t have time to talk about personalities or personal dynamics. Personalities and personal dynamics can influence history. Here’s the story behind the relationship of the most famous American general Read more…
Netflix has a new movie called “The Bombardment”. It is a Danish film (with dubbed dialogue) that tells a fictional tale based on one of the greatest tragedies of collateral damage in WWII. I don’t recommend showing it in the classroom unless you want a class full of crying kids, Read more…
Jan. 21, 1918 is the birthday of a hero of WWII who would have remained unknown if not for a spectacular mini-series. In 1990, historian Stephen Ambrose sat down with Dick Winters to interview him about his WWII experiences for a book about the war. It was Winters who suggested Read more…