Tag Archives: war
13 Amazing Colorized Photos of Refugees During World War II
Refugees crossed these same passageways 70 years ago. But they were not Syrians and they traveled in the opposite direction. At the height of World War II, the Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration (MERRA) operated camps in Syria, Egypt and Palestine where tens of thousands of people from across Europe sought refuge. MERRA wasContinue reading “13 Amazing Colorized Photos of Refugees During World War II”
How A Small Group Of Canadian Paratroopers Saved Denmark From Soviet Occupation
By May 1945 the war in Europe had finally started to wind down. Yet for the men of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, there was one final mission to complete before they were relieved. Due to increasing tensions between them and the USSR, the Western Allies recognized that they had to take as much GermanContinue reading “How A Small Group Of Canadian Paratroopers Saved Denmark From Soviet Occupation”
The Dancer in Birkenau: Meet the Polish-Jewish Ballerina Who Shot Nazis on Her Way to the Gas Chamber
More a certainty than a legend, a woman killed a Nazi guard at Birkenau while she was ordered to strip en route to the gas chambers. But who was she? On October 23, 1943, a transport of around 1700 Polish Jews with foreign passports were transported out of the Special Camp at the Bergen-Belsen ExchangeContinue reading “The Dancer in Birkenau: Meet the Polish-Jewish Ballerina Who Shot Nazis on Her Way to the Gas Chamber”
Amazing Photos of Britain’s Female Dispatch Riders During World War II
During World War II, the British Royal Navy created an all female corps whose members were nicknamed the Wrens. One of their most notable duties was as dispatch riders for both the Admiralty and the Royal Navy. This turned out to be a tough assignment as German bombs made travel increasingly difficult as the warContinue reading “Amazing Photos of Britain’s Female Dispatch Riders During World War II”
25 Tragic Photos Of The Forgotten Genocide In Nazi-Occupied Poland
The death toll of the Holocaust wasn’t 6 million, it was 11 million. These are some of the victims killed in Nazi-occupied Poland who often go overlooked. When we think of the Nazis’ crimes against humanity, the most obvious example is the horrific, systematic murder of about 6 million Jews across Europe. However, the HolocaustContinue reading “25 Tragic Photos Of The Forgotten Genocide In Nazi-Occupied Poland”
The Last Jew of Vinnitsa, 1942
“The Last Jew of Vinnitsa” is an iconic photograph picturing the imminent execution of a Jewish man in the vicinity of the Ukrainian town of Vinnytsia during a massacre perpetrated by Nazi SS and Ukrainian militia. The photograph was found from the personal album of an Einsatzgruppen soldier (from Nazi death squad). It is namedContinue reading “The Last Jew of Vinnitsa, 1942”
Louisa Clayton, the Woman Who Disguised Herself as a Man to Fight in the Civil War
Several hundred women disguised themselves as men and took the bold step of leaving the comforts of home to serve their country during the Civil War. Frances Clalin Clayton disguised herself as a man and took the name Jack Williams in order to fight in the army. For several months, she served in Missouri artilleryContinue reading “Louisa Clayton, the Woman Who Disguised Herself as a Man to Fight in the Civil War”
Why did Nazis Shoot Female Russian Soldiers on Sight
Stories about military history often focus on battlefield tactics and strategy. When they do focus on people, it is usually on a male soldier. However, during WWII, the Germans often executed female soldiers on sight. This is doubly amazing because it suggests women were a significant part of the fighting forces and that they provokedContinue reading “Why did Nazis Shoot Female Russian Soldiers on Sight”
The Amazing Story Behind the Picture of a Soldier Feeding a Tiny Kitten in Korean War, 1952
In the middle of the Korean War, this kitten found herself an orphan. Luckily, she found her way into the hands of Marine Sergeant Frank Praytor. He adopted the two-week-old kitten and gave her the name “Miss Hap” because, he explained, “she was born at the wrong place at the wrong time”. There’s a juxtapositionContinue reading “The Amazing Story Behind the Picture of a Soldier Feeding a Tiny Kitten in Korean War, 1952”