18 obscure facts from the depths of WWII history. Even Mike might not know these.
Between November 1944 and April 1945, Japan launched approximately 9,300 'fire balloons' — paper hot-air balloons carrying incendiary and anti-personnel bombs — across the Pacific on jet streams toward North America. The first intercontinental weapon…
The famous 'Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III involved three tunnels (Tom, Dick, and Harry). Few people know that Dick was never found by the Germans and remained hidden. After the war, it was rediscovered but collapsed. What is even less known: the…
A Syrian brown bear named Wojtek was enlisted as a Private in the 22nd Polish Artillery Supply Company. He carried 25-pound artillery shells under fire at Monte Cassino. He drank beer, smoked cigarettes, and became the regiments official insignia. Af…
General Douglas MacArthur was a 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Freemason and served as Grand Master of the Philippines. During the occupation of Japan after WWII, several Japanese military officers who were Freemasons before the war (the Japanese military…
Hermann Goering's personal art collection contained over 1,500 works stolen from Jewish collectors across Europe, valued at over $200 million at the time. The collection was so vast that it required a special train to transport it to his country esta…
After the war, vast quantities of Nazi gold and stolen currency were discovered hidden in the Merkers salt mine in Germany — part of the Reichsbank's reserves, along with art treasures, personal valuables of Nazi officials, and currency from occupied…