In 1940, 11-year-old Audrey Hepburn studied ballet in occupied Holland. To aid the resistance, the students performed in secret while Nazi patrols roamed nearby. Applause was forbidden, and later Hepburn said, “The best audience I ever had made not a single sound at the end of my performance.”
Thirteen year old Yoko Moriwaki is known as the “Japanese Anne Frank…
Thirteen year old Yoko Moriwaki is known as the “Japanese Anne Frank”. She kept a diary about her life during WWII, which was later published by her brother. She was killed by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
Until World War II most US groceries, dry cleaners, drugstores…
Until World War II most US groceries, dry cleaners, drugstores, and department stores offered home delivery service. War-related labor shortages, and gas/tire rationing, caused most to stop; businesses found, however, that sales increased when customers had to buy in person.
A Japanese Officer in WW2 killed himself…
A Japanese Officer in WW2 killed himself rather than order his 2000 subordinates to conduct a kamikaze attack.
In the Second World War, the UK’s home guard ran….
In the Second World War, the UK’s home guard ran out of rifles to issue to it’s soldiers, and ordered a quarter of a million medieval-era Pikes to be made to fight off the Nazis.
During World War 2, Allied submarines would lie on beds…
During World War 2, Allied submarines would lie on beds of pistol shrimp. The snapping sound made by the shrimp was so loud, it stopped the submarines from being picked up on Japanese sonar.
The only woman who served in front-line reconnaissance…
The only woman who served in front-line reconnaissance in the Soviet marines during World War II, carried hundreds of men off the battlefield and was seriously wounded three times, received the highest award in the Soviet Union only in 1990, 45 years after the end of the war.
During World War 2, the British captured Germans and put…
During World War 2, the British captured Germans and put them in a bugged mansion where they served them wine and food and thus they were able to gather important intelligence from casual conversations between the ‘prisoners’ that helped them greatly win the war.
The Soviets and the UK invaded Iran during…
The Soviets and the UK invaded Iran during World War II in order to prevent their oil reserves from falling into Nazi hands.
Gander, a World War 2 Newfoundland service dog…
Gander, a World War 2 Newfoundland service dog, saved a Canadian unit of soldiers from a live grenade during the battle of Hong Kong. The dog picked up the grenade and rushed towards the Japanese enemies, dying in the explosion.