During the D-Day invasion, the Allies dropped thousands of decoy dummy paratroopers called Ruperts that couldn’t be distinguished from real paratroopers at a distance, these fakes sent Nazi forces chasing them inland in pursuit while real paratroops landed closer to Cherborg and Caen.
WWII
After the USS William D Porter accidentally…
After the USS William D Porter accidentally fired a torpedo at the battleship carrying President Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference during WWII, other ships began greeting the Porter by signaling “Don’t shoot, we’re Republicans.”
The famous photo of the Soviet flag…
The famous photo of the Soviet flag being raised during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 was actually doctored. Photographer Yevgeny Khaldei added smoke to make it seem more dramatic, and also removed one of two watches from a Senior Sergeant’s wrist, as it would have implied looting.
After World War 2 Canada had the…
After World War 2 Canada had the 4th largest air force, 5th largest navy, and the largest volunteer army in the world.
Upon being discharged from the US naval reserve…
Upon being discharged from the US naval reserve, William Colepaugh defected to Nazi Germany in 1944. Trained as a spy, he was landed ashore at Gulf of Maine by an U boat. He voluntarily surrendered after partying with the money meant for espionage activities.
Charm bracelets had an increase…
Charm bracelets had an increase in popularity in the U.S during and after WWII. Soldiers found that they could easily buy and send small charms home to their partners. The charms helped their wives and girlfriends feel connected to them still.
After a Luftwаffe pilоt saw the SS…
After a Luftwаffe pilоt saw the SS kіlling Jеws, he faked illnеss to avoid combаt, missed targets, and tampered with bоmbs. For 20 years after the wаr, he anоnymously donаted 2/3 of his incоme to Jеwish orphаns and Holоcaust survіvors. In 1965, he emigrated to Israеl and convеrted to Judаism.
Alarm clock production in…
Alarm clock production in the United States was stopped in 1942 to redirect resources to the war effort. Production was restarted in 1944, as too many workers missed their shifts when their alarm clock broke and they could not purchase a new one.
Shoichi Yokoi was a sergeant in the Japanese…
Shoichi Yokoi was a sergeant in the Japanese Army during WW2. He went into hiding after the Battle of Guam, living in the jungle with several others for 28 years, though he was alone for the remaining 8 years. He survived by hunting, primarily at night. He also used native plants to make clothes, bedding, and storage implements, which he carefully hid in his cave. After his capture he returned to Japan, married and became a popular TV personality. “It is with much embarrassment that I return,” he said upon his return to Japan. The remark quickly became a popular saying in Japan.
Hans Münch was a doctor known as The Good…
Hans Münch was a doctor known as The Good Man of Auschwitz because he refused to assist in the atrocities. His experiments were elaborate farces intended to protect inmates. He was the only person acquitted of crimes at the 1947 Auschwitz trials after many inmates testified in his favour.