History

August 1780, Benedict Arnold offers West Point to the British

Whenever the name Benedict Arnold is spoken, it immediately conjures up derision. In the United States, that name has become synonymous with traitor. Before his treachery, Arnold was a general in the Continental Army and a hero who was victorious in early battles.  Arnold was dismayed because he was passed over for promotion in favor […]

Was the Siege of Toulon the military birth of Napoleon Bonaparte?

When the King of France Louis XVI betrayed his people by handing them over to foreigners, he had no idea what his fate would be. With the Prussian army at its borders and Austria ready to intervene, the days of revolutionary government seemed numbered. Worried by the imminent collapse, the French Government called all citizens […]

Kelly Johnson: An American military aviation hero

This article was written by Alex Hollings and originally published on Sandboxx. Kelly Johnson wasn’t the first man to build an airplane. Nor was he the first to push the limits of what an airplane could do. But few men have played a more vital role than Johnson in shaping mankind’s ascent into the skies. […]

Salerno: Advancing onto the underbelly of the Italian mainland

Less than a month after the fall of Sicily, the Allies began their quest to liberate mainland Italy. On September 3, 1943, the British undertook simultaneous landings in the Calabria “toe” region of Italy. About a week later, on September 9, 1943, the Americans launched Operation Avalanche near the port of Salerno. The operation began […]

Otto Skorzeny: The story of the German scarface

Sensational press accounts were just plain rabid about this man from the time he “escaped” a post-WWII “Officers’” holding camp, until the start of the Vietnam conflict. All he ever really wanted to be was a Mechanical Engineer and to serve his country honorably. Most of us would never have heard of this Commando’s successes […]

Sully’s Squad book excerpt: Flashback to December 7, 1941

Editor’s note: Enjoy this excerpt from SOFREP author Kevin Wilson’s book, Sully’s Squad. The book will be published on May 25, 2020. The main characters of Sully’s Squad are rooted locally to upstate New York and the novel is partially based and dedicated to a local war hero. Sully’s Squad is not only a WWII […]

American aircraft sink Yamato, the world’s largest battleship

By early 1945, the Japanese Empire was shrinking daily and the war had reached its home shores. Less than three and half years after Pearl Harbor, American industrial might was on full display. And it was never more apparent than during the Battle of Okinawa.  The once-proud Japanese Imperial Navy that Americans feared would threaten […]

The History of US Psychological Operations: World War One

In part one, we reviewed the basic definition of Psychological Operations and its relations to standard propaganda. Psychological Operations is actually a relatively modern concept but had roots long before the advent of the 20th century. The United States government and military, with a few exceptions, did not effectively utilize propaganda or public relations during […]

The History of Psychological Operations: Before the Beginning

Psychological Operations. These two words have become so controversial that the U.S. Army in 2010 nonchalantly changed the term to the rather bland and bureaucratic “Military Information Support Operations (MISO).”   Rosa Brooks, Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Rule of Law and International Humanitarian Policy explained: […]

Old Habits Die Hard: Why Special Operations unit use old-school weapons

Have you ever heard the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? Well, this adage comes to mind when I think about the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun and the M79 grenade launcher. Both of these weapons have a very long, respected history and are still in service. They have been used by […]