When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes
Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.
Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.
“Meteorologically, D-Day was bound to be a gamble against the odds.”
Though there’s rarely a (public) explanation of why these weird codenames were assigned, that doesn’t make them any less amusing.
In researching his latest book, ‘The Year of Living Constitutionally,’ author A.J. Jacobs came across some bizarre suggestions floated by members of the Constitutional Convention for the new United States government.
D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944, and kicked off the Battle of Normandy. Though it was a success, General Eisenhower was preparing for the worst.
Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, is recognized around the country as a time to celebrate Mexico’s cultural heritage. Like a lot of days earmarked to commemorate a specific idea or event, its origins can be a little murky. Who started it, and why?
Legend has it that a heroic American commander at the Battle of Bunker Hill implored his men to hold their fire until their enemies were under their noses. But did the event actually happen?
The Allied forces’ Normandy landings on June 6, 1944—an event better known as D-Day—became a pivotal moment in World War II .
The close quarters of those serving together in war is a perfect Petri dish for slang. From ‘FUBAR’ to ‘fobbit,’ here are some military slang terms you should know (plus, why the military uses so many acronyms, anyway).
Rin Tin Tin was found on a World War I battlefield in France before making his way to Hollywood, while poor Arnold the Pig was rumored to have been eaten after ‘Green Acres’ was canceled.
An anonymous letter supposedly from a member of a secret society claimed that Franklin Pierce was involved in treasonous activities against the American government—an accusation that infuriated the former president.
Here's how 'Roger' came to mean "received" (and how 'wilco' fits in).
Smokey Bear’s first ad slogan wasn’t quite as catchy as “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”
In 2002, the two powerful world leaders were invited to settle their differences the old-fashioned way: Combat.
People have spread incorrect information long before the invention of the internet.
An heir and a spare disappeared during England's War of the Roses. Here's what happened—and how we might hope to solve the mystery today.
Almost as soon as it was introduced—and for generations after—the Presidential Fitness Test was absolutely traumatizing to students who had to endure it. Here’s how the program started—and ended.
To win a nuclear arms race, Leona Libby hid a pregnancy and brushed off being irradiated.
How a largely forgotten U.S. president became a South American idol.
Uncover why people yell “Geronimo!” when they jump—and what it has to do with a beer-fueled boast.
You know Harry Belafonte's hits—here are some facts about the artist behind them.
Discover the controversy behind Hemingway’s classic novel, ‘A Farewell to Arms,’ as well as the inspiration for the title, the real-life love story that influenced the book, and how Bach inspired the author.
The Silent Generation may not be as flashy a group as Millennials, but they wield a surprising amount of influence over our culture.
The U.S. government is constantly moving its nuclear weapons from one facility to another, which means you may have passed one on the highway without even realizing it.