The skies over El Alamein erupted in January 1942. Squadron Leader Andrew 'Nicky' Barr, already an ace with eight confirmed victories, led his P-40 Kittyhawk into the fray. Known as 'Old Nick' - a nod to the devil himself - for his daring tactics, Barr had built a fearsome reputation among friend and foe alike. Barr's keen eyes spotted an enemy fighter as Allied bombers pressed towards their target. In a heartbeat, his machine guns blazed to life, sending another German fighter plummeting to the desert below. Suddenly, Barr witnessed one of his squadron mates spiraling toward the unforgiving desert. Without hesitation, he dove to protect his fallen comrade. Two Italian fighters appeared, challenging the Australian ace. Barr's Kittyhawk danced through the sky, accurately claiming a second victory of the day. But as Barr descended to attempt a daring rescue, two Messerschmitts swooped down, intent on ending his mission. In a furious dogfight, Barr managed to blast one from the sky. Before he could celebrate, two more German fighters joined the battle. Enemy fire found its mark, setting Barr's aircraft ablaze and wounding him. Despite his injuries and the barrage of bullets tearing through his Kittyhawk, Barr wrestled with the controls of his battered fighter. As the vast, desolate landscape rushed up to meet him, he braced for a violent crash landing. Even if he survived, the merciless enemy-riddled desert stretched endlessly below… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Amid the chaos of war-torn skies over China in 1938, Tetsuzō Iwamoto found himself locked in a lethal struggle. The sun blazed down on a frantic aerial battle as Iwamoto's squadron encountered a swarm of sixteen Chinese fighters, their engines screaming as they hurtled into the fray of his first combat mission. With his heart pounding, Iwamoto locked eyes on a glinting silver I-15 biplane. At a mere 50 meters, he squeezed the trigger, feeling the roar of his 20-millimeter guns vibrate through his bones as the enemy aircraft disintegrated in a fiery explosion. But the battle was just beginning. An I-16 swooped in from above, guns blazing, tracers streaking past Iwamoto's canopy. He was faster—his Split S maneuver was executed with the precision of a seasoned ace. The hunter became the hunted as Iwamoto lined up his sights and unleashed a burst of fire, sending the enemy spiraling to the earth below in a trail of black smoke. In the span of minutes, Iwamoto claimed four victories, his instincts sharp, his hands steady on the stick, and his resolve unbreakable. As he scanned the chaos around him, adrenaline coursed through his veins. The skies were filled with more enemies, more challenges, and more opportunities for this rising ace to prove his mettle. The battle raged on, and Tetsuzō Iwamoto's journey to becoming Japan's greatest ace had only just begun. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The skies above Guadalcanal erupt in chaos on August 7, 1942. Seventeen Japanese Zeros clash with a wall of American Wildcats and Dauntless dive bombers. The air fills with the deafening roar of aircraft engines and the staccato of gunfire. Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, the Devil of Rabaul, is leading the charge for the Japanese, closely followed by his trusted wingman Saburo Sakai. Even among aces, Nishizawa's control is unmatched. His Zero responds to his touch like an extension of his body, each maneuver an exercise in precision. His aerobatics are breathtaking, brilliant, and nearly impossible. Nishizawa's keen eyes spot an opening in the American formation. Without hesitation, he pushes his Zero into a steep dive, cutting through the enemy ranks with astonishing speed and agility. One, two, three Wildcats fall to his guns in rapid succession. His fellow pilots watch in awe as he weaves through the battlefield, always one step ahead of his opponents. As Nishizawa pulls out of his dive, he realizes Sakai's Zero is no longer on his wing. A quick scan of the sky confirms his growing dread - his friend is nowhere to be seen amidst the swirling melee. The Americans keep coming, wave after wave, threatening to overwhelm the Japanese squadron. Nishizawa's ammunition runs low, his fuel gauge dipping into the red. Yet there's still no sign of Sakai. Nishizawa faces a critical decision. The Devil of Rabaul must choose between returning to base with the rest of his dwindling squadron or searching for his missing comrade, risking everything - his aircraft, his life, the mission - to search for his missing comrade. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the crisp morning of November 8, 1944, urgent reports crackle through the radios at Achmer Airfield: a massive Allied bomber formation approaches. The base erupts into frenzied activity. The Luftwaffe's highest-scoring ace, Walter Nowotny, rushes to his Messerschmitt Me 262. In his haste, he leaves behind the lucky trousers that have accompanied him through over 250 victories. Nowotny straps himself into the cockpit of the revolutionary jet fighter. Its sleek form starkly contrasts the propeller-driven aircraft dotting the tarmac. But as the pilot flips switches and dials, the Me 262's turbines refuse to start. Precious minutes slip away. Ground crew swarm the aircraft, working frantically to bring the engines to life. In the distance, the sound of combat grows louder - Nowotny's wingmen are already engaged, facing overwhelming odds. Finally, with a roar, the turbines ignite. Nowotny takes off, pushing his jet to its limits. He climbs rapidly, alone, racing to join the fray. His radio confirms two swift victories - a B-24 Liberator and a P-51 Mustang have fallen to his guns. For a moment, it seems the ace's luck has turned. Suddenly, a chilling transmission cuts through the airwaves. The radio operator at the airfield hears Nowotny's voice: [QUOTE] "I'm on fire"... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš had seen their people suffer for years under the cruel iron hands of the Butcher of Prague, Reinhard Heydrich, the ruthless Third Reich’s governor of Bohemia and Moravia. They were determined to end that cruel regime on May 27, 1942, on a curve near the Bulovka Hospital in Prague. Both men had trained for months with the British Special Operations Executive Command and were committed to taking the life of Heydrich at the cost of their own. The men had tracked the daily commutes of the German commander and tightened their Sten submachine guns as they heard a Mercedes coming down the road. Gabčík abruptly stepped into the road, his submachine gun ready to take down Heydrich and his driver, but the unexpected happened: his weapon jammed. The Germans, instead of hitting the gas, stopped. Heydrich pulled out his P08 pistol and began firing mercilessly against Gabčík as he rushed for cover. Kubiš, realizing his friend was in danger, lobbed a grenade into the back of the enemy car. A tremendous explosion and a slight concussion followed. The next thing Kubiš remembered was a bloody Heydrich chasing down the two operatives. Their plan had gone wrong. Their lives were at stake. Even worse, in retaliation, the occupying force would unleash its wrath on the population… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Try InVideo AI for free and use our code DARKDOCS50 to get twice the number of video generation credits in your first month: https://invideo.io/i/DarkDocs Ernest “Smokey” Smith crawls through the rain-drenched night, his uniform caked with mud. It is October 21, 1944, and the bad-boy private and the rest of the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders have just made it across northern Italy’s treacherous Savio River, its banks close to bursting from the torrential downpour. Now, they have the perilous task of establishing a bridgehead before the German army can counterattack. Suddenly, Smith feels the earth tremble as three Mark V Panther tanks loom through the misty darkness towards the exposed Canadians. But that’s not all - the Panthers have two self-propelled guns and thirty bloodthirsty soldiers in tow. Smith and two comrades race across an open field through a hail of gunfire to set in position their PIAT anti-tank weapon. Leaving one man with the PIAT, Smith, and Private James Tennant rush for another, but no sooner do they grab it than Tennant is hit by machine gun fire and crumples to the waterlogged ground. Smith is on his own now, one man against the might of the German war machine. If the enemy realizes they’re facing a single soldier, he’ll surely be annihilated in seconds. Smith may have been demoted nine times, but now it’s his chance to be a hero. In full view of the enemy, he skids to a halt just thirty feet from the Panther bearing down on him. Smith grits his teeth, and he takes aim with his PIAT. He knows he only has one chance… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Use code darkdocs at this link to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/darkdocs Artillery rounds landed everywhere, and the German Panzers impatiently awaited the command to charge forward. It was November 1941, and the outskirts of Tula, south of Moscow, were heavily defended. Ludwig Bauer, a fearless Panzer ace gunner, awaited the charge while he opened fire at the enemy. Anti-tank artillery and a deep anti-tank ditch blocked their path, but Bauer and his crew pressed on. The tanks then rolled forward under the hail of enemy fire. Some were struck down immediately, but Bauer’s Panzer II charged fearlessly until the spearheading tanks dropped logs on the ditch to build a bridge. While enemy fire rained down, Bauer's tank, hit multiple times, continued to advance while the gunner fired with perfect accuracy. Panzers exploded around him, but he pushed forward, his Panzer II rushing uphill. Then, chaos erupted. A Soviet KV-2 heavy tank's shell struck Bauer’s tank directly. Fire and smoke engulfed him. The driver and radio operator were lost instantly, but Bauer miraculously survived, emerging with only shrapnel wounds. As he crawled from the burning wreckage, Bauer's eyes met those of the Soviet tank commander. He slowly got up and aimed with his Luger at the enemy vehicle. The Soviets laughed, and an instant later, the tank exploded… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the afternoon of Tuesday, September 17, 2024, a strange series of explosions rocked Lebanon. In the span of minutes, the beeping of pagers carried by members of Hezbollah, a powerful militant and political group backed by Iran, echoed a few times, nearly in unison, through busy streets, grocery stores, and homes. Hezbollah, known for its decades-long and vocal opposition to Israel, had long relied on these devices to coordinate secret communications. But this time, something was different. The pagers suddenly detonated—small but powerful blasts erupted simultaneously. Panic and chaos quickly set in, leaving bystanders and Hezbollah operatives alike in shock. The attack caused hundreds of casualties, from rank-and-file employees to Mojtaba Amini, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon. Initial investigations revealed that the blasts were no accident, as each explosion originated from the same type of pager. Hezbollah leaders and Lebanese media swiftly pointed the finger at Israel, accusing them of orchestrating a sophisticated cyber-attack. Suspicion soon turned toward Unit 8200, Israel's mysterious top-secret cyber-intelligence unit. Terrified Hezbollah members are now wondering what other devices the Israelis might explode next… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Battle of Britain raged on in September 1940. The sky erupts in chaos. Spitfires and Messerschmitts twist and turn in a struggle to achieve victory. Amidst these tense dogfights, one aircraft moves with uncanny precision. Eric "Sawn-Off Lockie" Lock spots an opening others miss. His Spitfire flips and dives, defying physics. A Me109 fills his gunsight. Lock's Browning machine guns roar to life. The enemy spirals earthward, trailing smoke and flame. There is no time to celebrate. Twenty-seven minutes of intense combat follow. Lock becomes a menacing specter in the sky. Two He111 bombers fall victim to his accurate aim, their crews oblivious to the danger. Another Me109 crosses his path and lands a burst on Lockie’s aircraft, injuring his leg: a fatal mistake. The British aviator, seeking revenge, outmaneuvers the enemy and shoots it down. Four trophies in under an hour. Before Lock heads home, his radio crackles: (QUOTE) "Luftwaffe bomber formation incoming! All available pilots scramble!" Lock's ammunition is low, and his fuel is nearly spent. But the call of duty fills his heart. His thumb hovers over the radio button. He will not miss an opportunity to become an ace in a matter of hours. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The frigid wind whipped through the Świętokrzyskie Mountains as Major Henryk Dobrzański, better known by the pseudonym "Hubal," peered through his binoculars. It was March 30, 1940, and the forest around him bristled with danger. His small band of 70 Polish resistance fighters - the last uniformed soldiers of the defeated Polish Army - had evaded Nazi occupiers for months. But now, the net was closing. Hubal's heart raced as he realized the terrible truth - they were surrounded. Three SS regiments and three Wehrmacht battalions, perhaps as many as 8,000 men, had been deployed with one mission: destroy the "Mad Major" and his unit. As the first rays of dawn pierced the canopy, machine gun fire erupted, shattering the silence. Hubal barked orders to his men, who scrambled for cover. The air filled with the acrid smell of cordite and the screams of the wounded. The Germans pressed their attack, confident in their overwhelming numbers. Hubal knew the stakes. If his unit fell, so too would the hope of thousands of Poles who saw them as the last bastion of resistance against Nazi tyranny. As bullets whizzed past his head, the Major made a split-second decision. It was risky, perhaps suicidal, but it was their only chance. With a fierce determination etched on his face, Hubal gripped his pistol and signaled to his men. In an instant, he sprang into action, charging headlong towards the German lines. His loyal fighters, inspired by their commander's audacity, surged forward behind him. The enemy fire intensified to a deafening roar, but Hubal pressed on relentlessly. As he raced towards the hail of bullets, the fate of Poland's resistance hung in the balance, teetering on the edge of this daring, desperate gambit… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On December 16, 1944, as dawn broke over the Ardennes forest, 20-year-old Lieutenant Lyle Bouck and his 18-man Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon of the 394th Infantry Regiment faced an overwhelming threat. For weeks, they had intercepted German communications, uncovering Hitler's plans to amass veteran soldiers along the Belgium-Germany border. Now, Bouck's platoon faced the German Sixth Panzer Army near the Belgian town of Lanzerath. They were outnumbered and outgunned. Over the radio, they received chilling news: there would be no anti-tank weapons, artillery support, or any other help coming their way. Despite this, the men prepared to defend a crucial road. At 5:30am, the Germans unleashed a devastating 90-minute artillery barrage. For the next 20 hours, 18 men and their 20-year-old would be all that stood between 700 German Paratroopers and a German victory at the Battle of The Bulge. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early hours of March 18, 1943, Jack Mathis took his position as lead bombardier on a critical mission over Vegesack, Germany. Tasked with leading the rest of the squadron, Jack's role was vital to the mission's success. As a bombardier, Jack was not only in charge of leading the bombing location of the entire formation but was also tasked with guarding with his life a top-secret asset in the American arsenal: the Norden bombsight. As his B-17 Flying Fortress neared the heavily fortified target, it was met with a relentless barrage of antiaircraft fire. The explosions abruptly shattered the bombardier's nose of the aircraft, and Jack was severely wounded, his right arm shattered and his body torn by shrapnel. Despite the excruciating pain and the chaos around him, Jack knew the success of the mission and the lives of his squadron depended on precision. He had also promised his brother Mark, a bombardier like him, that they would spend the weekend together upon his return. He sought to accomplish that promise and fulfill his duty. He was the lead bombardier: the mission was doomed if he failed to pinpoint the target's location accurately. He faltered, but duty called him for one last sacrifice. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On March 27, 1945, the American and Serbian prisoners of war at OFLAG XIII-B in Hammelburg spotted German trucks and tanks racing by the compound at full speed. With this, they knew they were about to be rescued. Suddenly, American tanks burst through the barbed-wire fences in several places, firing their guns overhead and to each side. As shells exploded around the camp's perimeter, the prisoners were overwhelmed by a joyous feeling of liberation. Amidst the euphoria of the apparent rescue, a figure emerged from one of the tanks - Captain Abraham Baum, the young leader of the daring Task Force Baum. His eyes scanned the sea of prisoners, searching for one man in particular: Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters. But as the two men shook hands, a flicker of concern crossed Baum's face. The camp held far more prisoners than intelligence had suggested - nearly 1,500 instead of the expected 300. The Captain’s small task force, already battered from the relentless German resistance they had faced on their journey to Hammelburg, was ill-equipped to evacuate such a vast number of prisoners. Over 50 miles into enemy territory, the daunting reality set in for the Captain: the odds of a successful extraction were dangerously low. In fact, Task Force Baum was about to become one of the biggest disasters of the final stages of World War 2. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The acrid smell of antiseptic hung in the air of the makeshift field hospital near Hamhung, North Korea. It was November 7, 1950, and US Marine First Lieutenant Kurt Chew-Een Lee lay on a cot with a shattered right elbow and a busted knee, painful souvenirs of his heroic actions at the Battle of Inchon five days earlier. But Lee didn’t care about his war wounds - he knew his men were out there fighting, and he refused to abandon them. Now, the doctors wanted to send him to Japan for further recovery. Lee knew it was now or never. Under cover of night, he and another wounded Marine silently crept out of the hospital, commandeered an Army jeep, and headed for the frontlines. When it ran out of gas ten miles short, they pressed on on foot as fast as their injuries would allow. Upon arrival, Lee was quickly given command of the 2nd Rifle Platoon, and soon, they were thrown into the fierce fighting of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. As the carnage raged around them, on December 2, Lieutenant Colonel Ray Davis gave Lee’s unit a daring mission: to spearhead a 500-man thrust to relieve the besieged Fox Company trapped on Fox Hill - a strategic position vital to controlling the entire region. Davis had given Lee only one instruction: stay off the heavily fortified roads. Beyond that, Lee was on his own. Laden with extra supplies, Lee's men trudged through deep snow and icy winds. The temperature had plummeted to 20 degrees below zero, and a blinding blizzard obscured their path. With only a compass as his guide, Lee led the column in single file, his arm still in a sling. Suddenly, enemy fire erupted from a rocky hill, pinning the Marines down. Lee's mind raced. Their mission couldn't fail - too many lives depended on their success. As bullets whizzed overhead, Lee knew their only hope lay in a daring, almost reckless strategy... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The bitter smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the air as First Lieutenant John V. Power clutched his bleeding stomach, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The din of battle raged around him – the rhythmic beats of machine gun fire, the thunderous explosions of mortars, and the desperate shouts of his fellow Marines. On this hellish February day in 1944, the fate of Namur Island hung in the balance. This tiny island stood as a daunting obstacle in America's island-hopping strategy. Its capture would shatter Japanese defenses in the Marshall Islands and open the path to the enemy's doorstep. But first, the Marines had to survive this crucible of fire and steel. Power's platoon was pinned down, caught in the crossfire of a Japanese pillbox that seemed impenetrable. Men were falling left and right, and the assault was stalling. Despite the searing pain from his stomach wound, Power knew what he had to do. He rose to his feet, his left hand pressed against his injury while his right gripped his M1 carbine. Time seemed to slow as Power fixed his gaze on the pillbox. The 25-yard stretch before him might as well have been a mile, littered with debris and crisscrossed by enemy fire. His men watched in awe and horror as their lieutenant began his charge. Bullets whizzed past him, kicking up sand and fragments of coral. Power's world narrowed to the muzzle flashes ahead, his carbine blazing as he advanced. Platoon Sergeant Mangum would later recall the incredible scene: (QUOTE) "He was like a one-man army. It seemed that he wanted to win the whole war by himself, right then and there." Power was a man possessed, driven by duty, and had an indomitable will to save his men and complete the mission. But as he neared the pillbox, the enemy fire intensified. The fate of Namur – and perhaps the entire campaign – now rested on the shoulders of this wounded Marine lieutenant charging headlong into the heart of danger. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

2:15 AM, 28 February 1942. Bruneval, occupied France. Under the cold moonlight, Flight Sergeant Cox's hands moved swiftly over the Würzburg radar. This German technology had decimated RAF bomber squadrons, its precision enabling accurate night-fighter interceptions. Dismantling it could turn the tide of the air war. Cox wrenched free the pulse unit as Lieutenant Vernon pried loose the stubborn transmitter. Metal screeched, the sound piercing the night air. Major John Frost's eyes scanned the perimeter. His men had taken the radar site swiftly, but now, time was against them. In the distance, engines rumbled - German reinforcements approaching from Bruneval village. Suddenly, muzzle flashes erupted from the surrounding woods. Machine gun fire ripped through the air. Frost's men dove for cover, the night exploding into chaos. As bullets whizzed overhead, Cox secured the radar components. Each piece was vital intelligence that could save countless Allied lives. Frost's mind raced. The beach assault team, meant to secure their escape route, was missing. They'd landed miles of course. German soldiers emerged from the tree line, their feldgrau uniforms ghostly in the moonlight. Frost bellowed orders, his voice barely audible over the intensifying gunfire. The paratroopers began their retreat, precious radar parts rattling on a makeshift trolley. Every step towards the beach brought them closer to extraction - and deeper into the enemy's closing trap. Frost stood on the moonlit beach, his heart pounding. No sign of the naval evacuation force. German fire raked the sand, pinning down his men. He reached for his flare gun - their last hope. The red flare would signal their location to the evacuation boats, but it would also illuminate their position for the enemy. Frost's hand tightened on the flare gun. He knew the fate of the air war - perhaps the entire conflict - hung on the success of their mission. With a deep breath, he raised the gun skyward. There was no other choice. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

May 10, 1972. Over the hostile skies of North Vietnam, in a ruthless dogfight between Soviet-made MiGs and American Phantoms, Wizzo Roger Locher and Major Robert Lodge take down an enemy fighter with precise accuracy. But their victory is short-lived. Seconds later, their aircraft is shot down, plummeting to the ground in a cloud of fire and smoke. Major Lodge does not make it, but Locher successfully ejects, descending into the jungle canopy. As he approaches the ground, Locher spots an enemy air base on the horizon, dangerously close to his position. A rescue attempt is impossible, he concludes with bitterness. No American aircraft would come for him unless he moved further south, near friendly lines. The problem is the journey would take him a month on foot—if he survives, a daunting and uncertain prospect. With no weapons and only a basic survival kit, Locher, displaying remarkable bravery and determination, realizes he has to resort to primitive tactics to survive the treacherous jungle, predators, and brutal North Vietnamese troops to see the country he loves again. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On May 12, 1944, after working tirelessly with nearly no breaks for years, Wing Commander John "Bob" Braham was undeniably sleep-deprived. Still, he was as driven as ever, strong in his belief that a pilot's duty was to engage the enemy, whatever the cost. But he was growing increasingly reckless. That day, flying a Mosquito over Denmark with navigator Bill "Sticks" Gregory, Braham spotted an Fw 190 fighter. As he gave chase, a Bf 109 ambushed them, piercing their wing and fuel lines before vanishing. Undeterred, Braham pursued the Fw 190. Skimming treetops, his fighter bounced off a mound, but he recovered, setting the enemy ablaze mere yards away. With the Mosquito damaged beyond repair, miles from safety, with alarms blaring, Braham used the last of his power to climb to a high altitude and broadcast an emergency message. By the time air-sea rescue found the duo alive in a dinghy, the fighter was broken in half. Despite the thousands of pounds in damages and the flat-out recklessness, when his wing commander visited him that night, instead of a reprimand, Braham, now one of Britain’s greatest aces, received congratulations on his 29th victory. Little did he know, it would be his last. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The helicopter blades whirred, cleaving through the humid jungle air as Command Sergeant Major Patrick "Tad" Tadina crouched in the doorway, his eyes scanning the dense canopy below. At just 5'5" and 125 pounds, he was a small man with an outsized reputation - one of Vietnam's most decorated and feared Rangers. As the chopper descended towards the landing zone, Tad's mind raced through the mission ahead. Five years of continuous combat had honed his instincts to a razor's edge. He knew the NVA was out there, waiting. His team of six Rangers would be inserting deep behind enemy lines, outnumbered and outgunned. Their mission: locate and disrupt a major supply route feeding the Ho Chi Minh trail. Tad checked his customized silenced pistol one last time. They'd be on the ground in seconds, and the hunt would begin. Despite leading over 1,000 long-range patrols, Tad had never lost a man. But this mission felt different. Intel suggested the enemy knew they were coming. As the skids touched down, Tad's eyes locked onto movement in the treeline. In one fluid motion, he raised his weapon and squeezed the trigger. The figure dropped silently as Tad and his team melted into the jungle. The Ranger, known as "Ghost," was again on the prowl. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The night of January 29, 1991, seemed like just another mission for the Air Force E-8 Joint STARS crew. This advanced surveillance aircraft, recently introduced to the American arsenal, had been tasked with scouring western Iraq for Scud missile sites and keeping a watchful eye on the territory ahead of the US Army VII Corps. Twelve days into Operation Desert Storm, the crew had grown accustomed to the routine of monitoring the vast expanse of the Kuwaiti-Saudi border area. As the hours ticked by, the Joint STARS crew directed their state-of-the-art sensors toward southern Kuwait. Unusual activity had been detected in the previous days, stirring in the depths behind enemy lines. But tonight, the moving target indicators painted an alarming picture. The crew watched in disbelief as elements of Iraq's 5th Mechanized Division and 3rd Armored Division surged southward, poised to breach the border near the abandoned Saudi town of Khafji. The realization hit the crew like a thunderbolt - Iraq was about to unleash its own ground offensive and invade Saudi Arabia. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

North Korea, October 30, 1950. The night sky erupts in chaos as Chinese forces launch a massive assault on the 8th Cavalry Regiment near Unsan. Amidst the deafening roar of gunfire and explosions, one soldier stands out – Corporal Ted Rubin. For 24 grueling hours, Rubin mans a .30 caliber machine gun. Three previous gunners have already fallen, but Rubin remains. His last stand slows the enemy's advance, buying precious time for his comrades to retreat southward. Only when his ammunition is completely exhausted does Rubin's gun fall silent. As dawn breaks on October 31, Rubin finds himself severely wounded and in the hands of the Chinese. His captors smirk, believing they've snared just another American soldier. But they couldn't be more wrong. Beneath that uniform lies a secret that will become their worst nightmare. Born as Tibor Rubin, this 21-year-old soldier carries with him a dark and secret history - he was a man forged in the fires of one hell, now ready to survive another. The coming months will test every ounce of Rubin's strength and courage. But for now, as he takes his first steps into captivity, one thought burns in his mind: the Chinese have no idea what's coming. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Senior Lieutenant Dmitry Lavrinenko didn’t have a moment to lose. It was November 18, 1941, and the Soviet tank ace had just received word the Germans were quickly surrounding them. A sizable panzer column was bringing up the rear. Hitler’s Wehrmacht was rapidly advancing on Moscow, and every decision would count if the Red Army were to have any hope of defending their capital. Only one thing could work: a surprise ambush on the enemy. Lavrinenko had already used the strategy several times in previous battles to devastating effect. But as he cautiously maneuvered his T-34 to intercept the German tank column en route to the captured village of Shishkin, he soon realized that he would have his work cut out for him this time. The barren highway was completely devoid of any natural cover. He would have to pray his tank’s white paint would save him from detection against the bleak, snowy landscape. Lavrinenko and his crew waited in nervous anticipation. Soon enough, the first German tanks began to roll into view, an imposing procession of daunting steel monsters. Lavrinenko counted them as they appeared. There were eighteen of their tanks against just his one. The odds were stacked heavily against him, but there was no time to dwell on the disparities. With the first panzer in the T-34’s sights, it was time for the battle to commence… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Secure your exclusive X4009 now at our eStore https://www.recwatches.com. Pre-order today and enjoy 25% off, with delivery in October 2024! The skies over North Africa roared with the sound of engines and gunfire. One pilot stood out among the chaos - an elusive ace whose very existence would become a wartime enigma. Lance C. Wade, legend said, was a force of nature, a Texan farm boy turned aerial predator who had claimed up to 50 enemy planes. But as the dust settled on World War 2’s battlefields, a chilling question emerged: Who was Lance C. Wade? No American record acknowledged him. No ace compendium bore his name. It was as if he had vanished from history, leaving only rumors of his prowess in his wake. The truth, however, was far more electrifying than fiction. Rejected by his own country’s air corps, Wade had done the unthinkable. With forged papers and a heart burning for vengeance, he infiltrated the British Royal Air Force. Soon, he was soaring over war-torn Europe in legendary Spitfires and Hurricanes, becoming a nightmare for German pilots long before American forces joined the fray. On November 24, 1941, Wade’s guns ripped through an SM.79 Sparviero, earning him ace status. But fate had more in store for this maverick. A few weeks later, as his bullets tore through an enemy bomber, the shooting debris reached Wade’s Hurricane. The plane shuddered, smoke billowing from its broken hull. As the unforgiving desert rushed up to meet him, Wade grappled with the controls of his wounded aircraft. The forgotten ace was about to face his greatest challenge yet - one that threatened to erase him from history forever... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://sponsr.is/magellantv_darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch the documentary “The Plot to Kill Hitler” about the daring Operation Valkyrie plot by German officers to take down Hitler. June 13, 1944. A British armored column is crossing the quiet French town of Villers-Bocage, unaware of the storm about to erupt. Waffen SS Panzer Commander Michael Wittmann awaits in his Tiger tank, prepared for action alongside his fellow tankers. Once the rumble of the British tanks breaks the morning silence, Wittmann seizes the moment and attacks. He gives the order to engage, and his imposing Tiger bursts from cover, catching the British column off guard. Shells roar, and explosions light up the streets as Wittmann’s tank tears through the enemy ranks with his 88-millimeter gun. Three Cromwell tanks fall in rapid succession. Wittmann drives more profoundly into the town, British shells bouncing off his Tiger’s armor. He strikes again, destroying tank after tank, and smoke and flames consume Villers-Bocage. Low on fuel and ammunition, Wittmann's Tiger makes a daring escape, only to find an unaware line of British tanks awaiting orders in the rear. The Tiger fires non-stop, eradicating them one by one. Five intense minutes had passed, and Wittman’s crew had left behind a trail of destruction adorned with the burning remains of 27 tanks and tracked vehicles. Wittmann and his crew single-handedly dispersed a British column. He grinned as the rest of his Tigers closed in to scatter the enemy forces. The town belonged to the Reich. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It is June 12, 1944, and Japanese Imperial forces are storming northeastern India. Despite a broken wrist and other serious wounds to his leg and hand, Rifleman Ganju Lama of the 7th Gurkha Rifles grips his PIAT anti-tank projectile launcher with determined resolve. Even among this legendary brigade of fearless fighters, the nineteen-year-old has carved out an indomitable reputation for himself for his uncanny ability to lay enemy armored units to waste. Now, the Japanese are rapidly advancing toward the strategic regional hub of Imphal; should the city fall, it would provide them with a springboard to invade all of India, an unthinkable blow for the Allied position in Asia. The only thing standing in the way of the Japanese tanks are the Gurkhas, but now the enemy has them on the ropes. Fortunately, they have a secret weapon: Ganju Lama. And he won’t let a few war wounds stop him. Amid the cacophony of gunfire, Ganju Lama navigates through the thick mud and smoke; his assistant is struck down, but there’s no time to waste - he must go it alone, carefully edging closer to the enemy until he finds the perfect position. As the tanks loom large, he steadies his aim; all eyes are on him… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On January 14, 1944, the United States Marine Corps Aviation's Fighting Squadron 215, known as the Fighting Corsairs, was in the heat of a critical mission covering a flight of bombers targeting enemy shipping. As Fighting Corsairs approached Simpson Harbor, Rabaul, a major Japanese stronghold, they were intercepted by a superior number of Japanese fighter aircraft. The skies erupted into a whirlwind of combat, with shells shooting out, explosions lighting up the already bright sky, radio chatter filled with urgent commands, and smoke trails from damaged aircraft. Amidst the chaos, a single pilot found himself cut off from his squadron. But this was no ordinary man; this was First Lieutenant Robert Hanson. Alone and facing overwhelming odds, Hanson didn't waver. Instead, he single-handedly engaged the enemy, destroying five aircraft despite being low on ammunition and fuel. This incredible feat earned him the nickname "The Terror of Rabaul." In the following two weeks, Hanson, one of the greatest pilots in the Pacific Theater, would go on to down 15 more. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In late August, in the intense heat of the North African desert in northwestern Egypt, Leutnant Werner Schröer of the Luftwaffe's Fighter Wing 27, one of Germany's newest aces, was on a patrol mission with his wingman. At the time, the atmosphere in North Africa was intense, with Allied and Axis forces locked in a fierce struggle for control of the region and the Luftwaffe playing a key role. Suddenly, the duo encountered a P-40 from the Royal Australian Air Force. Aboard was none other than Clive Caldwell, Australia's greatest ace. Schröer, the aggressive tactician, dove into the fray, locking onto Caldwell's P-40. As they both spiraled through the sky, each maneuvering for the upper hand, a duel of two of the world’s greatest pilots began. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Captain Steve Ritchie was on fire. He’d already taken out two MiGs in his latest Vietnam tour and was itching for more. On July 8, 1972, his chance came. An American warplane had taken a hit and was leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid like a stuck pig. The desperate pilot called for help on the emergency frequency. Ritchie and his squadron of four F-4 Phantoms picked up the call. They knew the North Vietnamese loved to eavesdrop on emergency channels, sending MiGs to finish off damaged American jets. Without hesitation, Ritchie, with his Radar Intercept Officer Captain Charles DeBellevue, led the charge to the stricken fighter’s location. As they neared, the radio crackled with an urgent alert from ship-based Radar control stations Red Crown and Disco: MiGs inbound. Adrenaline spiked as Ritchie spotted the enemy—a sleek MiG-21 at 10 o’clock. With fuel tanks dumped and afterburners roaring, Ritchie and the MiG closed the gap, zooming past each other in a blistering blur. Ritchie held his fire, eyes scanning for the second MiG. When it appeared, he executed a perfect barrel roll, lining up for the shot. The enemy pilot didn’t stand a chance. The MiG turned down into them—Ritchie squeezed the trigger. The missile hit home, detonating in a fiery explosion that lit up the sky and echoed for miles. Ritchie would later say it was: (QUOTE) “The most intense, the most exciting mission that I ever flew.” But there was no time to celebrate. A MiG suddenly appeared right on top of him. It was a bad spot, but Ritchie was determined to keep his streak alive. He was ready to make it work. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the quiet morning of December 7, 1941, light cruiser USS St. Louis lay anchored at Pearl Harbor, her crew preparing for a weekend leave. Maintenance had left her boilers cold, her guns silent, and her antennas inactive. It seemed like just another day. Bill Canavan, ready to go ashore, heard the unmistakable rattle of gunfire from above. Initially, he thought it was another drill—a routine exercise among many. As he rushed to the deck, he saw the olive-drab aircraft marked with the rising sun emblem of Japan. This was no drill. Hell broke loose over Pearl Harbor a second later. With most of the crew ready to leave, Canavan and many of the crew took their battle stations as the captain ordered the ship to prepare to move despite being underpowered and undermanned. The harbor was a scene of devastation, filled with the wreckage of American ships and a swarm of Japanese fighters attacking from above. Anti-aircraft guns blazed as the boat maneuvered through the inferno. Enemy aircraft targeted St. Louis, but her gunners struck back, downing two fighters as they raced through the channel. Just as the ship seemed to break free and the crew began cheering, spotters sighted a Japanese submarine waiting outside the harbor. Abruptly, she launched two torpedoes and then began streaking toward St. Louis. Only a reef stood as the ship’s defense, and there was little room to maneuver. Was Lucky Lou’s luck running out? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

US infantry captain Matt Urban was desperate to get out of the hospital. He knew his unit was in trouble back in Normandy, but until he had completely recovered from the wounds he’d picked up there the previous month, the doctors weren’t letting him go anywhere. That is unless he could find an excuse to leave. Suddenly, he saw his ticket out of there. A rag-tag group of felons, draft dodgers, and pre-war deserters had been bunched together as a makeshift unit. Urban begged to train them, knowing the time would soon come when they were sent to the continent, and he would go with them. His plan worked, and two weeks later, he was on his way back across the English Channel. Arriving in France, the men had served their purpose, and Urban had no intentions of fighting alongside the unwilling. Leaving them on the beach, he hitchhiked his way to the front lines. The situation was as bad as he had imagined - his unit was pinned down by an onslaught of German bullets coming from high on a ridge. The soldiers could barely believe their eyes as the indomitable Urban limped toward them, one hand resting on an improvised crutch and the other waving around a .45 caliber pistol. As he pulled a wounded soldier from a burning tank, he yelled: (QUOTE) “Who’s in charge here?” No reply. If they didn’t get out of there fast, they were done for. Everyone present knew there was only one man for the job… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Allied forces advanced against Japanese troops along the Arakan border in the South Pacific in December 1942, RAF Wing Commander Frank Reginald Carey was refueling at Chittagong. The seasoned veteran was enjoying a cigarette inside his cockpit when over 30 enemy aircraft broke through the clouds in attack formation. Carey fired up his engine and ordered the ground crew to safety. Enemy bullets landed around him, hitting his Hurricane, but it was not enough to stop him from luring away the enemy from his airmen. Carey began zigzagging in the air to make himself a harder target. Carey, who once was on the RAF aerobatics team, led the Japanese pursuers over a river surrounded by trees. After running out of ammunition, the Wing Commander dashed toward a nearby hill and pulled back the stick at the last second. His maneuver worked. One of the Japanese fighters behind him crashed into the mountain in a ball of smoldering fire. Upon returning to his men, Carey jokingly shouted: (QUOTE) “I lost a lot of weight in that sortie.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

May 1918. The Western Front of World War 1. Privates Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts stood guard in the Argonne Forest in the stillness of a moonlit night. Members of the Harlem Hellfighters regiment of the US Army, the two soldiers were about to face a trial by fire. The serenity of the night was shattered when a German raiding party, over twenty men strong, emerged from the shadows. The crack of gunfire and the thunder of grenades disrupted the silence, transforming the tranquil forest into a chaotic battleground. Johnson, wounded by enemy rounds and shrapnel, fought with ferocity, using his rifle and Bolo knife to turn the tide. Roberts, despite his wounds, remained at his side, handing grenades to Johnson until two Prussian soldiers seized him, dragging him off the trench in an attempt to capture him. Determined to save his comrade, Johnson pursued them, hurling grenades and firing his rifle until he exhausted his ammunition. Undeterred, he drew his Bolo knife once more and charged into the darkness, resolute to rescue Roberts in the inky blackness of the forest. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Secure your exclusive X4009 now at our eStore https://www.recwatches.com. Pre-order today and enjoy 25% off, with delivery in October 2024! Lieutenant Stanley "Swede" Vejtasa soared through the war-torn skies over the Santa Cruz Islands in his F4F Wildcat. It was mid-morning on October 26, 1942, and the 28-year-old sharpshooter was tasked with defending a vastly outnumbered US carrier fleet against the relentless onslaught of Japanese bombers. Suddenly, he caught sight of the dark silhouettes of a group of “Val” dive bombers looming above him. Gritting his teeth, he pulled back on the stick, forcing his Wildcat to climb. The engine strained, the aircraft shuddering as it ascended through the fog. At 12,000 feet, Vejtasa broke through the cloud cover, only to find himself wing-to-wing with the enemy. Vejtasa's heart pounded in his chest. He maneuvered his F4F behind the first bomber, fingers gripping the controls tightly, and squeezed the trigger. The Wildcat’s six .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns roared to life. Tracers streaked toward the enemy, the bomber shuddering under the impact. Smoke trailed from its engines as it spiraled down in a fiery descent. Vejtasa swung his Wildcat around, targeting the next bomber. He adjusted his approach, firing another burst of gunfire. The second bomber erupted in flames, debris scattering in the sky. There was no time to celebrate. The battle was quickly spiraling into a disaster for the US fleet. One carrier, USS Hornet, was a smoldering wreck after a brutal twenty-minute assault that had claimed 118 American lives. Now, USS Enterprise was the United States’ last operational carrier in the Pacific, and its only hope of rescuing the Marines stuck on Guadalcanal. Just then, a voice crackled in his headset—one of his fellow pilots had sighted a block of Japanese torpedo planes heading toward Enterprise. Vejtasa's eyes narrowed with determination. He and his comrades had to intercept them before they reached the carrier… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was late February 1991, and the Gulf War's ground phase had just commenced. In the arid expanse of the Iraqi desert, the nine M1A1 Abrams tanks and thirteen M3 Bradley fighting vehicles of Eagle Troop rolled across the endless sands. As the spearhead of the US Army’s 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, their mission was clear yet perilous—to disrupt the formations of Saddam Hussein’s elite Republican Guard and gather crucial intelligence. Yet no sooner had they entered enemy territory than nature dealt an unexpected hand. As the American armored vehicles rumbled their way into the danger zone, they were suddenly enveloped in the swirling chaos of a sandstorm. Though barely able to see as they battled through the dense clouds of dust, Eagle Troop’s crews took advantage of the cover provided by the low visibility, using their thermal imaging sights and GPS units to identify a series of Iraqi positions, blasting them with the M1A1s’ smallbore cannons and the Bradleys’ TOW-2 missiles before the enemy soldiers had a chance to realize what had hit them. Eagle Troop was safe for now, but as the unit headed deeper into hostile lands, the tension continued to build. Coming to a rise in the barren terrain, Eagle Troop nervously pushed on, not knowing what could be lurking on the other side. As they crested the ridge, they could barely believe what lay before them: an entire Iraqi tank division. The last great tank battle of the 20th Century was about to begin. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As night ushered in a hushed silence over Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Petty Officer David Larsen sat nervously in a patrol boat as it cautiously made its way through the dense jungle along the perilous upper Saigon River. It was August 2, 1969, and the 21-year-old gunner’s mate was part of a team with a vital yet risky mission: to set up a two-boat waterborne guard post on the murky river and intercept hostile river traffic. Also on board was a six-man ambush team charged with protecting the pair of patrol vessels from any land-based threats. As the fiberglass boats reached their position, they cut their engines and quietly glided toward the riverbank, where Larsen watched the six soldiers leap onto the shore and quickly disappear into the darkness of the trees, unsure what lurked among them. Waiting with anxious anticipation, Larsen wiped beads of sweat from his brow. The tension was made even more unbearable by the suffocating humidity. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a staccato volley of machine gun fire, swiftly followed by the thunderous boom of rockets exploding. Larsen had a bad feeling about this one. Moments later, his fears were confirmed when a distorted, panic-stricken voice came blaring over the radio: the ambush team had been seriously outnumbered and desperately needed help. The patrol crews were under strict orders to stay on their boats come what may, but he wasn’t about to let his buddies bite the dust on the jungle floor… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Mad Mike Calvert and his elite Chindits, who specialized in deep penetration operations behind Japanese lines in Burma, were attacking a heavily dug enemy position in March of 1944. Calvert, already a rising legend in the UK due to his fierce bravery and unconventional tactics, was deeply adored and admired by his men. That day, rain and mud were everywhere, but he had orders to accomplish. Noticing the enemy was focused on engaging another unit, Mad Mike, honoring his nickname, opted to try something different. Fixing a bayonet on his weapon, he ordered a full-on bayonet charge. The Chindits commander then sprinted toward the enemy by himself while bullets flew around him. He then stopped and shouted: (QUOTE) “Charge, what the hell do you think you're doing! Charge!” From machine gunners, mortar teams, and auxiliary units, all the troopers charged, bayonets fixed, behind their fearless, mad commander… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On November 12, 1944, the cold Norwegian fjord reverberated with the approach of Lancaster bombers, each carrying a revolutionary payload: the colossal 12,000-pound Tallboy bombs. These behemoths were designed to pierce deep into their targets before detonating, a feat never before achieved in military history. As the crews approached the Kriegsmarine battleship Tirpitz, tension gripped the men. The bombardier's voice cut through the silence: (QUOTE) “Steady.” He then aligned the Tallboy with its target. With a heavy release, the bomb plunged, driven by gravity at speeds close to the sound barrier. Moments later, a colossal explosion rocked the fjord; the Tallboy had struck, burrowing through the Tirpitz's armor before unleashing its destructive power deep within. The enormous battleship, once an emblem of naval strength, was left fatally wounded, flames and smoke marking the impact of a weapon that redefined aerial warfare. As the aircraft turned away, more bombers approached, ready to unleash their Tallboys on the wounded giant and sink her for good. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As dawn broke over the ruins of Nuremberg on April 18, 1945, Lieutenant Michael J. Daly charged forward under relentless German machine gun fire from MG34 and MG42s. Neutralizing the crew with precise shots from his M1 carbine, Daly pushed ahead of the rubble to clear the road for his company. Alone, the Lieutenant engaged a six-man patrol armed with rocket launchers. Always cool under combat, the Irish American neutralized the enemy with top-notch accuracy. Not content with that, Mike Daly pressed forward in a city fraught with danger; he led from the front, entering a park to face yet another machine gun. Daly held his breath and pulled the trigger. Moments later, the third enemy machine gun was neutralized. Filled with adrenaline and inspiring his men, Daly went on the hunt for another enemy crew. He went out in the open, followed by his men, when the abrupt silence was broken by enemy fire, and Daly was down… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Sponsored by World of Warships! Register to receive 200 doubloons, 7 days of premium time, one million credits, and unlock ships like the Phoenix, Kuma, Corbet, Dante Alighieri and Wakeful after just 15 battles when you use code DDAY80TH and click here → https://wo.ws/3yLKjGS Applicable to new users only. It was a surreal spectacle. Thousands of Allied troops stormed the battle-scarred sands of Sword Beach, greeted by a hail of lead and fire. At the forefront, Lord Lovat led the 1st Special Service Brigade ashore, clad in a battle-dress and the kilt of Clan Cameron, his piper Bill Millin at his side. As the waves lapped against his knees and bullets whizzed past, Bill Millin defied the chaos, playing “Highland Laddie” and “The Road to the Isles.” The brigade instantly became a lightning rod for both the Allies and Germans. Not all Allies were thrilled, with one sergeant screaming at Bill Millin: (QUOTE) “You mad bastard. You’re attracting all the German attention.” The Defenders of the Atlantic Wall swung their artillery, desperate to obliterate Lovat and his men. Yet, every Allied soldier who witnessed this defiant act found a surge of renewed morale. Close-quarters combat turned savage. Lord Lovat proved his prowess went beyond theatrics, crushing German soldiers in hand-to-hand combat and sniping others using his Scottish hunting rifle. Amid the largest invasion in human history, however, his luck ran thin. Shrapnel from an artillery shell tore into Lovat, leaving him badly wounded on the dirt. But just as he was about to meet his end, salvation came from where he least expected it… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

March 28, 1982. The Falklands War raged on. British and Argentine forces fought in the air, ground, and sea. Supporting the infantry were four FV107 Scimitar Light Reconnaissance Vehicles constantly racing from one enemy position to another at over 80 kilometers per hour while decimating entrenched positions with their powerful 30-millimeter cannon. Suddenly, one of the Scimitars found itself across an open field when 18-year-old Reg Hastings spotted an Argentine Mirage fighter swooping in. In a moment charged with adrenaline, the Briton took his chances and unleashed a barrage of high-explosive shells from the Rarden cannon. As he tracked the jet through his sights, Hastings recalled: (QUOTE) “I half panicked.” His fourth round struck below the cockpit, sending the Mirage to a fiery demise and demonstrating Britain’s nimble Scimitar’s lethal efficacy. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Amidst the heat and haze, Clive Caldwell piloted his P-40 Tomahawk over northwest Egypt near the Libyan border. It’s August 29, 1941. The war in North Africa rages on, with each side vying for control of the desert skies. Suddenly, two Messerschmitt Bf 109s, one piloted by the up-and-coming ace Werner Schroer, swooped down in a surprise attack. The German fighters unleashed a relentless barrage, wounding Caldwell in the back, shoulder, and leg. A second, even more powerful attack shattered his canopy, sending splinters and shrapnel right into his face. Loud cannon shells ripped through the fuselage, damaging the right wing. Yet, even as blood murked his vision and pain threatened to cloud his judgment, Caldwell's resolve burned brighter. He refused to back down. Anger and determination surged through him as he turned his battered P-40 toward his attackers. This would ignite the legend of Australia’s greatest World War 2 ace. He would later write in a notebook: [QUOTE] "it's your life or theirs. This is war." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It is November 1943, and famous German flying ace Erich Rudorffer has already built up a fearsome reputation across Europe and North Africa with tales of his impressive victories, striking fear into the hearts of Allied pilots wherever he went. Now, on the Eastern front, he fired up his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and took to the darkened skies over Dnepropetrovsk, hell-bent on stopping the Soviet advance. Within moments, he came face to face with a swarm of Yakovlev Yak-7s and Yak-9s, a maelstrom of gunfire erupting as Rudorffer and his fellow German pilots duked it out with their Russian counterparts in a fierce dogfight. But the Luftwaffe hero had done this many times before. Lining a Yak up in his sights, he coolly squeezed the trigger, a wry smile flashing across his face as he sent it plummeting toward the smoldering ruins below. Seconds later, he was in hot pursuit of another enemy aircraft, maneuvering himself into the perfect position before gunning down his target. Barely pausing for breath, he chalked up a third victim with a swift flurry of ammunition, causing it to burst into flames before plunging earthbound. So began the Luftwaffe legend of the pilot who shot down 13 Soviet fighters in just 17 minutes… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

New Zealand, 1941. With World War 2 well underway, a top team of government officials are gathered in the picturesque South Island countryside, chattering with excitement as they eagerly await the revelation of the nation’s brand new secret weapon: a fearsome tank designed to crush any Japanese attempt at invading its shores. Among their number, the man behind the machine, Minister of Public Works Bob Semple, promises it will be like nothing they have ever seen before. And he’s right. An audible hush descends over the group as, suddenly, the strangest-looking armored vehicle they have ever seen emerges from the hillside. Trundling along at a painstaking 5 miles per hour comes an industrial tractor crudely covered with what appears to be corrugated roofing panels, looking more like a school project than a beast of war - it doesn’t even have a cannon. Awkwardly grinding to a complete halt just to change gears, the 12-foot-tall monstrosity then wobbles onwards for a few more yards before hitting a bumpy patch, which sends her top-heavy structure crashing to the ground. The silence is broken by a combination of angry outbursts and mocking laughter as the crowd turns to Semple for an explanation. Yet when he asks if anyone has any better ideas, everything soon goes quiet again. The Japanese army could arrive at any moment, and his tank was all New Zealand had… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

A squadron of American Wildcats had just touched down on the deck of USS Lexington for a rapid refuel after a searing air battle when the alarm screamed again. This time, the wave of Mitsubishi G4M “Bettys” bore down on the carrier far closer than before, with the crew rooted to the spot in horror as the enemy swooped in to drop their payload. Edward “Butch” O’Hare, the sole US pilot still airborne and in position, recalled the harrowing moment: (QUOTE) “This time we weren’t quite ready for them, since most of the fighters were being refueled and getting ammunition.” Caught off guard near Rabaul, the task force was in a dire strait just as their standard aerial shield of six vigilant Wildcats was momentarily down. If there was a time when the Japanese could actually sink the carrier, it would be this moment. With no fellow fighters in the sky, it was O’Hare against nine Japanese bombers. He steeled himself, pushed his Wildcat to full throttle, and faced the onslaught as the Japanese concentrated the turtle-back guns of their entire formation on this lone, defiant American pilot. Bullets hammered his airframe, and his teeth gritted with tension as he pivoted violently. As the sun shimmered through his canopy, he unleashed the full fury of his six .50 caliber Browning M2 machine guns. The entire crew of the Lexington was on deck, eyes skyward, as one of World War 2’s most audacious aerial duels unfolded above them... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

April 1945, the hills of San Terenzo, Italy, are alive with the clash of battle as American forces engage the heavily defended Gothic Line. In this critical moment, Lieutenant Daniel Inouye and his platoon from the 442nd Infantry Regiment find themselves pinned down by intense machine gun fire emanating from a robust German bunker. Amidst the chaos, Inouye quickly takes command, signaling his men to push forward. They sprint across the open ground, dodging bursts of bullets that kick up mud around their boots. A bullet strikes Inouye in the stomach, but the pain only sharpens his focus. He presses on, leading his men with urgency toward the enemy positions. As they close in on the bunker, Inouye expertly handles his Tommy submachine gun, laying down a suppressing fire to cover their advance. He then successfully hurls two grenades, which explode with a deafening roar, silencing two of the machine gun nests that had been raining bullets upon them. With one nest still spewing gunfire, Inouye readies another grenade, pulling the pin as he braces to launch it toward the enemy. As he draws his arm back, an unseen German soldier a short distance away prepares his rifle grenade. The explosion erupts near Inouye just as he is about to throw his own grenade. The blast sends shockwaves through the ground, and amidst the chaos and rising dust, Inouye feels a searing pain. Time slows as he processes the gravity of the situation, realizing with a sinking feeling the horrifying and imminent danger that now lies next to him… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As dawn broke over a quiet village in Normandy in 1944, a beast hid among the ruins of a shattered farm, patiently awaiting the advancing Canadian forces and armor. Then, when they were finally within range, the concealed terror opened fire. Two consecutive shots resulted in two burning Shermans: their crews were gone entirely. Then, the vehicle emerged from the ruins: it was a Tiger II, commanded by Waffen SS troops. Sporting a devastating 88-millimeter gun that could tear apart six inches of armor at ranges of 2,000 meters, the Sherman’s two inches of protection stood no chance against the German behemoth. Two more Allied tanks exploded, and the advancing Canadian infantry was neutralized by the quick bursts of the Tiger’s MG 34 machine guns. Desperation quickly spread among the Allies as the enemy tank approached them. Standing 10 feet tall and with a length of 24 feet, the vehicle was utterly unknown to them. Two Shermans opened fire, only to realize their 76-millimeter guns only scratched the sloped armor of the colossus’s protection that was more than 150 millimeters thick. Unflinching, the King Tiger charged. It was its combat debut, and the crew would make sure the tank’s reputation spread among the Allies. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Vietnamese jungle air was thick with humidity and lingering gunsmoke. First Sergeant Bob Howard and his elite Hatchet Force special ops team were shaken up after a rough landing, their Huey helicopters greeted by a cacophonic chorus of North Vietnamese bullets that had left several casualties. The unit began pressing on into the unknown, determined to complete their highly classified mission to find a missing Green Beret. But at the back of the line, Howard was still dealing with sporadic fire from the flanks. He dashed forward to inform the Lieutenant of the threat, but it was too late: they had walked straight into an ambush. As the jungle erupted with a frenzied onslaught, a thunderous blast knocked Howard off his feet. Coming to in a clump on the ground, he tried to open his eyes, but all he could see was red. What’s more, his hands hurt like hell, and the AR-16 they’d been clutching was long gone. Suddenly, the air was filled with gut-wrenching screams and a distressing burning smell. With his vision slowly returning, a chill ran down Howard’s spine as he realized what was happening. Working his way down the line of casualties was an enemy soldier wielding a flamethrower. And it looked like Howard was next… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early hours of April 1, 1969, Fire Support Base Illingworth, nestled in the heart of the Vietnamese jungle, lay in ruins. For nearly ten minutes, the once vibrant battlefield, shaken by a surprise attack, fell into an eerie silence following a devastating explosion. Now, hundreds of soldiers from both sides lay strewn across the ground, some slowly stirring awake, some not, every man bearing the marks of battle. Amidst this quiet, 19-year-old Specialist Four Peter Lemon regained consciousness. Exhausted, scared, and marked by numerous shrapnel wounds across his head, neck, and limbs, Lemon's reality was sharpened by the chaos. He had shared a joint with friends who were no more, an act that now intertwined his senses with a surreal clarity amid the devastation. Riddled with wounds and enveloped in a haze, Lemon was fuelled by a surge of adrenaline and THC. Poised to challenge the odds once more, he reached for a bag of grenades and headed right towards the enemy. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By 1942, the once invincible German Panzer divisions were on the ropes, their strategic reserves gasping for breath. The Allies, rolling out tougher, more lethal tanks, stood ready to snatch the armored crown right off the Nazis' heads. In a desperate gambit to turn the tide, Adolf Hitler yanked Heinz Guderian, the brain behind the blitzkrieg, out of retirement. With a mammoth task ahead, Guderian, shoulder to shoulder with Albert Speer, the Minister for Armaments, kicked off a daring revamp of Germany's tank assembly lines. They cut loose any project that couldn’t sprint to the front lines, no questions asked. Just as they were about to drop the ax on the Jagdpanzer IV project, Hitler himself barged in. The Führer, betting big on intel from similar war machines, pegged this beastly tank destroyer as the ace up the Reich’s sleeve in the tank warfare showdown. Its iron-hard armor and sleek profile made it a fearsome foe on any battlefield. Packing a high-velocity 75-millimeter cannon, it could punch through enemy armor from miles away while its V-shaped hull shrugged off incoming fire with ease. For Hitler, this tank destroyer was his trump card. Despite Speer and Guderian sounding the alarm over the strain this monster would put on Panzer IV production, Hitler wouldn’t budge. He slammed the production pedal to the metal. And just like that, the Jagdpanzer IV was hurled into the furnace of war across multiple fronts as yet another testament to Hitler’s erratic military gambles… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After striking up an unlikely friendship with a seemingly frail homeless man in Miami's dark and wild cityscapes, Police Officer David Yuzuk gradually realized that this man was much more than he seemed. One day, the man declared: (QUOTE) "I think it's time for you to hear my story." The narrative he spun was nothing short of extraordinary: battling Viet Cong fighters in the steaming jungles during the savage Tet Offensive, serving in the Special Forces against the Castro regime, and taking part in the dark, clandestine operations of the CIA. It seemed far-fetched; the man sitting across from Yuzuk stood just 4 feet 9 inches tall—hardly the profile of a Special Forces warrior. Yet, Richard J. Flaherty insisted: (QUOTE) “I was the smallest man to ever serve in the military. I went to Vietnam with the Army’s 101st Airborne, and then Special Forces school." Skepticism gnawed at Yuzuk; perhaps these stories were just the man's way of armoring against a world that had cast him aside. Nevertheless, the tale lingered in his mind. Driven by curiosity, Yuzuk contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, only to reel in shock when they confirmed Flaherty's role in numerous high-stakes operations. But just as the layers began to peel back on one of the most staggering stories of modern warfare, it came crashing down: only six hours after his call, Flaherty lost his life in a mysterious hit-and-run. The sinister timing hinted at a desperate move to silence a man with too many secrets. Driven by a profound need to honor Flaherty's enigmatic legacy, Yuzuk launched into a dogged quest to unearth the full scale of Captain Richard J. Flaherty's covert life. Soon, Yuzuk would grasp the total weight of the adage: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." This tiny man's colossal deeds were about to come to light… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Normandy, France, June 6, 1944. All along the beach, thousands of Allied soldiers are fighting for every inch of land they can get. Across the red-stained sands of Omaha Beach, scattered and disoriented, the men of L Company, integral to the United States Army's historic Big Red One 1st Division, find themselves in an unexpected stand. Surrounded by machine-gun-armed Germans hiding in the dense hedgerows of the Normandy countryside, fragmented voices cut through the chaos, their broken English carrying a bone-chilling command to surrender. Amidst the invisible threat of their hidden enemies, Lieutenant Jimmie Monteith refuses to seek cover. Instead, he steps into the fire, directly walking towards the source of the voices, the heft of a grenade reassuring in his grip... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

South Korea plunged into chaos with the sudden invasion from the North, an unexpected turn that threw the nation and its American allies into a harrowing retreat. Overwhelmed by the Communist onslaught, the Allied forces faced an army of tens of thousands of infantry, artillery, and, critically, tanks led by the Soviet-made T-34s, a tank that epitomized armored dominance on the battlefield. In stark contrast, the only immediate armored response from the U.S. Far East Command came in the form of the World War 2-era M24 Chaffee. This compact light tank, tipping the scales at just over 18 tons and armed with a mere 75-millimeter gun, stood as the solitary option to confront the enemy's advance. Designed primarily for reconnaissance and infantry support, the Chaffee, with its lighter armor and armament, was not suited for head-on clashes with the Soviet behemoths. On July 10, 1950, a decisive moment unfolded as a unit of Chaffees encountered the enemy’s T-34 tanks for the first time. Leveraging their agility, the Chaffee crews went on the offensive. The initial exchange of fire saw the Chaffees’ rounds bouncing harmlessly off the T-34s' armor, but the American tanks pressed on, maneuvering to get within effective range. As the battle heated up, two Chaffees were hit and destroyed, a stark reminder of the risks they were taking. Then, in a moment teetering on the edge of disaster, as a T-34 lined up its shot on another Chaffee, an unexpected explosion changed everything. When the smoke began to clear, it was revealed that this was the result of a cunning flanking maneuver. The Chaffee's maneuverability and the crew's tactical ingenuity had turned the tables. Emerging from behind the enemy lines, the flanking Chaffees had caught the T-34s off guard. In the heat of battle, the Chaffee showed that age and power are not the sole determinants of effectiveness, revealing hidden aces through innovative tactics. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When describing the Battle of Iwo Jima, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz recalled: (QUOTE) “Uncommon valor was a common virtue.” During the costly battle, Corporal Tony Stein from the 5th Marine Division gave a face to that idea. The seasoned warrior landed with the first wave and raced through the black sand amidst the roar of gunfire and exploding shells to secure the beachhead. He wielded a personally improvised aircraft-type machine gun, a blend between a Browning machine gun, a BAR bipod, and an M1 Garand buttstock known as the Stinger. With it, Stein provided rapid covering fire as his platoon attempted to move into position. The corporal, fueled by adrenaline and determination, launched a daring assault on the enemy pillboxes. With each charge, he unleashed the devastating power of his Stinger, systematically dismantling the Japanese defenses. Amidst a maelstrom of explosions and gunfire, he became a force of nature, laying down relentless suppressing fire that held the enemy at bay. As his ammunition dwindled, Stein refused to be deterred. Displaying remarkable bravery, he dashed back and forth across the beach under heavy fire, not just to resupply but also to rescue wounded comrades, carrying them to safety with a strength born of sheer will. To increase his agility, he shed his shoes and helmet. There was fighting to be done. And he was not going to miss it. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Deep within the rugged peaks of Italy's Gran Sasso Mountain in 1943, a daring mission unfolded as Otto Skorzeny, once a mere civil engineer, now Hitler's chosen commando, led a covert operation unlike any other. Otto, also known as Scarface due to a unique face wound he received from a fencing match, glided over the mountaintop with his small team of elite Waffen SS troops and German paratroopers. With precision and stealth, they landed and readied their weapons after scanning the horizon. Their objective was the audacious rescue of Benito Mussolini from a heavily guarded mountain prison with a garrison of over 200 armed Italian soldiers. Skorzeny knew he was outgunned and outnumbered, but he was the master of unconventional warfare and knew he could pull it off flawlessly. He turned to one of his men and ordered the team to split up while he approached the front door with an Italian officer ready for his ruse to unfold. Only Otto Skorzeny, an engineer turned Hitler’s favorite operator and the most wanted man in Europe for his numerous exploits, could save Benito Mussolini from peril. With no hesitation, Scarface knocked on the door. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the stark, unforgiving skies of North Africa, Hans-Joachim Marseille, revered as the Star of Africa, engaged French ace pilot James Denis in their first of two aerial duels. Piloting his Messerschmitt Bf 109, Marseille, renowned for his tactical brilliance and more than 100 air victories, swiftly maneuvered to gain the upper hand as Denis' Hawker Hurricane emerged from beneath a cloud cover. With precise control, Marseille executed a deflection shot, firing ahead of his target, a technique few could master with such menacing grace. He timed his attack to target the enemy’s engine and propeller hub. His gunfire was effective, sending Denis' fighter crashing into the ground, its pilot spared by a stroke of fortune. Before he could celebrate his victory, Marseille realized the extent of the damage to his own aircraft. In the heat of their exchange, Denis had managed to return fire, riddling Marseille's Bf 109 with 30 bullets. The damage was extensive, jeopardizing the integrity of his aircraft and forcing Marseille himself to perform an emergency landing near Tobruk. The two pilots lost their aircraft, but they would meet again in the skies soon enough, each determined to prove who was the better ace. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The M42 Duster’s relentless barrage packed a punch as devastating as the bone-chilling fear it sparked in the Viet Cong caught in the crosshairs of its dual 40mm Bofors cannons. It was a juggernaut the enemy just couldn’t wrap their heads around. First Lieutenant Gene S. Lucas put it into words: (QUOTE) “The VC call them ‘Fire Dragons’ because they don’t know what to make of them. If the VC have ever come against one before, they’ll usually stay away.” This towering, nightmare-inducing tank was originally just a mobile anti-aircraft artillery piece, yet in the depths of Vietnam, it became a force of nature. In January 1968, the United States 26th Marine Regiment withstood the assault of three North Vietnamese Army divisions during a staggering 77 days. With two Dusters anchoring either end of the airstrip and a company of dug-in Marines sandwiched between, this setup became absolutely pivotal in the defense of the base. Their ceaseless volleys and tracer rounds spitting in blistering barrages blurred into a burst of flames and looked like a dragon unleashing hellfire at the waves of attackers. Now, these fire-breathing machines were all that stood between US marines holding the line and a vast enemy horde on the brink of swallowing the base whole… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

General Alexander Vandegrift, commander of the 1st Marine Division, had been fighting the Japanese at Guadalcanal for over four months under less than desirable conditions: they were surrounded by the enemy around Henderson Airfield, lacked proper food, and ammunition was running dangerously low. A desperate firefight had just ended around the perimeter, and General Vandegrift observed his Marines with contempt. Their machine gun barrels still running hot, and the wounded still pleading for help, the Marines and the Navy Corpsman quickly rushed to help. Most of the Japanese from the assault wave had perished, but one wounded soldier grasped for help. One leatherneck and corpsman approached him to provide first aid. As they raised him, General Vandegrift’s eyes were wide open: the wounded Japanese was armed with a hand grenade set to detonate. He shouted with desperation, but it was futile: it was already too late. Only then did the general realize his men were fighting an enemy who was truly committed to fighting the last man for the eternal glory of the Emperor and the Empire of Japan. Guadalcanal was hell. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Yom Kippur War raged on. The Arab Coalition heavily outnumbered Israel. Hundreds of Soviet-made aircraft rushed through the air, conducting airstrikes against Israeli batteries. Despite facing the imposing Soviet-made MIG 17s, MIG 21s, and SU 7 fighters in the skies, Israel did not falter, thanks to the support provided by one of the latest American surface-to-air defenses: the MIM-23 Hawk, also known as the Homing All the Way Killer missile system. This state-of-the-art mobile system, armed with three lethal missiles carrying 120 pounds of explosive warheads and flying at speeds of Mach 2.4, was not your ordinary SAM. It was armed with the latest radars, electronic counter-countermeasures, and home-on-jam features. Simply put, once the Hawk sighted a target, there was no way to escape its missile. By the end of the day, the carcasses of over a dozen enemy Soviet fighters decorated the land around an Israeli Hawk battery. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In 1945, while conflict dwindled in most theaters, the Pacific remained fiercely contested. Amid this chaos, Lieutenant Louis E. Curdes, already notable for downing German, Italian, and Japanese aircraft, suddenly encountered an unprecedented challenge. Piloting his P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel," Curdes was patrolling the Philippine Sea when he spotted a C-47, an American transport plane veering dangerously off course, aiming straight for an enemy-held airstrip. The aircraft below could have been a Japanese decoy or, more alarmingly, an American crew unwittingly on the brink of capture. Curdes radioed down a stark warning: (QUOTE) “For God’s sake, keep away from shore. Japs there.” He then initiated a series of maneuvers, firing warning shots in a desperate bid to divert the plane's course. Yet, the C-47 advanced. Suspecting the worst but acting with the determination of a seasoned fighter, Curdes closed to 20 yards, about to make a fateful decision. Few had achieved the distinction of downing aircraft from three nations. Curdes, however, was about to distinguish himself further, marking German, Italian, Japanese, and now, under extraordinary circumstances, an American plane. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the morning of September 9, 1972, amidst the bustling skies west of Hanoi, where clashes between American Phantoms and Soviet-made North Vietnamese Migs occurred with increasing frequency, Captain John A. Madden, Jr. and his Weapons Systems Officer Charles "Chuck" DeBellevue, embarked on MiGCAP duties. Together, they soared above the treacherous skies in their F-4D Phantom. Suddenly, they locked onto a MiG, and the hunt turned into a confrontation as the duo maneuvered to engage. But while their target appeared within reach, the MiG pilot, adept at evasion tactics, detected their approach and swiftly accelerated away, eluding the Americans' pursuit. Before long, their radar revealed another opportunity: two unsuspecting MiG-19s, oblivious to the precision of the weapons systems officer. The duoquickly executed a slicing, low-speed yo-yo maneuver, positioning themselves behind the enemy aircraft. DeBellevue then fired an AIM-9 Sidewinder, detonating just 25 feet from one of the Soviet-made planes. Without delay, they targeted the second MiG, launching another Sidewinder. DeBellevue observed the missile hitting the MiG's tail, sending the aircraft hurtling towards the ground. As they returned to base, the adrenaline of the chase led them to believe they’d only shot the second MiG. Unbeknownst to them, they’d hit both. For Captain Madden, these triumphs marked his initiation into the elite circle of MiG hunters, securing his first and second victories. However, for Captain Chuck DeBellevue, that fateful day catapulted him into the spotlight as the war's foremost MiG destroyer, propelling him to "Ace" status. And he was just getting started… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Racing through Vietcong-held territories toward the untamed Plain of Reeds, Mike Vincent’s squad emerged as an unstoppable force. Mounted on some of the strangest battle vehicles ever seen in warfare, they carved their path through rivers, mangrove swamps, and sawgrass hummocks at a staggering 70 miles per hour, their Air Cushion Vehicles defying terrain that even helicopters couldn’t land on. With menacing shark’s teeth painted across their bows, these hovercrafts bore down on the enemy like nightmarish land-and-sea metal sharks. Suddenly, a chilling report crackled over the radio from the last hovercraft in line: they had just hit a landmine. Alarms went off, yet the situation left them no choice but to barrel forward. Halting meant becoming easy prey for lurking enemy patrols. Despite the circumstances, they pressed on. Upon finally securing a moment to assess the damage, Vincent’s astonishment was palpable. The craft bore a few superficial holes. He later reflected on the incident: (QUOTE) “it takes more than that to stop a skimmer at 60 knots.” From the beginning, Vincent believed fiercely in the capabilities of these hovercrafts, envisioning them as the ultimate tanks of the Vietnam War, unparalleled in speed and versatility. (QUOTE): “As long as the engine keeps running, there isn’t anything you can’t do with the craft.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On June 6, 1944, after years of grueling conflict, the first Allies to land on Omaha Beach in occupied France were immediately met with stiff opposition from German defenders. Central to this conflict was Heinrich “Hein” Severloh, stationed at WN 62, a key defensive position among the German fortifications along this vital beachfront. Armed with the MG 42, renowned for its rapid-fire capabilities, Severloh tirelessly engaged the advancing American forces. Severloh's precision was merciless as he targeted the Americans disembarking from their landing crafts, and entire platoons were cut down within moments of exposure. Countless GIs caught knee-deep in the surf struggled under the weight of their gear and the unyielding fire, and some attempted to evade the direct assault by leaping from the sides, only to meet the same fate. After six relentless hours of gunfire, and with his comrades beginning to withdraw and regroup, Private Severloh emerged as the sole survivor of his fortified position, single-handedly holding off the enemy. In the face of overwhelming odds and dwindling ammunition—having expended nearly 13,000 rounds—Severloh confronted a chilling realization. In the grim aftermath of the day's events, he had become the Beast of Omaha. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On July 30, 1944, in Normandy, a unit of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade, equipped with Churchill tanks, became isolated from their infantry. Developed for even the most rugged of terrains, these tanks had already proved their resilience time and time again from Dieppe to North Africa and Italy. They moved through the dense countryside, lone and vulnerable, unaware the newest tracked weapon of the German Army lay in wait. Three Jagdpanthers, each armed with a formidable 88-mm gun, were on the prowl. Developed just in time for the Normandy operations, these menacing machines had received the Fuhrer's personal seal of approval. Hidden, the Jagdpanthers prepared to ambush the Churchill tanks, ready to prove that while the invasion of northern France was well underway, Germany would not back down just yet. With this, the landscape near St. Martin de Bois witnessed the most concentrated infantry tank action in the entire war. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By November 1944, after more than five years of war, the once seemingly unstoppable momentum of the German Wehrmacht was waning. Across Europe, the tides of battle were turning, and the iron grip of control was slipping from the fingers of the German High Command. But on the borderlands of Germany, the struggle was far from over. Before the Allies could push into Berlin, their advance required securing a pathway through the Hürtgen Forest, a natural fortress that had become the site of some of the war's most brutal engagements. In this unforgiving terrain, Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld, a young commander recently tapped to lead the Wehrmacht unit, was ordered to maintain the upper hand against elements of the famed United States 22nd Infantry Regiment. After a long night of military operations, the sunrise gave way to a short silence. But this was suddenly halted by a cry of a man pleading for help in English. Inching closer to take a closer look, Lengfeld saw that sprawled out on the ground of no-man's land was a lonesome American soldier. Injured and scared, he'd clearly been left behind. Initially, Lengfeld chose to ignore the American. But after hours of persistent calls for help, which would stir compassion in even the most hardened soldiers, Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld decided to do what only a few soldiers dare: help the enemy. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the sun rose over Gold Beach on D-Day, a maelstrom of bullets, bombs, and mortar fire tore open the morning skies. Amidst the frenzied bedlam of battle, Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis led D Company of the 6th Green Howards storming forward beyond the beachhead towards their target, the fearsome German heavy naval artillery up ahead. The area was supposed to have already been cleared of enemy troops, but suddenly, D Company found themselves unexpectedly facing machine gun fire from a pair of pillboxes that had somehow been missed. Without blinking an eye, Hollis bravely sprinted over thirty yards towards the first, skilfully dodging the flurry of ammunition flying towards him as he hurriedly dashed across the dangerous open ground. Miraculously making it to the pillbox unscathed, he then wedged his trusty Sten gun through the slit and let rip, emptying his magazine on the Nazi soldiers hiding out inside. Out of ammunition, quick-thinking Hollis rapidly jumped atop the pillbox, lying prone as he threw a grenade through the door before rushing in to take any survivors prisoner. It was undoubtedly a heroic act, but the so-called “longest day” was just beginning, and Hollis and his men would have to pull out all the stops to make it out alive… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Hell reigned above the skies of Kolombangara Island, close to the island of Guadalcanal. First Lieutenant Jefferson J. DeBlanc of the US Marine Corps was engaged in a desperate fight against overwhelming odds. Japanese Zeroes and other fighter aircraft were above, below, and behind him, seeking to strike him down. The able Marine destroyed three enemies in a few minutes, and the Japanese sought revenge. Long gone were DeBlanc’s Wildcats and allied bombers. He had decided to stay behind to cover their retreat. And he had succeeded. It was now time for him to turn tail and live to fight another day. While maneuvering, DeBlanc took down two enemy fighters with his machine guns, but the triumph was not without a cost. His Wildcat was shot multiple times, and fuel began to leak. The Marine was forced to bail out and act lifeless as he descended toward the unforgiving ocean with his battered parachute. Once in the water, a wounded DeBlanc swam without rest to the shores of Kolombangara. As he approached, DeBlanc saw people gathering at the beach. They were islanders, and they did not look friendly. Armed with spears and other weapons, they made gestures at him. DeBlanc, thinking of tales of cannibalism, reloaded his M1911 as he reached them. Fighting the Japanese in the air was one thing. Surviving in the jungle surrounded by cannibals was another. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As night descended on April 12, 1972, Navy SEAL Lieutenant Thomas Norris and Petty Officer Third Class Nguyen Van Kiet were steeling themselves for their third rescue attempt. Their mission was clear: to extract Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, call sign BAT-21 Bravo, from behind enemy lines. Hambleton, a 53-year-old experienced pilot with critical intelligence knowledge, had been evading capture for over a week. His condition was deteriorating rapidly, and Norris knew that they had to reach him that night, or it might be too late. Disguised as local fishermen, Norris and Nguyen set out in their small boat, venturing deep into enemy territory. The cover of darkness provided some concealment, but the sounds of the surrounding enemy were ever-present - the chatter of soldiers, the growl of tank engines, and the ominous presence of a massive force of over 30,000 men. As they silently paddled upriver, Norris and Nguyen were acutely aware that their disguises might not hold up under closer scrutiny. With Hambleton's life hanging in the balance, Norris and Nguyen were determined to press on, knowing that even if they succeeded in finding him, they would still have to navigate the perilous journey back through enemy territory, where their cover might be blown at any moment. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Amid the chaos of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944, Major Digby, a fearless British paratrooper, stood out with an unconventional weapon in hand. Like a true British gentleman, the Major carried a simple umbrella for identification, earning him an aura of mystery and madness in front of his puzzled comrades. Digby and his men were surrounded and outnumbered by German infantry and armor. The man was faced with two options: perish while holding the bridge in order to allow the upcoming Allied armor to cross it and continue advancing into the heart of Germany, or retreat, saving his men but jeopardizing Operation Market Garden. The Briton decided to hold his ground. Communications were cut off, but fortunately for the paratroopers, Digby, wary of unreliable radios, had previously equipped his men with bugles from the Napoleonic era to communicate with each other as the cacophony of war shrouded the soldiers. Realizing the enemy was about to overwhelm his troops as machine gun and mortar fire suppressed them, Major Digby opted for an unconventional solution to gain control of the breach: a desperate bayonet charge. The Major tossed aside his submachine gun and, with his umbrella in one hand and pistol in the other, charged against the German infantry and armor, thrusting his umbrella into a German armored car, striking the driver in the eye. The unexpected assault brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt, and the entire crew surrendered. Not content with that, Digby spotted the unit’s priest pinned down by enemy fire and decided to act. Instead of ordering suppressing fire, Digby simply dropped his pistol and raced toward the priest, telling him: [QUOTE] "Don't worry about the bullets; I've got an umbrella." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On April 11, 1966, the US Army troops of the 1st Infantry Division Charlie Company 16th Regiment were knowingly used as bait to lure out the Viet Cong in the dense jungles of the Phuoc Tuy Province. But the operation backfired, and now, surrounded, outnumbered five to one, and with no hope of reinforcements coming in, C Company was hanging on by a thread. However, Army Sergeant James William Robinson Jr. had signed up for the Army just for moments like these. He dragged a fellow soldier to safety and got injured in the process. After reaching cover, Jim propped himself against a tree to patch up wounds on his leg when he was interrupted. Through the leaves and endless noise, he spotted a heavily entrenched enemy machine gun and immediately realized it was the one causing the most casualties to his beleaguered and dwindling unit. His procedure had to wait. But without ammo for his rifle, he quickly had to think of something else. And then, he noticed two hand grenades… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On March 22, 1945, General Patton's Third Army charged through the Rhine, making a beeline for the heart of Germany. They swept northeast, breaking through the Soviet Zone, eyes set on Gotha. But fate had other plans, diverting them unexpectedly to Merkers. A few weeks later, the 358th Infantry Regiment's Third Battalion seized the village, unknowingly stumbling upon a revelation. Whispers circulated about hidden Reichsbank gold in the Kaiseroda potassium mine. On April 5, rumors from displaced Germans reached the intelligence units. The race was on as troops ventured into the mine's depths. Behind a closed vault lay what possibly was the most splendid treasure ever amassed. The war was coming to an end, but the dark truth about the riches hidden in the deep mine were just coming out into the light… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play War Thunder now for free with our link, and get a massive bonus pack including vehicles, boosters and more: https://wtplay.link/darkdocs Under the sweltering Vietnamese sun, bad boy Sergeant Joe Hooper and the rest of the motley bunch of outsiders who made up the US Infantry company known as the Delta Raiders cautiously approached a river deep in the heart of the torrid jungle on the hunt for their Communist enemy. Suddenly, a deafening hail of screaming rockets and staccato machine gun fire coming from the opposite shore let them know that they had found them. Diving for cover among the tangled undergrowth, Squad Leader Hooper’s voice pierced through the cacophony as he rallied a handful of his most fearless troops for a daring assault on the North Vietnamese Army bunkers, charging as fast as they could through the river’s chest-deep waters to engage their opponents in a frenzied firefight. Amidst the raging chaos of battle, the intrepid Hooper and his men successfully took out the first bunker, then another, and another, until five bunkers had been laid to waste. Emboldened by Hooper’s success, the rest of Delta Company surged forward to join the fray, only to be met by a ferocious storm of North Vietnamese bullets, which would send several members of the company falling to the jungle floor in agony. Witnessing the carnage as he continued his attack, Sergeant Hooper knew what he had to do. He may have been labeled a troublemaker and a miscreant, but he wasn’t a coward, and he certainly wasn’t going to abandon his wounded comrades to their fate. The North Vietnamese were pulling no punches with their intense onslaught. With a complete disregard for his own life, he ventured once more into the inferno of enemy fire, determined to save as many American soldiers as he could, no matter the cost. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The men of the 7th Infantry Division, known as the Bayonet Division, were on the verge of being overrun by the superior numbers of Chinese Communists. One of the many GIs caught under the surprise night attack was Private First Class Jack Hanson, a machine gunner with Company F, tasked with defending the two hills at Pachi-dong, Korea. The intense enemy fire and the roar of explosives deafened Hanson’s buddies, but they kept firing clip after clip. Magazine belt after magazine belt. As the enemy advanced towards his position, Hanson’s men were wounded and required evacuation and treatment. Instead of running for safety, he covered everyone else’s retreat. Knowing more of his comrades would make it back if they had cover fire. Amidst the chaos, Hanson stood firm, his machine gun’s barrel running hot after nonstop fire. He stood alone against the tide of enemy forces, a lone sentinel facing adversity. After expending all his ammunition, Hanson took his pistol and a machete, ready to honor the nickname of his division: The Bayonet Division. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On October 13, 1972, tension hummed through the cockpit of an F-4 Phantom. High above the dense clouds near North Vietnam's Kep airfield, pilot Lieutenant Colonel Curtis Westphal, with hands firmly gripping the joystick, and his Weapon Systems Officer Captain Jeffrey S. Feinstein, eyes locked onto his radar, were completely absorbed by their tasks. The calm of the flight was abruptly shattered by a sudden crackling voice over the radio announcing that enemy MiGs were airborne and closing in. In mere seconds, they sprang into action, swiftly heading towards the impending engagement. Feinstein's pulse quickened; he understood that these were not just any adversaries, but the key to his potential ascension as an ace—a larger-than-life milestone attainable only by the very elite in their field. Above all, he felt the weight of responsibility to protect his comrades. With the enemy drawing nearer, the pursuit began—a daring engagement with missiles poised and ready for action. After closing to just one mile, Captain Feinstein established visual contact with one of the two MiG-21s. Three AIM-7s then streaked through the sky, with Feinstein watching with his heart racing, hoping that at least one missile would find its mark… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Herman Perry’s heart hammered against his ribcage. He was cornered. Officer Harold Cady and two imposing US servicemen loomed before him, their silhouettes stark against the dense Burmese jungle. Perry’s mind raced as he confronted the grim reality of being taken back into the depths of the notorious Ledo military Stockade. Delirious on poppy, emotionally shattered, and driven by a fierce determination to evade the nightmarish conditions of the Stockade at any cost, Perry did the unthinkable and trained his rifle on Cady. To Perry, the thought of returning to that forced-labor, malaria-ridden hell, where he and other prisoners languished at the bottom of the pecking order, was inconceivable. In a broken shriek, Perry said: (QUOTE) “Get back!... Get Back!” Cady stepped forward anyway. Perry was shaking now, begging: (QUOTE) “Lieutenant, don’t come up on me.” Having fled the Stockade after his 90-day sentence for insubordination was unjustly extended, Perry now felt the oppressive weight of the sweltering jungle air, its humidity squeezing out the last remnants of sense he had left. As tears spilled down his face, he fired once, then one more time, and ran into the maddening embrace of the jungle towards a terrifying head-hunter tribe. The Greatest and most insane manhunt of World War 2 was on, and Perry would become a Jungle King… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the heart of the Philippines, Private First-Class Dirk J. Vlug was waging his war against Japanese tankers. Vlug’s buddies guarded a roadblock threatened by two enemy tanks. Undeterred by the enemy armor, Vlug emerged from his fortified position with a rocket launcher and a mere six rounds of ammunition. Completely alone and exposed, the private advanced under a barrage of machine guns and 37-millimeter fire. Swiftly, Vlug dispatched the first tank with a single round, turning it into a pile of rubble and fire. Undaunted, the private confronted the dismounting crew of the second tank, using his M1911 pistol to eliminate them, forcing the survivors to retreat to the safety of their tank, only to find themselves consumed by the explosion of a direct hit. Taking a deep breath, Vlug reloaded his weapons and prepared for a more significant threat. Through the smoke and fire, the American GI sighted three more Japanese tanks. Vlug grabbed his bazooka and turned toward his comrades, signaling them he would flank the enemy. One man. Six Rockets. Five tanks. Vlug grinned. The odds were even. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Vietnam, late 1960s. Hostile North Vietnamese troops pin down a Hatchet Force of elite American MACV-SOG operators. They have the numbers and the high ground. Nevertheless, the Americans and their loyal indigenous Montagnards do not back down. Staff Sergeant Jerry M. Shriver, also known as Mad Dog, dashes from cover to cover, pummeling the enemy with his unconventional arsenal of several pistols, revolvers, and a lethal sawed-off shotgun. Some men are wounded and are slowly hoisted up through the thick jungle canopy to a chopper. The enemy presses on, but Mad Dog does not flinch. He retaliates with all the ammunition at his disposal. The friendlies are lifted one by one until Mad Dog is left alone. He calls in for Close Air Support several times. The enemy fire intensified to the point the radio offered Mad Dog Shriver assistance with a fresh unit of ground troops. He rejects the offers and replies: [QUOTE] “No, no…I’ve got them right where I want them: surrounded from the inside.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The United States was a month shy of officially entering World War 2. Still, a showdown was brewing in the churning, unforgiving waters of the Atlantic. The daring U-boat commander, Erich Topp, had locked his gaze on the American destroyer, USS Reuben James. She was positioning herself like a shield between the prowling pack of German submarines and a British convoy, relentlessly launching depth charges into the depths. For Topp, that meant the American destroyer was fair game, neutral or not. The destroyer had gone dark, trying to vanish into the night. But it was a futile action against the relentless hunter, U-552. With cold precision, Topp aligned his torpedo tubes and unleashed his strike. The torpedo impacted her port side with ruthless accuracy, ripping open a colossal wound. Instantly, her ammunition magazines ignited, setting off a cataclysmic chain reaction. The explosion was monstrous, splitting the warship into flaming fragments, her bow rearing towards the heavens. Desperate sailors leaped into the frigid, oil-slicked embrace of the Atlantic. Rescue ships from the convoy plunged into a race against time as sailors fought for their lives in the sea. The sinking of the Reuben James was a brutal awakening for America. The New York Times proclaimed it the undeniable harbinger of open war with Germany in the Atlantic. Yet, this was merely the opening act for Erich Topp as one of the most lethal U-boat commanders in World War 2. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Early in the morning of April 7, 1943, with the Pacific theater of World War 2 in full swing, a 22-year old American rookie pilot named James Elms Swett was about to get his first taste of action. His debut mission was to lead a small division of Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters on patrol over the Russell Islands, just off Guadalcanal, recently taken by the US. Stopping to refuel, he received an alarming message: hurtling towards the American ships docked at the port of Tulagi were 150 Japanese planes, a force equal in size to that of the first wave of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. Were it to be successful, it would crush the American presence in the region and turn the tide of the war back in favor of the Japanese. Without blinking an eye, the young pilot leapt into action. Racing to defend his country’s fleet, his tiny squadron found itself up against a massive group of Japanese Aichi D3A dive bombers, known to the Allies as “Vals”, on their way to destroy the harbor. As the adrenaline kicked in, the plucky first-timer lined up one of the bombers in his sights before bringing it crashing down into the ocean below. Pure chaos followed, and Swett became separated on his own. As the frantic dogfight thundered around him, sharpshooter Swett would have to pull off an epic, almost impossible WW2 achievement to save the American fleet. But first, he found himself staring into the eyes of a Japanese tail gunner ready to fire… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was May 1945, and the war in the European Theater had just ended. Yet, over the borderlands of the Netherlands and Germany, a lonesome Focke-Wulf Fw 190 bearing the swastika insignia roared through the sky. At the controls sat American pilot Bob Hoover, executing an audacious escape from captivity. His hands, steady despite the turmoil, gripped the controls of the enemy aircraft with instructions all in German. With no parachute and deep within Allied territory, Hoover faced a storm of doubt and determination. He thought to himself: [QUOTE] “You are the dumbest aviator that ever flew. What the hell are you accomplishing?” The relief of leaving his captors behind now turned into the fear of what lay ahead. He was flying the wrong colors. The image of anti-aircraft batteries flashed through his mind while looking for a suitable stretch among the friendly sight of windmills. As he prepared for an emergency landing in a field, the uncertainty of his reception on the ground loomed large. For a long time, Hoover kept this breathtaking escape to himself, believing it to be more foolhardy than heroic. Yet, as word of his daring adventure spread, his reputation soared. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the face of the crushing onslaught of German Panzer power and their “Big Cats,” the United States took a gamble engineering a new breed of armored combatant – the tank destroyer. This machine sacrificed armor for blistering speed and agility. The stakes were the lives of American soldiers like Norbert Gerling thrust into war with the pioneering 609th Tank Destroyer Battalion and their revolutionary M18 Hellcat. Gerling's mission was to test the Hellcat's effectiveness in 'Shoot and Scoot' tactics. This meant proving these nimble, lighter war machines could swiftly outmaneuver and launch precise, damaging strikes against the bulky German tanks. The Hellcats would hit hard and disappear swiftly, leaving the enemy disoriented and unable to strike back. But hunting down the heaviest, most potent combat vehicles on earth was a task that would push man and machine to their limits. On March 7, 1945, Gerling and his crew faced an impossible mission; rescuing a US tank crew trapped in a ravine, their tank incapacitated, shadowed by the very anti-tank gun under an overpass that had crippled them. Gerling was acutely aware of the razor’s edge they walked on. If their Hellcat paused momentarily, they’d be sitting ducks for the enemy’s guns. But if they charged at full throttle, obliterated the Overpass’s pillars, and crashed it down on the German gunners before they could react, maybe, just maybe, they could pull off the most audacious Shoot and Scoot of the entire war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the hallowed landscape of Normandy, France, the Battle of Cherbourg unfolded as a symphony of thundering naval and ground artillery pummeled the German port defenses. The streets echoed with the rhythmic cadence of gunfire as American GIs closed in on the strategic port city. Pinned beneath the gaze of German pillboxes and unforgiving 88-millimeter Flak guns, the Allies faced German audacity and stiff resistance. Amidst the chaos, Corporal John D. Kelly braved a hail of machine gun fire, navigating through enemy defenses with a pole and TNT charges to destroy a pillbox and save his buddies. Lieutenant Carlos C. Ogden, a fearless leader from Fairmount, Illinois, confronted a lethal artillery barrage in another sector. Despite his grievous injuries and a bullet grazing his helmet, Ogden wielded his M1 Garand grenade launcher and advanced towards an 88-millimeter Flak gun already damaged by one of his grenades. He aimed to silence it for good. Such was the spirit of the fighting men led by Lightning Joe Collins, one of the youngest commanders in US military history tasked with capturing the most crucial port the allied troops required for the liberation of France. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

June 1942, North Africa: As the sun scorches the endless desert, the British 7th Armoured Brigade, the "Desert Rats," brace for a crucial showdown in Operation Battleaxe. Their secret weapon: the newly minted A15 Crusader, a 20-ton steel predator, ready to blaze across the battlefield at a top speed of 27 miles per hour. Outfitted with a 2-pounder anti-tank gun and a coaxial Besa machine gun, the Crusader is more than a match for the Italian defenses it's designed to counter. But as the tanks roll out, the reality of war hits hard. Instead of the expected Italian resistance, they come face-to-face with the German 88mm anti-tank guns and a wall of Panzer IIIs and IVs, turning their first combat into a harrowing ambush. Explosions light up the landscape, sending clouds of sand into the air as shells find their targets. It's a trial by fire for the Crusader, a tank born from the lessons of World War 1 and Britain's strategic vision of armored warfare. Amid gunfire and the relentless desert heat, the Crusaders' fight in Operation Battleaxe becomes a fierce contest for supremacy in North Africa. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the frostbitten Vosges Mountains of northeastern France, near the German border, 1945 began with a New Year’s Day offensive. Here, amidst the forgotten echoes of the famous Battle of the Bulge, a smaller yet equally fierce struggle unfolded: Operation Nordwind, where even the bravest battle-hardened soldiers found themselves tested to their limits. In this frozen landscape, a group of weary American soldiers from the 157th Infantry Regiment lay entrenched in the town of Reipertswiller. They were the forgotten men of Nordwind, trapped for days under what seemed like a 24/7 barrage. Encircled, ammunition was dwindling, supplies had run dry, and the biting cold certainly didn’t help. Their spirits, battered by the constant bombardment and the gnawing hunger, hung by a thread. On January 18, the distant rumble of tanks broke the sound of artillery. As the beleaguered soldiers' eyes lifted, they spotted the unmistakable silhouette of Sherman tanks cutting through the frozen terrain. But as the vehicles drew closer, the men felt hope for the first time in days, as in the lead tank's hatch, surveying the battlefield with a calm, determined gaze, all while under endless fire, was their commander, Lieutenant Colonel Felix Sparks. Against all odds, he had come to lead them out of this frozen hell. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The naval engagements of the Falklands War between the Argentinian Air Force and the Royal Navy were escalating. A British warship, HMS Sheffield, was operating in hostile territory, ready to strike down any upcoming enemy aircraft. Suddenly, the silhouette of an unseen threat disrupted the horizon, Argentina’s Air Force hidden secret: a lethal French-made Exocet missile. The menacing missile, a symbol of the new era of naval warfare, streaked through the sky. The crew braced for impact. Before anything could be done to neutralize it, the missile tore into the hull of Sheffield. The devastating impact echoed across the seas, marking the first successful strike of an Exocet missile and a pivotal moment in naval history. The Royal Navy, humiliated by this blow dealt by the under-armed Argentinian troops, swiftly prompted the military to call the best of the best to neutralize the rest of the Exocet missiles in Argentina’s arsenal: the Special Air Service or SAS. Their mission was bound to be reckless, almost impossible, but they were in against all odds and had always triumphed. Until then… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early days of May 1940, the air in the French town of Stonne was thick with tension. In the heart of this quiet, a lone figure stood resolute. The French Char B1 – a behemoth weighing 28 tons – was not the pinnacle of tank design. It was underpowered, often unreliable, and in the face of the German blitzkrieg, it seemed almost archaic. But as the sun rose on that May morning, Captain Billotte knew this was all they had. It had to be enough. Unbeknownst to him, a company of German Panzers, the pride of the Wehrmacht, was advancing towards Stonne. The Char B1, with its formidable armor, stood as the town's unlikely guardian. The Germans, confident in their swift and decisive campaign, were about to encounter a surprise that would shake their convictions. As the two forces converged, a palpable unease unsettled the German ranks at the sight of the French tank. Myths of an easy victory in France were about to be shattered. A single tank, led by a man of unyielding courage, was about to challenge an entire German Panzer company. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Following the Battle of Britain, as the Third Reich redirected most of their resources toward Operation Barbarossa in the East, the skies over occupied France stood relatively empty. After months of meticulous planning, the Royal Air Force prepared to unleash a new kind of offensive operation, adeptly named Circus, for they were full of surprises. On January 10, 1941, a formation of six Bristol Blenheim bombers from 114 Squadron, 2 Group, a part of RAF Bomber Command, set their sights on an airfield and an ammunition dump in the Foret de Guines, just a stone's throw from the French coast, south of Calais. The British mission seemed doomed from the start, as the tiny bomber group would be no match for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 defenders taking to the air. Yet, a stunning surprise awaited the German pilots as they closed in on their targets. Flying hidden at a slightly higher altitude was a massive cloud of what seemed like nearly 100 RAF escort fighters… Circus Number 1 had come to town. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Over an evening of drinks in Cairo, two British Special Operations Executive agents devised the organization's boldest plan yet. During the Axis occupation of the Greek island of Crete, the two men hatched a plan to kidnap the feared Friedrich-Willhelm Müller. For Captain Stanley Moss, barely 18, the mission was his first chance to shine within the top-secret SOE. But for Major Patrick Leigh Fermor, who'd been present during the invasion of the island and seen Mueller's savagery against the population firsthand, the operation was personal. However, as the plan began to unfold and the men prepared to travel into Crete, one of the most dangerous islands in the Mediterranean, invaded by the Italians and the Germans, Muller was transferred. After evaluating the immense risks of such an operation, the SOE had two choices: to cancel the mission outright or to go on with it. As part of the United Kingdom's most elite spy and covert operations organization, the decision was clear for the two men: to face the danger and parachute into Crete to claim their prey… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On May 12, 1943, in the perilous Atlantic waters, Kriegsmarine submarine U-456 vanished with all hands on deck. This opened up a mystery for the Third Reich, who, that month, suffered unprecedented U-boat losses. Little did they know that a silent predator, a Liberator under the command of RAF Flight Lieutenant John Wright, had soared through the skies, armed with an enigmatic weapon - the Allies' best-kept secret. Nicknamed FIDO for its dogged determination, this American-made creation was so covert that its use was confined to the deep open waters of the Atlantic to prevent it from running ashore. The directive was clear: release it only after a U-boat had dived or was diving with the conning tower hatch closed to keep the enemy from ever spotting this secret weapon. Only after the war did Germany discover what was behind their submarines’ downfall. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After landing on the jagged Batangan Peninsula, the US Marines inched closer than ever to wiping out the 1st Viet Cong regiment in an irrevocable stroke. The Marines had relentlessly pursued the rapidly retreating enemy since the white-hot climax of Operation Starlite. Now, at long last, the prey was cornered with no obvious route for escape. However, this seemingly straightforward task soon revealed its true, complex nature. Despite the smooth landing operation, the Marines stood on the precipice of a daunting labyrinth of subterranean caves, wherein the Viet Cong, ready to fight to their last breath, was ominously lurking. Descending into the eerie depths of the caves, the Marines stumbled upon a sprawling underground field hospital. As they combed the hospital grounds, they were met with a fierce salvo of enemy fire, echoing ominously from the pitch-black recesses of the caverns. In a desperate bid to decrease the carnage, the US fighters raised their voices above the din of battle, imploring the enemy to lay down their arms. But the notion of surrender seemed an alien concept to the Viet Cong. If the Marines were to taste victory, they would have to wrench it from the cold depths of the cave system... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The SAS commandos silently infiltrated the German air base at Bagush, removed the nearby guards with their knives, set up the plastic explosives in every aircraft nearby, and crawled out of the perimeter completely undetected. Minutes later, the towering figure of Paddy Mayne, the Irish Lion, observed the fireworks from afar. The enemy base was in flames, but that was not enough for the Irish warrior, who said: (QUOTE) “Damn, we did 40 aircraft. Some of the bloody primers must have been damp.” Unsatisfied with the havoc he had just unleashed with only three SAS commandos, he ordered them back to their heavily armed jeeps and told them the job was not over yet. The commandos wanted to obliterate the entire base, storming into the blazing perimeter guns. Such was the restless nature of the Irish Lion Commando, unleashed onto North Africa, leaving a path of destruction and paralyzing the Axis powers. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After four attempts to negotiate the surrender and retrieval of the civilians entrenched at the Alcazar of Toledo with its 1,300 Nationalist defenders, the desperate Republicans contemplated their last resort: blowing up the legendary Alcazar with mines. The siege had been going on for almost three months. It had achieved limited results for the Republicans despite outnumbering the defenders six to one. On September 18, the Republican president approved the destruction of the fortress. From an observatory, the president and his cabinet waited for the explosion. When it did, and half the fortress became rubble, the Republicans launched a large-scale attack to capture it once and for all. But the entrenched defenders were ready to fight to the last bullet, of which they had none to spare… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The air was thick with tension as American paratroopers hunkered down in their foxholes, ready for the upcoming wave of German troops. The eerie glow of the moonlight highlighted the sleek and elegant design of the semiautomatic rifles the soldiers were carrying, the M1 Garand. Some were in pristine condition. Others had already seen combat and had their bayonets fixed. The Garand, a marvel of military engineering, was the world’s first mass-produced semiautomatic rifle. Its gas-operated action, delivering eight rounds with mechanical precision, changed the tide of battle in a world where most armies relied heavily on bolt-action rifles. As the silhouettes of the German soldiers became visible, the paratroopers adjusted the sights of their M1s and opened fire with lethal precision. Seconds later, the distinctive ping of an ejected en-bloc M1 clip echoed through the air. The bolt-action German Kar98K could not keep up with the semiautomatic fire of the M1s, which enabled the American GIs to face the relentless enemy with determination. This weapon did not just win battles; it forged legends. In the words of General George S. Patton, the M1 Garand was: (QUOTE) “The greatest battle implement ever devised,” and this is its story. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the depths of Afghanistan, Dr. Dilip Joseph had dedicated years of his life to altruistic missions. But fate had a different plan in store for him. In a chilling turn of events, he found himself abducted by the Taliban. Dr. Joseph was given a brief opportunity to contact his Kabul office. Unfortunately, time turned against him, and as the hours dragged on, the negotiations aimed at securing his release crumbled. On the fourth day of his captivity, the captors issued an order to disband, tearing apart the fragile bonds between Dr. Dillip and his fellow captives. Tears streamed down his face as he bid farewell to his companions, sensing that this might be their final, heartbreaking encounter. In the suffocating darkness of his small, pitch-black room, despair engulfed him. But suddenly, amidst the silence, chaos erupted. The cacophony of barking dogs, bleating sheep, and gunfire shattered the stillness. Then, a figure burst through the door—a Navy SEAL… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the heart of the Philippines, the rugged tropical landscape echoed with the thunderous roar of engines. Two FA-50 Golden Eagles, South Korea's latest fighter, streak across the horizon on their way to their objective: a hostile base full of radical Islamic insurgents. Equipped with tactical datalink, EL/M-2032 radar, state-of-the-art HUD, and sensors, the Philippine Golden Eagles locate the enemy and attack with precision and lethality. The Eagles swiftly scan the ground below, and before the insurgents can race for cover, they drop their bomb ordnance. The Mach-capable aircraft, honoring their American F-16 legacy, leave a trail of destruction behind and turn around, prepared for a second run. When they do, mayhem takes hold of the insurgents, with the Golden Eagles’ powerful 20-millimeter Gatling guns and FFAR rockets turning fortifications into rubble. In the blink of an eye, the FA-50s destroy the Islamist strongholds and return to their base, preserving the Philippines from a rising threat. The Golden Eagle ushers a new decade of affordable yet highly effective aircraft for nations with a smaller military budget, costing around 40 million apiece, representing almost one-third of the price of a modern American or European fourth-generation fighter aircraft. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The heart-stopping detonation and the toll of twisting metal reverberated across the stretch of Bourguébus Ridge. For a brief, terrifying moment, the crew of the M4A2 Sherman was ensnared in a chilling paralysis. An ominous silhouette of a Panzer IV rose before them, its gun barrel still smoking from the fresh shot it had released. Panic took hold of the American crew; they were convinced a second round from the Panzer would turn their metal beast into a coffin. With an urgency fueled by raw fear, they hastily deserted the tank, darting towards cover. Yet the second shot never appeared. The crew returned to their tank and discovered that their potential doom had been thwarted by a spare road wheel perched on the hull, which bore the brunt of the attack, leaving the Sherman virtually untouched. Despite the close call, fate, it seemed, had a much grander plan for this crew and their Sherman tank, aptly nicknamed 'Bomb.' The men boarded Bomb and pressed on to Verrières Ridge. There, they would vanquish two enemy tanks in a fierce firestorm, asserting their dominance on the battlefield. For the following months, the humble Bomb would become an unstoppable force, the only tank in World War 2 to fight from D-day to VE-Day non-stop, in an action-packed odyssey that would leave a mark in modern warfare. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The 10-man team of American soldiers was silent and with their bodies hugging the ground. Their camouflage uniforms mixed perfectly with the nearby bushes, and none of the Japanese soldiers from the patrol noticed them as they passed through the road. It was hot, and the thick jungle canopy did little to ease air circulation. Prudent as always, the men slowly got up and kept advancing toward the inner portion of the island, following the first principle of their mission: avoid contact with the enemy and only shoot if necessary. They were not commandos. They were the Alamo Scouts, the eyes and ears of General Walter Krueger´s Sixth Army, a unit created to gather intelligence in the Pacific islands before any allied landing invasions. These men were taught to blend with the jungle and make nature their ally. In over 100 missions they would conduct during wartime, no Alamo Scout would lose his life when facing overwhelming Japanese enemies behind enemy lines. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At the beginning of World War 2, when Germans arrived in France after taking over Poland, the Wehrmacht’s Panzer divisions shook the world to its core. The panzer division was much more than just a force of massed tanks; it was a combined arms team centered around the tank. In a Life magazine article published in 1940, an accurate depiction of the shockingly successful German army in the offense described them as [QUOTE]: “It is not one single weapon, and it's not even a new kind of warfare. It is simply a more ingenious development and use of every kind of modern weapon that has hitherto been seen.” Faced with this unprecedented threat, the United States Army found itself in a state of palpable urgency. A New doctrine was needed and fast. In late 1941, the War Department inaugurated a unique military concept: The tank destroyer. By emphasizing rapid response, potent firepower, and mobility over heavy armor, the program aimed to cultivate a specialized force that could quickly engage and neutralize advancing enemy tanks, preventing them from outmaneuvering or overwhelming U.S. defenses. Would this audacious tank destroyer doctrine be the linchpin that finally halted the German Panzer Juggernaut, or had the U.S. gambled its military future on a strategy few understood? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the morning of April 20th, 1918, amidst the grim realities of World War I, a squadron of British Royal Air Force Sopwith Camel fighters readied themselves for a daring assault. Their target: German reconnaissance flights that were critical for gathering intelligence over the embattled Somme Valley in northern France. As the first light of dawn stretched across the sky, casting long shadows on the ground below, the British pilots ascended into the crisp morning air, the rumble of their engines a harbinger of the battle to come. As the Sopwith Camels approached their target, they were taken by surprise by the roar of engines from above. Emerging from the clouds, a formation of German Fokker DR.1 triplanes dove into view with their menacing machine guns. Leading the formation was a strange plane painted bright red, its bold crimson hue marking it apart from the rest. By that time in the war, its pilot didn’t care who saw him coming. He preferred a gentlemanly fight… and his opponents were going to need all the help they could get. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the summer of 1950, a small but determined American force known as Task Force Smith found themselves on the front lines of the first encounter against North Korea. This clash, set against the backdrop of the Korean War's outbreak, pitted the ill-equipped US troops against the relentless North Korean advance. Undeterred by their outdated weaponry and comprising mainly green recruits, Task Force Smith confronted an imposing challenge with singular determination: halting the North Korean tank column armed with Soviet T-34/85 tanks. The outcome of this historic encounter would not merely test the mettle of Task Force Smith but also set the stage for the tumultuous chain of events that would shape the course of the Korean War… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On June 18, 1940, Charles de Gaulle made a speech broadcast by the BBC, urging the French people to resist Germany despite their overwhelming power. However, his message went largely unnoticed by the French population. France had suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Hitler's forces. In turn, Marshal Pétain, the Head of State in France, announced the country's intention to seek an armistice with Germany and accept a crushing defeat. De Gaulle, opposing Pétain's defeatist and pro-Fascist stance, defied his leadership. Germany granted the armistice, which was signed in the same railway car at Compiegne, where the armistice of World War 1 had been signed. Unwilling to accept such humiliation, the French General addressed his fellow Frenchmen, saying: (QUOTE) "nothing is lost, because this war is a world war. France must be present at the victory. She will then regain her liberty and greatness. That is my goal, my only goal!" - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On a daring daylight mission across the Western Front in 1942, a Luftwaffe pilot got separated from his formation. But he was not worried, as he was piloting a Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Known as the 'Butcher Bird,' this plane was lauded for its speed, agility, and lethality, proving superior to the early variants of the Royal Air Force's Supermarine Spitfire. For almost a year by then, this German fighter plane had instilled dread among the Royal Air Force's highest ranks, causing a spike in casualties among their most esteemed wings. The German pilot knew any ordinary RAF pilot faced with confronting his airborne menace would likely lose the ensuing dogfight. But that day, he was pitted against no ordinary pilot - he was up against the legendary Johnnie Johnson. Johnson, whose skills in the cockpit were renowned across the world, had an uncanny ability to predict enemy movements and an astounding victory score. The solitary German pilot was about to discover what made James Edgar Johnson the highest-scoring Western Allied fighter ace against the German Luftwaffe. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Amidst the dark waters of Guadalcanal in World War 2, the USS Helena’s silhouette was illuminated by the occasional flare of distant explosions. The Pacific theater had become an increasingly challenging battleground, with the Japanese forces proving to be desperate adversaries. The Helena's anti-aircraft guns roared to life, their fiery muzzles aiming skyward, trying to fend off the relentless Japanese Aichi D3A dive bombers. The challenges of modern aerial warfare were evident. Traditional anti-aircraft artillery often felt like a game of chance, with the odds heavily stacked against the gunners. A direct hit might occur in just one out of some 1,200 anti-aircraft projectiles fired. The Allies were in dire need of a game-changing weapon, something that could tilt the balance of the war in their favor. Against this backdrop, the USS Helena was about to deploy a brand-new technology – developed at the price of over a billion dollars, and the details of which were known to only a select few. As the crew prepared to fire their top-secret round, a question lingered in the air: Would this secret weapon be a turning point in the war? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Register to receive 300 doubloons, one million Credits, a free ship, 3 Santa crates, many in-game cosmetics to deck out your ships, and 7 days premium account time when you use code HPPYNWYR2024 and click here →https://wo.ws/40XbZ5C In October of 1973, the skies of Egypt were disturbed by the ominous roars of jet engines. From the horizon, 20 Israeli Phantom jets made a straight line for the Egyptian airfields in the Nile Delta region. Egypt’s 104th Air Wing couldn’t waste a moment. 16 MiG-21s from the Mansoura air base were scrambled to meet the challenge. Yet, as the Egyptian pilots barreled down the runway, they were suddenly confused when they received new orders that didn’t seem to make any sense. The MiG-21s were to execute a new and entirely unexpected plan… one that would end with one of the most disputed outcomes of any air battle in history… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Stop data brokers from exposing your information. Go to our sponsor https://aura.com/darkdocs to get a 14-day free trial and see if your personal information has been compromised. North Korea is the world's most secretive state due to its brutal policies that focus entirely on the cult of the regime's leader and government agencies. It is also home to one of the most secret organizations of the last century: Room 39. Also known as Office 39, the group was created in the early 1970s by Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founding father, to overcome the worldwide sanctions imposed on the communist country. Over the course of five decades, Room 39 has become a family business that has generated the Kim dynasty hundreds of millions of dollars, enabling them to indulge in a vast array of luxuries that remain unattainable for the majority of the country's population. From luxury cars, watches, clothing, and others, the Kims and the government earn this blood-stained money from illegal activities such as human trafficking or slave labor, drug smuggling, money laundering, and cybercrime. Despite the passage of time, Room 39 continues to be a significant source of income, raking in over one billion dollars annually. Moreover, it persistently expands its operations to further enrich North Korea's elite. Worse of all, there appear to be no viable means of putting an end to their scheme... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the heart of a city under siege, a covert plan was taking shape, a secret that could mean the difference between survival and annihilation. Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, was in the grip of the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare, lasting an unimaginable 1,425 days. Its defenders, outnumbered and outgunned, were preparing to fight back in a daring way. The collapse of the Soviet Union had sent shockwaves across the globe, destabilizing the delicate balance of power in Eastern Europe. Yugoslavia, a federation of six republics, was teetering on the brink of disintegration. The Bosniaks and Croats sought independence, but the Serbs, backed by the military might of the Yugoslav Army and were unwilling to let go without a fight. Suddenly, Bosnia found itself in the eye of a storm, the most brutal conflict Europe had seen since the Second World War. While the international community, including the US and NATO, grappled with the decision to intervene, the citizens of Sarajevo found themselves trapped in a city under relentless attack artillery, mortars, tanks, and snipers. Food and water supplies dwindled, and survival became a daily struggle against insurmountable odds. But amidst the ruin, a secret plan was set into motion. A 2,624-foot long tunnel was being constructed beneath the city's airport runway. This underground lifeline was not just a passage for vital supplies of food and water, but also a conduit for weapons, bolstering their desperate defense. As the citizens of Sarajevo clung to survival, they held onto the hope that the international community would finally respond to their desperate pleas for help. But would the US and NATO arrive in time to save a city on the brink of obliteration? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the chilling winter of 1942, Einar Skinnarland, a seemingly ordinary worker from the Vemork plant in Norway, held a secret that could change the course of World War 2. The Vemork plant was the sole producer of a mysterious substance called heavy water, a key ingredient the Nazis desperately needed for their nuclear ambitions. The stakes were unimaginably high: if the Third Reich got their hands on enough heavy water, they could potentially unleash the devastating power of the atom. It would be up to Skinnarland to guide a team of Allied commandos on a top-secret demolition mission to blow-up Vemork and stop the Nazi atomic bomb. This most daring of endeavors, dubbed 'Operation Freshman', would require elite engineers, specially modified Handley Page Halifax bombers, and untested gliders. It would end with Hitler's infamous ‘Commando Order’ casting a shadow over the entire war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Just months into his Army service, Private Dan Cochran and his unit, the Iron Rakkasans from the 101st Airborne Division, were aboard a helicopter, soaring over war-torn Vietnam towards the heart of the conflict in Dong Ap Bia and A Shau Valley. Ahead of them lay a heavily fortified mountain that would soon earn the grim moniker ‘Hamburger Hill,’ and their mission was to take it – at any cost. Cochran and his fellow Iron Rakkasans set out toward the hill. The American offensive was welcomed by a storm of enemy fire. Enduring the ceaseless attacks from deep within the bushes, Cochran and his comrades pushed on, piercing the first two bunker lines as they ascended the hill. But the enemy grew even more fierce and unpredictable, and the Iron Rakkasans were soon engulfed in a series of brutal firefights that cleaved their unit and scattered them across the battlefield. Cochran was alone with his assistant gunner, fighting back wave after wave of enemy assaults. The assistant then left to get more ammunition, leaving Cochran to continue the battle. In the heat of the fight, everything blurred into a chaotic maelstrom. When the other man returned, he frantically shook Cochran, taking his gun away: (QUOTE) "Get out of here, you're wounded!" It was only then that Cochran realized he had been hit with an AK47 round in his right knee, and shrapnel had pierced his thighs and groin. Cochran, determined to fight on, refused evacuation until he could no longer stand. As he was carried away from the fray, he glimpsed his unit, rallying to continue the assault. For them, the harrowing Battle of Hamburger Hill had only just begun… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the waning months of World War 2, a covert and strategically pivotal operation known as "Operation Starvation" quietly unfolded on the global stage. From March to August 1945, a squadron of American B-29 Superfortress bombers embarked on an audacious mission with far-reaching consequences. Their destination: the Shimonoseki Straits, a geographic linchpin that interconnected Japan's Honshu and Kyushu islands, serving as the lifeline for 80 percent of Japan's vital merchant fleet. However, their cargo was far from a conventional payload; instead of traditional bombs, they carried a silent menace—a threat that the Japanese leadership gravely underestimated, realizing its impact only when it was too late to react. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In a display of aerial might unseen since the massive dogfights of World War 2, the sky was darkened by the silhouettes of countless Israeli F-15s and F-16s, their path illuminated by E-2 Hawkeye guidance systems. Their destination: the Beqaa Valley in southeastern Lebanon, and their formidable objective was to dismantle the intricate web of Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries that shielded Lebanon from aerial onslaughts. The stakes were as high as the soaring aircraft. Never in the annals of warfare had a Soviet SAM network been successfully neutralized by attacking aircraft without significant losses. In previous conflicts, Israeli arrogance had met with humiliation when the Syrian SAM systems shredded through their squadrons. But the winds of change had begun to blow. Equipped with the latest in electronic warfare technology, pioneering military drones, and an intelligence network unparalleled in the Middle East, Israel was poised to rewrite the chronicles of military history. The invading force soon clashed against more than a hundred Syrian fighters in a swarm of metal and thunder. The echoes of this titanic aerial struggle reverberated across the air. Soon, the desert floor became a grim mosaic of fallen warplanes as the brutal and lopsided confrontation reached its unbelievable climax… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On June 9, 1944, just days after the Normandy invasion, Robert Kehoe and his team boarded British Stirling bombers to carry them into the heart of Nazi-occupied France. Above, radio operator Kehoe was enveloped by the aircraft's roaring engines and the gusting wind. With a .45-caliber pistol and extra rounds secured to his belt, he could sense the heft of his parachute and rucksack, brimming with gear. Despite rigorous training, apprehension gripped the young man. A thought echoed in his mind: [QUOTE] "By this time [...] my fear was concentrated on what was below. Would it be rifle or machinegun fire? Or silence? If silence, did it mean the enemy was waiting to pick us up?" But then, anxiety gave way to razor-sharp focus. Guided by his elite training, he neared the plane's yawning bomb bay doors and leaped into the void. This was the start of Operation Jedburgh. Their motto?: [QUOTE] “Surprise, kill, and vanish…” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the revered day of Yom Kippur, October 6, 1973, a date marked by divine sanctity in Judaism, tranquility was shattered by the fangs of deception. After weaving a web of diplomatic pleasantries, Egypt unfurled its covert strategy, launching a colossal surprise attack against a completely unprepared Israel. Their celebrations abruptly morphed into a frenzied struggle for survival. A dark, ominous cloud of over 200 Egyptian aircraft shadowed the Israeli skies, heralding the storm to come. The unsuspecting Israeli Air Force Base Ofir at Sharm el-Sheikh found itself targeted by a lethal enemy formation - 20 MiG-17s and eight MiG-21s, creeping over the horizon with a single, merciless objective - to eradicate the military stronghold. Israel, grappling with the sudden ambush and ignorant of the enemy’s overwhelming numerical superiority, retaliated in the only way it could. They rapidly mobilized two F-4E Phantom II fighter jets, challenging the 28 menacing MiGs looming above. As the Israeli defenders ascended, cresting the cloud barrier, they were met with a chilling spectacle - a sea of adversaries ready to engage them in battle. Faced with overwhelming odds, the two courageous pilots, instead of recoiling, displayed unshakeable resolve. Disregarding their safety, they jettisoned their external fuel tanks, boldly engaging the swarm of enemy warplanes in a spectacular aerial duel. Their selfless actions, an immortal testament to bravery, would forever imprint their names in the archives of modern warfare… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The American B-17 bombers had just returned to friendly territory after a successful shuttle bombing operation deep in German territory. They had taken off from the United Kingdom and were now refueling at Poltava Airfield, Ukraine. They were part of Operation Frantic. In a surprising turn of events, Joseph Stalin had allowed the US to establish three airbases in the USSR as long as defending them fell to the Soviets. Besides the obvious benefits of striking the Axis from the Eastern Front, the Americans also sought to develop amicable post-war relations with the Soviets through the mutual cooperation of the US and Russian airmen. Nevertheless, the future of Operation Frantic was about to change as the maintenance crews heard the sound of aircraft above the skies of the Poltava airfield at midnight of June 1944. They were puzzled. No one had informed them of another arrival. Then came the sound of sirens and the first Luftwaffe bombing run. The base was under attack, and they would have to depend on the Soviets to defend it. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play Enlisted for FREE on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS®5: https://playen.link/darkdocs. Follow the link to download the game and get your exclusive bonus now. See you in battle! High above North Vietnam, a routine airstrike mission was violently shattered for Captain John R. “Bob” Pardo and his wingman, Captain Earl Aman, as they suddenly found themselves in a life-or-death situation. Engulfed in a storm of enemy fire, their F-4 Phantom IIs sustained severe damage from a sudden barrage of anti-aircraft defenses. Aman’s aircraft, its fuel tank punctured, was in critical condition, doomed to fall from the sky at any moment. With fuel supplies rapidly dwindling and the ominous prospect of parachuting into enemy territory, the pilots turned to a radical idea. Pardo would attempt the unthinkable, pushing Aman’s ailing jet mid-air to slow its descent. If they managed to pull this off, they could potentially reach the safety of friendly lines. But this daring operation was anything but straightforward. Aman’s damaged plane was a rebellious bird in the wind, constantly torn away from Pardo’s. With the ground rushing closer with each passing second, the pair resolved to continue their struggle even as time slipped from their fingers. They would somehow push that plane to safety no matter the consequences. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Doctor Wernher von Braun, the mastermind behind the German V-2 rocket, woke up in the middle of the night after hearing the raid sirens of the Peenemünde Army Research Center complex. Still with sleep in his eyes, he made his way to the raid alert communications center to see if the enemy had truly discovered the top-secret facility on the quiet island of Usedom in the Baltic Sea. The artificial fog system surrounding the secret complex was activated to shroud it from any eyes above. There must be something wrong with the sirens, a tired engineer muttered. There were no enemy aircraft in the area. Yet, as von Braun and his team headed back to their quarters, one of the guards noticed something odd. A flare lit up the sky, then another, and another. Soon, the artificial fog had disappeared, completely exposing the base. The roaring sound of a hundred engines signaled the beginning of Operation Hydra: Britain’s plan to get rid of the V-2 rocket program. Von Braun and the entire team of German scientists were about to face a rain of bombs… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Rommel’s feint maneuver had worked. While his Italian allies were engaging the bulk of the British forces at the center of the Gazala Line, his Afrika Korps had successfully breached the south to attack them from the rear. Nonetheless, the Desert Fox faced an imminent threat. His elite troops were pinned down at the fortified position known as the Cauldron. Heavy artillery strikes and increasing British tanks were steadily surrounding the sun-tanned and hardened German tankers. Some men were uneasy as the artillery shells detonated around them, but Rommel remained calm. He knew the British were overconfident in their superior numbers, a weakness he could exploit. It was only a matter of time before the opportunity arose to outsmart the enemy with his panzers and roll them over all the way to Egypt… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The operation had gone FUBAR. The Hatchet Team of American and South Vietnamese commandos was encircled by a superior enemy force, as usual. Except that, this time, they were entirely pinned down, and air support was no longer an option due to the dozens of anti-aircraft guns in the area. Although their primary objective of destroying the NVA´s 559th Transportation Group’s forward headquarters was partially achieved, their High-Value Target, General Giap, one of the highest-ranking and most experienced North Vietnamese officers, had escaped without a scratch. Barely half of the 80 men force had survived the initial incursion, and several aircraft had been shot down. As the flames and debris covered the zone, the commandos, and their allies desperately tried to fight their way out with the scarce ammunition they had left. Their sole hope was one last airstrike that could give them a respite amid infinite waves of NVAs. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Anzio Beachhead resembled the muddy battlefields of World War 1. Muddy trenches, huge artillery craters, and a stalemate reminiscent of the previous conflict. American, British, Canadian, and other Allied forces had been fighting the Germans for months and had failed to break through the stalemate of the German Gustav Line. Enemy artillery, especially Anzio Annie, a gigantic German railway gun, was pounding the Allied troops from the safety of the Alban Hills. Nothing was left to do except wait for reinforcement if the Allied troops were to break the will of the defenders. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As World War 2 reached its crescendo, the skies above Europe would bear witness to an aerial duel like no other. The P-51 Mustang, the pride of the Allied forces, had established its dominance, cutting through the Luftwaffe with precision. But as the Allies celebrated their victories and the invasion of Normandy, a new shadow began to cast doubt on their air supremacy. An American pilot, atop his formidable P-51 Mustang, patrolled confidently over the vast expanse. The calm sky, however, held a secret. In a heartbeat, a blur streaked past him, its speed and silence unlike anything he'd ever encountered. Before he could even process the event, the aircraft had vanished, leaving only a fleeting memory of its presence. But it wasn't gone for long. Emerging from the clouds, the sleek form of the Me-262 Swallow, the Luftwaffe's secret weapon, revealed itself. The world's first jet interceptor was not just a rumor; it was real, and it was ready to challenge the best fighter America had to offer. The stage was set. Propeller against jet, experience against innovation. As the two aerial titans locked eyes, preparing for their inevitable clash, the air grew thick with tension. Who would emerge as the master of the skies? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the night of June 18, 1940, in the quaint town of Saumur, fresh-faced cadets clutched their rifles, the gravity of what lay ahead settling upon them. The distant growl of Wehrmacht’s 1st Cavalry Division tanks shattered the silence, their aim to cross the vital bridges of Saumur and penetrate deeper into France. The French Marshal, Philippe Pétain, had just ordered France to lay down its arms. The mayor of Saumur wasn’t even sure he wanted the town to be defended. Yet, the students of the École de Cavalerie declared themselves the last line of defense. The coming dawn promised a baptism by fire, pitting a mere school against the juggernaut of the Nazi war machine… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The clock was ticking, and there was no time to waste. The operation had to be executed according to plan, or the more than 2,000 Filipino and American prisoners held at the Los Baños POW camp would perish at the hands of the Japanese guards. At exactly 4:00am on February 23, 1945, the American-FIlipino task force attacked with ruthless efficiency. The first unit, aboard 54 landing craft, landed near the camp, taking out the Japanese troops without raising the alarms. Almost simultaneously, a company of American paratroopers made their way to the outskirts of the camp, securing the zone from a possible Japanese counterattack. Meanwhile, several recon platoons that had spent the night hidden from the Los Baños camp lights attacked with a combined fire that left the Japanese guards wondering what was happening. As the firefights broke out across the camp with the paratroopers, the recon platoons blasted their way to save the prisoners. Then the report came in: an entire Japanese division had been alerted and was on its way to retake the camp… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In June 1942, aiming to crush the Soviet Army and secure the Eastern Front, Adolf Hitler launched Operation Case Blue. The German plan called for a renewed blitzkrieg to seize the oil fields of the Caucasus, vital for choking off the Soviets and injecting new blood into the Nazi war machine. It was to be one of consequential clashes of World War 2, yet both Hitler and Joseph Stalin seemed intent on out doing each other to see who could lose it first. Stalin would play his opening error before the German offensive even began. After the Soviets intercepted the full plans of Case Blue from a downed aircraft, Stalin, in his paranoid wisdom, suspected deception and ignored the critical intelligence. Not to be outdone, Hitler countered with his own mistake of remarkable hubris. Following Stalin’s failure to prepare a defense, Hitler underestimated the difficulty of the remaining campaign and divided his forces - sending one towards the oil fields as planned and the other towards Stalingrad as a simultaneous objective. Through these blunders combined, the stage was set for a moment that would change everything about the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play War Thunder now for free with my link, and get a massive bonus pack including vehicles, boosters and more: https://playwt.link/darkdocs_ ---- At the end of the Cold War, the sizeable Communist empire of the Soviet Union shattered into several independent states. While most faced economic challenges, they inherited well-armed militaries. One of the weapons they were left with was the T-64. Born at the height of the Cold War, the T-64 was a marvel of its era with trailblazing attributes: a robust engine, an automatic loading system, superior composite armor, and a shield against nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. However, despite its groundbreaking innovations, the T-64's potential was initially overshadowed by its hidden shortcomings. Now, in a twist of destiny, Ukraine has rekindled the might of the T-64, turning it against its erstwhile allies. As the echoes of a bygone era reverberate, this Cold War beast has risen, proving that its battle spirit remains undiminished. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Include promo-code “DARK” which the users can use at checkout on https://www.recwatches.com/timepieces/limited-editions/aircraft/ to get 15% off. ------ The German column was advancing toward the overwhelmed American troops. The panzer grenadiers were aboard armored vehicles and flanked by Panther tanks. The vanguard had already clashed with the American GIs and cornered them near a bridge. There was no way out for them. The Germans, slowly but steadily, made their way into the broken Allied lines, which, outnumbered, were in dire need of air support. But it was not possible, both parties had suspended air operations due to the intense fog. But, then, the unthinkable happened. The GIs, battered and exhausted, were about to surrender when the skies cleared and heard an aircraft approaching. One of the German gunners from the rear then noticed how a boring old L-4 Grasshopper reconnaissance monoplane raced through his comrade’s lines as if it were making a bombing run. Before the German could realize what was happening, he fell to the ground with a concussion. Then came the sound of thunder and the emerging smoke from several of the armored vehicles that were now in flames. He stumbled and rose, only to hear the distant cheering from the GIs. As the Grasshopper got away, the German turned to the sky in amusement when he realized what had just happened: his lines had been decimated by six bazookas mounted on a silly little plane. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The path to Berlin was nearly clear. Only three German lines between the River Maas and the River Rhine stood in the Allies’ way. To once and for all break into Germany, the Allies launched Operation Veritable on the morning of February 8, 1945, Assembled in the valley were nearly 250,000 British and Canadian soldiers lined up shoulder-to-shoulder. With them came one of the heaviest British artillery barrages of the war, with hundreds of vehicles of all types, along with over 1,000 artillery guns, their steel barrels aimed directly at the enemy. The Germans were dug-in, but the Allies had a card up their sleeve: one of their most terrifying innovations that even the most battle-hardened Nazi would fear. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

A mighty Japanese war machine had already torn through Beijing, Shanghai, and the Chinese capital of Nanjing like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of devastation and deep scars across the region. Now in early 1938, inside the walled village of Taierzhuang, hundreds of young Chinese soldiers waited as a vastly technologically superior and highly experienced Japanese force lay siege. Yet, nearing exhaustion, something finally snapped within the defenders in Taierzhuang. As the Japanese readied their artillery,tanks, and fighter aircraft for one last push to flatten the city, the Chinese defenders, primarily ex-farmers wielding decades-old rifles, put their factions’ differences aside. United, they steeled themselves for a final, desperate last stand. Ready to charge head-on toward heavily armored tanks or set their sacred buildings aflame, China prepared a breed of battle that had rarely been seen before and one that would entirely change how the world viewed Japan right before World War 2… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Fresh troops landed on the shores of Masan, South Korea. With barely a moment to catch their breath, they were thrust westward, tasked with defending the Pusan Perimeter – the final bulwark against the inexorable advance of the North Korean forces. That summer in 1950, the American military gathered as many men as they could muster, trying desperately to stem the communist tide. Yet, even the might of 140,000 American soldiers struggled against the unyielding ferocity of the North Korean fighters, whose numbers were notably fewer, falling short of 100,000. But as the sheer volume of American forces congregated at Pusan, a steely determination gripped each man: this was the farthest the communism would ever go. Yet, marching along the road to Jinju, an ominous threat lurked just beyond their sightline. In the hills, North Korean soldiers lay in ambush, eyes keenly trained on the approaching Americans, prepared for the perfect moment to strike. And then, with a chilling suddenness, they unleashed a barrage of gunfire upon the unsuspecting American soldiers. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was one of the most dire moments of the Korean War - the US X Corps found themselves trapped by Chinese forces at the Chosin Reservoir. Nearly 120,000 Communist soldiers had the high ground, encircling 30,000 UN and American troops below. Yet, in the face of annihilation, Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller, commander of the 1st Marines, liked his odds. To rally his men, Puller challenged them with the words: (QUOTE): “We’ve been hunting the enemy for a while... Now we’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” The 52-year-old Puller exemplified his motto (QUOTE) “Old breed? New breed? There’s not a damn bit of difference as long as it’s the Marine breed.” And now he was about to show the Chinese what Marines were really made of… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The foul weather of November 20, 1917, had perfectly concealed the 476 British tanks as they approached the German fortifications near the French town of Cambrai. Nineteen infantry divisions accompanied the tanks and readied themselves for a surprise attack. Third Army General Sir Julian Byng was confident his new combined artillery, infantry, and tank tactics would put the Germans on the run. Almost 500 tanks pointing downhill with thousands of men behind would surely inspire fear in the heart of the enemy. At 6:30am, the stillness of the morning was suddenly disturbed by a creeping barrage of over 1,000 British guns. The symphony of metal, powder, and earth had begun. Germany had considered the barbed wire protecting their lines to be invincible, but the British had other ideas in mind. It would be (QUOTE) “Through the mud and the blood to the green fields beyond." The tank formations roared and rolled downhill in a brand new strategy that was about to change war forever… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The American forces had conquered the island of Okinawa at a tremendous cost. Germany had surrendered, but the fight was not over yet in the Pacific. The Army, Navy, and Marines still had a job to do: the invasion of mainland Japan. Rumors were quickly spreading. Some said the Japanese were training over 30 million civilians for a fight to their last breath. Others speculated the Imperial Navy was preparing more than 100,000 troops for suicide attacks aboard aircraft, ships, boats, submarines, and even underwater frogmen operations. However, the Marines and Army soldiers felt most puzzled about the fact that the military had already made over 500,000 Purple Heart medals for the wounded in combat and tens of thousands of crosses and stars of David for those who would not return. Unfortunately, these last rumors would prove to be true. The US military was preparing for Operation Downfall, the largest in military history: the occupation of Japan at any cost. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Under the heat of a 1940 Chinese summer night, a covert team of Communist soldiers slid silently across the arduous terrain. Their daring objective was as dangerous as it was audacious: to sabotage and dismantle railway lines pulsing with troops and endless supplies, the lifeblood of Japan's mighty war machine. While thousands of miles away Nazi Germany was unleashing a destructive blitzkrieg, China's recognized government, the Nationalists, found themselves ensnared in an internal two-pronged conflict: battling the tsunami of Japanese imperialism encroaching from one side while struggling to extinguish the fiery uprisings of an internal Communist revolution from the other. Amid this chaos, General Peng Dehuai was fuelled by the need to shift the balance in this merciless, all-consuming war, even if he risked the ire of Mao Zedong himself… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! New subscribers get 20% off their first box of awesome — go to https://bespokepost.com/darkdocs20 and enter code DARKDOCS20 at checkout. _____ As the sun blazed over Iraq in 2003, Coalition soldiers, driven by Operation Iraqi Freedom, scoured the vast desert landscapes. Their mission was clear: uncover Saddam Hussein's hidden weapons of mass destruction. But the sands of time had other stories to tell. Strange pieces of modern technology poked through the desert like sphinxes, presenting a riddle that seemed to defy all reason. Photos began to circulate globally, showcasing sophisticated fighter jets, not weathered by time but buried meticulously in the sand, seemingly ready to take to the skies at a moment's notice. Soldiers, wrapped in desert garb, can be seen swarming the dig, their faces etched with confusion and awe. The mystery deepened when Australian troops, while on a reconnaissance mission near a Baghdad airfield, discovered a trio of MiG-25 Foxbats—some of the most powerful fighters of their era, a testament to Iraq's aerial prowess in the aftermath of the brutal Iran-Iraq War of 1988. The idea that Saddam would bury his best air force fighters in his most desperate hour was madness. When asked, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he wasn't sure how many such aircraft had been found but noted, (QUOTE) "It wasn't one or two." The enigma the Coalition investigators were about to unravel would unmask a web of chaos and treachery beyond anything they could fathom… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Mud, sticky rain, and smoke engulfed the battlefield. Visibility was low, and tracers flew everywhere. Friendly fire was not unusual. The American Abrams and British Challenger tanks were scattered in the low hills and depressions of the combat zone. Besides the mounting friendly casualties, the Iraqi tanks had breached the line and were firing from all sides. To further disorient the Americans, Iraqi infantry swarmed the tanks and jumped over them in a desperate attempt to throw grenades into the hatches or find a small gap into which they could fire their AK rifles. Nearby tanks did their best to help their fellow tankers and unleashed hundreds of machine gun rounds at close range to stop the swarm of infantry charging the Abrams and other vehicles. Chaos and skirmishes did not seize, and many officers doubted they would make it out alive until the morning... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Polish cavalrymen were eager to enter combat. They were armed with rifles, sabres, and lances. The memories of the Winged Hussars that expelled the Turkish invaders from Europe in the late 1600s inspired the men to charge against a different type of enemy: German infantrymen from the Wehrmacht. But there was one thing the Turkish did not have three centuries earlier: tanks. When the courageous Polish cavalry encountered the imposing Nazi panzers on the first day of the invasion near Mokra and Krojanty in 1939, their selfless moves echoed through history in the form of romanticized myths. Yet, while the incidents were manipulated by the enemy for propaganda purposes, the contribution of the mounted forces to the overall Allied effort was paramount. Indeed, it was the valiant Polish cavalry that conducted the last successful mounted charge in history near the town of Schoenfeld, where their unwavering determination ignited a fierce blaze of defiance against the relentless backdrop of enemy tanks… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early hours of June 23, 1952, the skies over the Korean Peninsula braced for a mission that many feared would start a new World War. Task Force 77, a formidable fleet of four American aircraft carriers, was poised to strike. The USS Philippine Sea, already in position, was soon joined by the USS Princeton, USS Boxer, and finally, the USS Bon Homme Richard, sailing from Yokosuka, Japan, to bolster the force. Their objective was the Sui-ho Dam, a strategic target less than forty miles from a MiG-15 fighter base complex in China. With 150 MiGs stationed there, the stakes were high. The mission's success hinged on a coordinated, simultaneous arrival over the targets, ensuring the enemy's defenses were caught off guard. As the clock ticked, aircraft from the US Air Force, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps took to the skies. Propeller-driven planes and jets, launched in tandem, aimed to converge on their target simultaneously. The carrier aircraft of Task Force 77, masking their radar signatures, flew low over the mountains, preparing for a high-speed assault. Leading the charge in one of the staggering 410 strike sorties to be launched that day, eighty-four F-86 Sabres arrived in the Sui-ho area. Their primary task was to fend off the hundreds of MiGs that were taking to the sky. Accompanying US fighter-bombers had over 200 tons of bombs ready to rain on the dam. The fate of the world was in the balance. Destruction of the Sui-ho dam would not only knock out 90% of power in the region and cripple North Korea, but this came at the risk of cutting off power to China. As hundreds of fighters met in the skies so close to Chinese territory, British intelligence behind the scenes feared the mission was on the verge of triggering World War 3… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Few weapons have commanded as much awe and intrigue as the BLU-82 Daisy Cutter. Its origins trace back to the Vietnam War when it was conceived to level jungles and create makeshift landing zones. With a staggering weight of 15,000 pounds, comparable to a compact car, it stood as a monumental testament to raw destructive power. Yet, its transformation from a jungle bulldozer to an instrument of psychological warfare showcased the dark, adaptive brilliance of military minds. The challenges of the Gulf War brought a new mission for the Daisy Cutter. Saddam Hussein's forces, heavily fortified and defiant, prompted the Allied coalition to think differently. Beyond the Daisy Cutter's brute force, its true value lay in the psychological shadows it cast. Upon detonation, the explosion bore an eerie resemblance to a nuclear blast. The ensuing mushroom cloud was simultaneously awe-inspiring and heart-stopping. Such was the impact that it left even seasoned warriors in a state of shock and disbelief. As evidenced by a British SAS commando team operating near the detonation point who urgently radioed their base, exclaiming: [QUOTE] "Sir, the blokes have just nuked Kuwait!" - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 60% OFF your subscription ➡Here: https://bit.ly/3RcKd2i In the aftermath of World War 2, the landscape of armored warfare underwent a seismic shift. The United States, recognizing the evolving threats, especially from the formidable Soviet IS-3 heavy tanks, embarked on a mission to redefine its armored capabilities. The post-war period marked the end of the era of steel, giving rise to a new generation of tanks. The M48 Patton emerged as a symbol of this transformation. Designed to replace its predecessors like the M26 Pershing and M46 Patton, the M48 was more than just a tank; it was America's answer to the challenges of modern warfare, and it would become the US’s main battle tank in the Vietnam War. Concealed beneath its formidable exterior was armor plating as thick as 120 millimeters, affording its crew unparalleled protection. Its offensive capabilities were equally impressive, boasting a powerful 90-millimeter main gun, complemented by coaxially mounted machine guns and turret-mounted armaments. Vietnam's jungles and urban terrains bore witness to the tank's prowess. In one unforgettable engagement during the 1968 Battle of Hue, the M48 took a direct hit, an epic moment inadvertently captured on film… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the stillness of a Korean night, a distant bugle sounded — a chilling note that every American and United Nations soldier came to dread. It heralded not just any assault but the impending "human-wave" attack. From their positions, UNC troops watched as the horizon itself seemed to shift, with thousands of Chinese soldiers advancing, many armed only with grenades and raw determination. Tales had circulated among the UNC ranks of these adversaries, so fearless they'd charge into the very jaws of death. Witnessing it, however, was an entirely different ordeal. This audacious tactic didn't emerge in isolation. Early in the war, the Chinese plotted their counter as American and UNC forces confidently pressed into North Korean territory. Utilizing the terrain and the element of surprise, they executed a series of ambushes that sent the UNC reeling. Recognizing the need for a strategic pivot, by early 1951, the UNC fortified its positions, stretching defensively from east to west. The Chinese, ever adaptive, responded with their now-infamous "human wave" — a tactic as much about psychological warfare as it was about numbers. While historians might debate the terminology, those who faced this onslaught had no doubts. Veterans recounted the overwhelming force of the assault, comparing it to a tidal wave or a stadium's crowd spilling onto the battlefield. One poignant reflection captured the scene's eerie intensity: "Suddenly, the whole hillside stood up." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Behind the German lines of World War 2, an enigmatic emblem caught the eye. A crescent-shaped plate of polished metal hung around the neck and rested upon the chest of some of the Nazi’s most feared soldiers. Gleaming and detailed with intricate engravings, it was worn with pride, symbolizing the wearer's unwavering commitment and chilling authority. This emblem, known as the gorget, marked the Feldgendarmerie, Germany's terrifying military police. Initially, in territories beneath the Wehrmacht's control, they were charged with seemingly straightforward tasks: overseeing traffic, managing populations, and quelling resistance. But as the war intensified, the weight of their duty grew heavier. By 1943, the bearers of the shining gorget were tasked with holding the line of discipline within the vast Wehrmacht. They transformed into the ultimate guardians of loyalty, the final bulwark against even a whisper of dissent. The meaning of the gorget soon darkened to serve as a stern reminder of the force that bound the German military's resolve. In the shadows, hushed voices began bestowing eerie nicknames that seemed to echo with a foreboding resonance. Terms like "Kettenhunde" (chained dogs) and "Heldenklauer" (hero-snatchers) soon spread, turning them into looming specters of a wartime Germany that was on the verge of unraveling… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get plus 4 extra months on a 2-year plan here: https://NordVPN.com/darkdocs It’s risk free with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! --- On the very first day of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the city of Odesa in Ukraine bore the brunt of German aerial bombardment. It was a devastating start to a tumultuous period. In early August, the Romanian General Staff set the objective of capturing Odesa and defeating the Soviet forces between the Dniester River and the Tiligulskiy Estuary. The Axis leadership initially believed the city would swiftly succumb to their offensive, as it was surrounded on three sides. However, their assumptions were soon challenged. Through the summer, the Germans fought relentlessly on the Eastern front, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Adolf Hitler himself felt confident and even claimed that the enemy had practically lost the war. But little did he know that there was another Hitler in Odesa, a worthy opponent determined to defy his infamous namesake. As Russian author and historian Boris Akunin remarked ironically: (QUOTE) "The Red Army soldier Hitler was not fond of the man with the same surname." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the midst of the Vietnam War, the City of Hue was in flames. Outnumbered and surrounded, the Marines waged a fierce battle against the relentless forces of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army in heart-pounding urban combat. Just when all seemed lost, from the smoke and chaos, a formidable silhouette emerged. As the 1st Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment fought tooth and nail through the city, the ground trembled beneath the might of the Ontos — known ominously as “The Thing.” This powerful anti-tank vehicle, brandishing its six M40 recoilless guns, stood as a sentinel, ready to turn the tide of battle Smoke, flames, and gunpowder filled the air. As the Marines reached the Citadel, enemy resistance increased. With deliberate precision, the Ontos entered the fray with a relentless purpose: decimate the enemy. One after another, its recoilless rifles roared, firing specialized beehive rounds that released a cloud of over 10,000 steel flechettes to get rid of Viet Cong opposition. A Marine officer, a witness to the Ontos' superb performance, would later declare it: (QUOTE) "the most effective of all Marine supporting arms…" - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Amidst the turbulent backdrop of the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, a defining moment unfolded: Operation Fustian. The valiant soldiers of Brigadier Gerald Lathbury's 1st Parachute Brigade, an integral part of the revered British 1st Airborne Division, had a resolute objective: the formidable Primosole Bridge. The bridge, a solitary conduit spanning the Simeto River, held the key to unlocking the vast expanse of the Catania plain for the British Eighth Army. Its capture, a beacon of hope, promised to hasten their advance and herald the imminent demise of the Axis dominion over Sicily. Meticulous planning envisioned a two-pronged assault, with the brigade's paratroopers descending from the heavens while glider-borne reinforcements stood steadfast by their side. But time was of the essence, as control of the strategically vital bridge meant the safety and security of the surrounding terrain until the arrival of the advancing British XIII Corps… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Under the scorching summer sun, the Red Army found itself teetering on the edge of disaster. It was late July 1941, merely a month after the launch of Operation Barbarossa, and the relentless Axis advance had swept through the Soviet frontier, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Once bustling with life, cities like Vilnius, Riga, and Minsk now lay silent under the shadow of the swastika. Desperation permeated the air as the Soviets yearned for a triumph, a spark of hope to ignite their faltering spirits. Time was of the essence, and they needed it urgently. With their backs against the wall, the Soviet leadership turned its gaze to the unfolding Battle of Smolensk. Amidst the turmoil, a wildcard emerged: the Yelnya salient. Nestled deep within Soviet-held territory, this bulge in the German frontlines, surrounded on three sides by Russian forces, offered an enticing opportunity. It was a chance to strike back, to inflict a blow upon the seemingly unstoppable German war machine. For the Red Army, it represented a glimmer of hope, a slender chance to turn the tide… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to WW2 on TV: http://bit.ly/WW2onTV It was 1917, the soldiers could feel the rising tension in the air. It was pitch dark, and everything was quiet and still. Gunner JR Armitage and his mates were fascinated by the spectacle surrounding them. Over 1,500 artillery pieces, 600 tanks, and four infantry divisions had converged in Amiens near the frontline. The Germans had not spotted them. Armitage could hear the soldiers talking to their horses and the monotonous steps of men marching as they prepared for the attack. The artillery was also ready to strike 530 German guns when zero hour came. Lastly, at 4:20am, the attack began, and Armitage and his buddies went over the top to push the Germans back. As he later recalled: (QUOTE) “we could feel that hundreds of groups of men were doing the same thing - preparing for the heaviest barrage ever launched.” This was the beginning of the pivotal battle of Amiens, a hard blow to German morale and a critical step towards the end of World War 1. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the last days of August 1944, the Third Reich found itself stumbling - and the resilient Polish people keenly felt the shifting tides of fate. With the horrors of war weighing heavily upon them, they recognized a rare and pivotal moment to cast off the shackles of oppression imposed upon their nation and reassert the sovereignty of their homeland. With courageous determination, they launched a daring offensive to liberate their beloved capital from the brutal grasp of German occupation. The struggle would forever be known as the Warsaw Uprising. Against all odds, the valiant Poles fought fiercely to oust the German army and seize control of their city. But time was running out, for they knew another enemy loomed on the horizon: the advancing Soviet Army. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Click here: https://playen.link/darkdocs and play Enlisted now for free on PC, Playstation, or Xbox. By using our link, you are supporting Dark Docs, and you receive a free bonus pack, including weapons, soldiers, and a premium account! Enlisted is a realistic WW2 shooter that that lets you lead a personal squad of Al soldiers into battle against other players. With over 100 soldiers on the ground, immerse yourself completely in dynamic battles with an unparalleled combination of realism and approachability. --- In one of the darkest days of the Korean War, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers found themselves in the icy grip of death. Encircled by an unending army of fanatical Chinese soldiers who descended upon the British forces in wave after wave of brutal assaults. As darkness engulfed the land, muzzle fire lit the clash. It quickly devolved into ferocious hand-to-hand encounters threatening to break the British front line. Then, like a gut punch, the chilling news echoed across the radios; the force holding the critical left shoulder of the Company’s position had been decimated, and the remaining forces were overrun. It was over. Hearing the news, “Bill” Speakman decided he would not let his comrades be overwhelmed and trampled by the enemy. He hoarded as many grenades as he could carry and catapulted himself toward the breach. He became a tempest, hurling grenades at the rushing enemy forces with savage fury, each detonation momentarily stalling the enemy’s advance. Speakman’s defiance stood out like a beacon in the night. Again and again, he faced the enemy head-on, his bravery igniting a flame within 6 comrades, who soon followed suit. Even severely wounded, Speakman refused to stop. When their ammo ran out, he threw beer bottles, tin cans, stones, and anything he could grab at the enemy in a desperate effort to keep them at bay and allow his fellow soldiers a chance to escape. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the searing heat of the Burmese jungle, a ragtag band of renegades known as the Chindits was about to have their mettle tested like never before. These fearless misfits, hailing from India, Burma, and Britain, formed the world's first-ever long-range jungle penetration unit, assembled to turn the tide against Japan's iron grip on jungle warfare during the darkest days of World War 2. In 1943, Operation Long Cloth took an unexpected turn, leaving the Chindits stranded in the sweltering, feverish pits of the jungle, cut off from any chance of resupply and with Japanese forces hot on their heels. To reach the safety of the British lines over a thousand miles away in India, they'd have to stare down the threat of starvation, disease, and brutal Japanese ambushes. Ten days without food pushed the Chindits to the brink of collapse. But driving them onward was their fearless leader, Charles Wingate, the trailblazer of long-range jungle penetration. As the Chindits faced hell, they would have to rely on the audacity of their leader to have even a sliver of hope of enduring the unforgiving jungle and the hidden enemy lurking within. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was all over for the Allies. By May 20, 1940, German Panzer divisions had reached Abbeville at the mouth of the Somme River, splitting the Allied armies into two and forcing the troops on the north into an ever-shrinking pocket near the port city of Dunkirk. With no way to reach central France, and no naval force capable of evacuating them on such short notice, the British Expeditionary Force and uncountable French forces faced annihilation. Three days later, General Alan Brooke wrote in despair: (QUOTE) “Nothing but a miracle can save the BEF now.” Winston Churchill was haunted by the specter of the Dunkirk disaster becoming Britain’s most catastrophic military failure only weeks into his tenure as Prime Minister. The last flicker of hope lay in Operation Dynamo, an audacious gambit to evacuate nearly 400,000 men from the war-torn beaches using every ship within reach. But not even the most optimistic Allied commander believed it could be done before German tanks overwhelmed the area. However, fate had one final card to play. A courageous cadre of French soldiers, led by an indomitable man, would make a valiant stand in the town of Lille, a mere 40 miles from Dunkirk, to force a delay. Outnumbered, outgunned, and on the brink of exhaustion, these tenacious warriors would become the last hope of the Allied forces… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the unforgiving winter of 1939, a fierce battle was brewing in the frozen forests of Suomussalmi, where a small, resilient nation prepared to confront a seemingly insurmountable adversary. As the Soviet Union's relentless march threatened to engulf Finland, a critical struggle loomed, destined to test the limits of human endurance and ingenuity. At the heart of this maelstrom stood a resolute Finnish general, aware that the fate of his people hinged on a secret tactic - the Motti - an audacious maneuver that could potentially alter the tide of the war. The frigid winds howled, and snowstorms raged as the Finns readied themselves for an epic conflict, calling upon every ounce of strength, skill, and determination within their arsenal. As the pivotal moment drew near, the general shared a solemn nod with his troops, who braced themselves for the battle ahead. With hearts racing and nerves taut, they charged into the unknown, bent on executing their covert strategy and outsmarting an enemy that believed itself invulnerable. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early days of World War 2, the Germans hatched a master plan to take down the mighty French Army with breathtaking efficiency; dubbed Fall Gelb, or Case Yellow, it was a strategy that involved attacking France through the least expected region: the dense, foreboding Ardennes forest. But it would be in the Belgian town of Hannut where the fiercest fighting occurred. The 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions of the mighty XVI Motorized Corps of the Wehrmacht locked horns with the 1st and 2nd Light Mechanized Divisions of the French cavalry in a battle of epic proportions. Over three tumultuous days from May 12 to 14, 1940, the ground shook with the thundering roar of 1,200 German and French tanks as they clashed in a battle for supremacy. This was no ordinary battle; it was the largest tank battle of the entire campaign and the most significant clash in armored warfare history at the time. For some, it was even the first real tank battle of World War 2… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the winter of 1944, Europe shivered through its coldest season in three decades. Amid this bone-chilling cold, the 101st Airborne Division was backed into a corner, trapped in the Belgian town of Bastogne by a German force twice its size. The American defenders were tired, hungry, and spread thin as they attempted to hold the frozen town and protect the trapped civilians. On the northeastern outskirts of Bastogne, Easy Company struggled to maintain their position despite losing more men to frostbite and despair than enemy fire. Germany’s last-ditch Ardennes Offensive caught the Allies off guard, a feat they never imagined the battered Wehrmacht could pull off at that stage of the war. Now, the German forces threatened to destroy the trapped 101st Airborne Division. Aware of the dire straits the American troops were in, General Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz boldly issued an ultimatum to Bastogne Garrison commander General Anthony McAuliffe: surrender or face annihilation. The defiant response enraged the Germans and sparked a much-needed surge in morale among the beleaguered American soldiers who would now rally to make a heroic stand against Germany’s fierce final offensive… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Soviet artillery rained down relentlessly on the advancing German columns of mechanized infantry and panzers, many of which were powerful Panthers and Tiger Is. Despite the barrage, the Second Panzer Corps, composed of elite Waffen SS Divisions, pressed onward to achieve their objective: encircling the entrenched Soviet forces at the Kursk salient. Operation Citadel was the Reich's last gamble to stop the overwhelming Soviet counterattacks that risked destabilizing the entire Eastern Front. Failure would condemn the Reich to a defensive posture for the remainder of the war. At Prokhorovka, approximately 87 kilometers southeast of Kursk, the Germans were greeted with an unexpected sight. An entire column of Soviet tanks had become bogged down, ironically trapped by some T-34s that had fallen into an anti-tank ditch constructed by Soviet infantry. It was an ideal chance to assert their authority. As the tide of battle ebbed and flowed, both sides remained determined to prevail, their fates hanging in the balance of a brutal and unforgiving conflict… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Despite initial German successes in the initial engagements during Operation Barbarossa, dwindling supplies caused chaos and devastation for both the Germans and the Soviets. With the situation growing dire, and with the Red Army flat out refusing to give up, the Germans launched Operation Typhoon in October 1941. The goals of the operation were clear: to capture Moscow and bring the Soviet Union to its knees before the end of the year. Leading the German Army Group Center in an all-out push toward the capital was Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, a fierce and experienced commander ready to lead his men, along with thousands of tanks and guns, towards an all-out attack. Facing possible humiliation after successful takeovers of other European nations, the German forces would face an enemy not even the world’s most powerful gun was a match for: the Russian winter… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Five months after D-Day, the 84th Infantry Division arrived on the shores of Omaha Beach in occupied France. It was mid-November 1944, and the Third Reich was about to launch a last strike in a desperate attempt to turn the tides of the war. But the Railsplitters were there to halt them. Moving swiftly through France, the clandestine force was poised to launch a devastating attack on Nazi Germany. However, during the Battle of the Bulge, the Division was suddenly diverted to Belgium, tasked with stopping the enemy's relentless offensive in its tracks. In a few months, the Division would fight its way into the Rhineland, its movements as stealthy as the pace of war allowed, and quickly advanced northward. At last, by April 1945, the Division reached Hanover, and what they found in the war-stricken city would forever mark the history of mankind… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was the night of August 9, 1945, merely hours after the US had unleashed the second atomic bomb on top of the Japanese city of Nagasaki. Dense fog blanketed the landscape, shrouding the treacherous Manchurian terrain in a ghostly mist. Like a pale eye, the moon peered through the veil of clouds above. All was quiet; it was the calm before the storm. In the shadows, a small Soviet platoon with their faces painted in camouflage moved in silence. Suddenly, a distant rumble echoed across the hills, and the soldiers readied themselves. The rumble grew louder as the sound of hundreds of Soviet tanks and artillery emerged from the fog, a thunderous stampede of iron and steel. The massive invasion force seemed endless. In the last days of World War 2, a force was assembling in the far eastern reaches of Russia and Mongolia. The next few weeks would be a blistering series of battles, pushing every man to their limit. But the stakes were too high to falter, for the reward was immense. If they succeeded, they would vanquish the already weakened Japanese forces that still held sway over Manchuria and secure permanent Soviet influence over all of Asia for the rest of the 20th century… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

For three consecutive days, French infantrymen suffered under accurate German bombardment. Over four million soldiers had been mobilized for an offensive against Germany to occupy the Saarland. However, the Siegfried Line, a series of impenetrable fortifications, was heavily defended by over 33 German divisions pitched against the more than 65 divisions of France and the United Kingdom. While the infantry was pounded by German artillery, tanks were being decimated by the numerous minefields across the region, making the advance lose its momentum. Even when the numbers were on their side, the Anglo-French forces faced an apparently impenetrable wall of German defenses, but the outcome of this first encounter had the potential to change the entire course of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

June 1944 marked a defining moment in World War 2, with two crucial operations taking place simultaneously. While the US military was engaging in the vital Overlord operation in France, the US Navy, Marines, and Army Air Corps were attempting an equally monumental undertaking on the opposite side of the globe: Operation Forager. The battle's objective was the Marianas Archipelago, primarily the island of Saipan, which was a critical strategic point. If successful, the precious territories would turn into a launching point for Allied aircraft right into Tokyo, the heart of Japan. Consequently, the US military deployed hundreds of vessels, aircraft and tens of thousands of troops to subdue the Japanese stronghold. However, Japan was unwilling to give up the precious Archipelago without a fight. In an explosive clash that some called the D-Day of the Pacific Theatre, the Americans fought relentlessly in what was considered the most decisive battle of the offensive in the Pacific… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early hours of September 9, 1943, the Italian Navy's fleet of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers embarked on their journey from their western Italian bases. Originally, their mission was to attack the Allies' Salerno invasion force. However, this objective was altered due to Italy's armistice with the Allies, and they were ordered to head for Sardinia instead. The Germans, incensed by Italy's surrender and fearing the ships could be turned against them, hatched a plan to sink the fleet. By the afternoon, six Dornier Do 217 medium bombers climbed to over 18,000 feet and released their payloads. To the Italians' astonishment, the bombs altered course, gliding towards the battleships as they frantically tried to evade them. These were no ordinary weapons, but some of the world's first precision-guided munitions: the Fritz X radio-guided bombs. And although Allied intelligence was aware of these weapons, it wasn't until this fateful attack that their terrifying power was fully realized. As the day drew to a close, the face of warfare had been permanently altered... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The 320 men of the elite Canadian Black Watch were ready to storm Verrieres Ridge to break out of Normandy following the D-Day Landings. The men had lost their officers during a previous skirmish, leaving only 26-year-old Major Phil Griffin in command. The Canadians were supposed to attack during pre-dawn to avoid becoming an easy target for the entrenched Waffen SS troops. However, it was now 9:00am, and their tank and artillery support were not there. Despite this setback, the top officers ordered Griffin to lead his men forward and march into the belly of the beast. Undeterred, Griffin rallied his troops and called upon them to fix bayonets. The Black Watch advanced in perfect order, unaware that an enemy force three times their size was expecting them with dozens of machine guns, mortars, and well-placed artillery just past the slope. As the Black Watch advanced, the enemy opened fire. The air was filled with the sound of gunfire and the screams of the wounded. But Griffin and his men did not falter. They pressed on, determined to achieve their objective… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the biting cold of the winter of 1939, the Soviet forces, huddled in their ill-fitting uniforms, trudged through the unforgiving Finnish landscape. The Winter War had begun, and the Soviet military machine, a formidable force on paper, found itself staggeringly unprepared for the trials ahead. Stalin’s Great Purge had gutted the Soviet military and left it with few capable generals and an overabundance of yes-men who underestimated what would await the Red Army in Finland. As the Soviet troops reached beyond their territories and pierced the icy Finnish lands, not even the constant crunch of snow beneath their boots could muffle the growing grunts of their starving stomachs. Despite marching in a state of utter fatigue and depletion, the Soviet Army managed to circle around the Finnish lines and deliver a decisive rear surprise attack on the Finnish supply and artillery troops at Varolampi Pond. As the Finnish forces fled, the attackers suddenly stopped pursuing. Amidst the chaos, the retreating Finnish troops left behind a tantalizing sight: field kitchens, still simmering with pots full of steaming sausage soup. The scent of the hearty stew wafted through the air, overwhelming the senses of the Soviet soldiers. Forgetting their mission, they abandoned their pursuit and desperately fell upon the food. This moment of vulnerability would lead to the Sausage War, one of the strangest battles of World War 2. The Finns, seizing upon the unique opportunity presented by their foes’ distracted state, regrouped, and mounted an epic and ferocious counterattack. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In 1941, Hitler's insatiable hunger for conquest led to a daring plan: the invasion of the Soviet Union. As the German war machine marched towards the motherland's vast resources and territories, the Soviet tanks, particularly the KV-1 heavy tank, stood as the first line of defense. And a small road, dubbed Tank Alley, would become the site of a legendary battle. Merely miles away from the capital, Lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov and his platoon of five KV-1 tanks faced the advancing German forces, fully aware that the fate of their nation hung in the balance. Against overwhelming odds, Kolobanov and his comrades stood their ground, unleashing the full might of their tanks against the advancing enemy while trying to ignite a spark of hope and determination in the hearts of their fellow Soviet soldiers. Little did they know that their heroic actions on Tank Alley would go down in history as one of the most impressive tank battles ever fought… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the summer of 1994, the Clinton administration began laying the groundwork for a delicate operation to remove the brutal Haitian military regime. For the first time, the United Nations Security Council authorized the use of force to restore democracy to a member nation. By early September, preparations for Operation Uphold Democracy ended, to be followed by a massive intervention. It was no small task, and involved 25,000 military personnel from all services, backed by two aircraft carriers and extensive air support, plus a multinational detachment from Caribbean nations under UN mandate. Despite the government’s best efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement, the military operation was scheduled for September 19. But with the clock ticking, and the world holding its breath, former President Jimmy Carter spearheaded a delegation to Haiti in search of a last-minute breakthrough two days before the operation’s launch. And so, with negotiations still in progress, the invasion forces went into action, unsure whether they would face resistance or make a peaceful entry onto Haitian soil… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

A shrouded conspiracy unfurled in the dim and flickering shadows of Emperor Hirohito’s palace. The loyal imperial guard tasked with his protection had been insidiously replaced by insurgent soldiers, seizing control of the Imperial Palace and its intricate surroundings. Tensions arose like a ticking time bomb as the pivotal moment when Emperor Hirohito was to broadcast Japan’s capitulation to the Allied powers approached. The relentless conspirators, fervently set on waging war, were prepared to give up their lives to thwart the impending surrender. An urgent frenzy overtook the rebels as they rampaged through the palace, scouring every corner for the audio recordings Hirohito had crafted. However, the palace’s enigmatic design concealed an elaborate maze of serpentine passages, secret doors, and veiled vaults, making locating the records a daunting ordeal. As the insurgents smashed through every barrier and Tokyo spiraled into chaos, the brave custodians slipped into a hidden passage behind a cupboard, where they safeguarded the Emperor’s message and the hopes of a besieged nation yearning to end the brutal war. Carnage surged throughout the capital as the masterminds behind the Kyūjō Incident orchestrated a ruthless coup to prevent Japan from yielding to the inevitable... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The week of April 25, 1965, seemed like any other - until fighting broke out in the capital city of the Dominican Republic. Without warning, violence engulfed all quarters of Santo Domingo as Communist rebels launched a surprise attack, firing from building to building and spreading terror throughout the city. Countless civilians sought refuge in the Embajador Hotel, anxiously awaiting their turn to be evacuated to US Navy ships. Many of them endured days without food or water for days, and while they waited, they could only lie on the ground and listen to the unnerving sound of bullets whizzing overhead. By the end of the week, the US military had deployed thousands of soldiers and Marines to the Caribbean, and the 82nd Airborne Division had sustained its first combat casualties since World War 2. But despite the chaos and loss, one thing was certain: there would not be another Cuba… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the morning of August 29, 1940, amidst the ferocious Battle of Britain that roared in the skies, a select group of men, handpicked by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, boarded an ocean liner and departed the country. At that moment, this British team on board the vessel represented the last glimmer of hope for a beleaguered Europe. Comprising the United Kingdom’s foremost civilian and military scientists, the group embarked on a journey to Washington, DC, in an attempt to turn the tide of the war, which had been heavily favoring Nazi Germany until then. Officially designated the British Technical and Scientific Mission, the men informally referred to it as the Tizard Mission, named after their leader, Sir Henry Tizard, the chairman of Britain's Aeronautical Research Committee. Their objective was to share Britain’s latest military technological breakthroughs with the hesitant American government in exchange for access to the United State’s vast industrial capacity, thus facilitating the production of weapons derived from the research. Among the many secrets transported across the Atlantic was a critical piece of hardware invented only months prior. As several historians have noted, the Tizard Mission helped bring incredibly valuable cargo to the shores of America... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The idea behind Operation Postmaster was a sensitive and potentially catastrophic bone of contention that had British authorities torn apart as 1941 drew to a close. On the one hand, the Small-Scale Raiding Force and Special Operations Executive operatives that had come up with it were more than eager to show the world the capabilities of commando warfare. In their mind, stealing several German ships right in front of the noses of the Third Reich would be a risky yet attainable operation. On the other hand, some British officials were concerned about the mission taking place on the island of Fernando Po, a Spanish African territory. The event could ignite a diplomatic conundrum if the mission failed and British commandos were captured in neutral territory. The Franco regime was all but a wartime ally of Nazi Germany, and an act of aggression on their territory had the potential to be the last drop that pushed Franco into joining the Axis powers. Even so, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was unmoved by the threat of an Axis Spain and wanted to prove that his secret commandos could shift the tides of the war. Operation Postmaster was happening even if it meant pulling Spain into the fight… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Towards the end of May 1940, the Allies found themselves nearly trapped in the Low Countries. The Germans executed a swift advance, which inadvertently left their flanks vulnerable to a counterattack. Seizing the opportunity, the British promptly launched an offensive with 86 tanks. The mighty advance was split into two columns, positioned approximately five kilometers apart, while an additional 60 French tanks bolstered the main force. On the opposite side was General Erwin Rommel and his exceptional 7th Panzer Division. The Allied attack was successful at first. Numerous Germans were taken prisoner, and the British tanks demonstrated immunity to their 3.7-centimeter PaK guns. Overcome with panic, the Germans realized their weapons were ineffective against the enemy armor, prompting General Rommel to muster all available artillery, including a potent weapon: the 8.8-centimeter Flak. The combined firepower ultimately halted the British advance and forced them into a retreat. But notably, the most lethal German weapon of World War 2 was not originally intended to be an anti-tank gun at all. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On September 15, 1950, after only a month of planning, a team of United States and South Korean forces landed at the port of Inchon, only 100 miles south of the 38th parallel and just 25 miles from the capital city of Seoul. Over the course of one week, 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels dispatched by the United Nations set out to battle the North Korean People’s Army. While the location was criticized as being far too risky for its changing tides and unpredictable weather, United Nations Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur was confident the plan would succeed. In a daring operation planned and executed under extremely difficult conditions, the United Nations forces aimed to reverse the tide of the Korean War, seize control of Seoul, and solidify America’s postwar reputation on the global stage... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early days of the US military involvement in Vietnam, the most powerful military in the world was confident it would soon overwhelm the People’s Army of Vietnam thanks to its decisive air superiority and comprehensive military strategy. And for a while, it seemed like they would. When several PAVN regiments launched a massive surprise attack on the US military camp at Plei Me, the large-scale battle devolved into a brutal siege. The South Vietnamese troops soon arrived to help, and they soon managed to break the siege. The victors were ecstatic and ready to make the PAVN pay. Eager to test their new air mobility doctrine in which they would use fast-moving helicopters to deliver troops where they were needed the most, the US military soon gave chase to the retreating PAVN regiments. In a spectacular show of might and technical dominion, hundreds of US helicopters darted above the jungle to deliver hundreds of men to designated landing zones, ready to deliver a swift and crushing blow to the enemy. But the Americans underestimated their opponent, and the ensuing Battle of Ia Drang would soon turn into a feverish nightmare that would bring the US 1st cavalry division to its knees. Even worse, it would show the North Vietnamese how to defeat the Americans… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The American B-24 Liberator bomber sat motionless on the airfield as though awaiting inspection or maintenance from an aircrew. The sky appeared clear, and suddenly a piercing shriek shattered the silence as an M2-262, the world's first operational jet aircraft, burst onto the scene. Without hesitation, the Me-262's Mk 108 cannon roared to life, and one of its 30-millimeter mine shells struck the midsection of the sturdy bomber. The projectile detonated upon impact, and hundreds of stainless steel shards tore apart the bomber’s fuselage, destroying it. Even more striking was the location where the event occurred. The B-24 had not been obliterated in Europe, but at Wright Field, Ohio, by a captured Me-262. The men in charge were the Watson's Whizzers, an Army Air Forces intelligence team tasked with capturing as much Luftwaffe technology as possible during the last weeks of World War 2 and analyzing it before the Soviets could advance into the heart of Germany… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On June 7, 1981, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin summoned his cabinet to a surprise meeting to let them know what he had just done. He proceeded to inform them that he had just authorized a fleet of fighters to destroy Iraq's new nuclear facility. He then retreated to his office to pray. Begin knew that failing was not an option. His pilots needed to cross over 600 miles of densely-fortified enemy territory, fly low to avoid detection, avoid anti-aircraft machinery and ground-to-air missiles, and make sure to destroy the reactor Osirak on their first try - because there would not be another. If the radar-jamming measures failed, Arab pilots would swarm in and engage in a firefight. Moreover, if one of his airmen was captured, they would be interrogated by the Iraqis, leading to grave consequences for Israel. As Begin waited in his office, praying for a successful mission, the shrill ring of his emergency phone interrupted his thoughts… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early spring of 1966, the state-of-the-art 105-millimeter towed M102 howitzer was introduced into service in Vietnam. However, many seasoned artillerymen hesitated to use the new model at first. The men were well-accustomed to the M101A1 howitzer that had been used to support American and Allied forces since World War 2, and had become entirely familiar with every detail. As such, they were extremely wary of the new model and did not want their trusty old cannon replaced. However, their doubts were soon put to rest, as the M102 howitzer became a prized staple in the United States Armed Forces arsenal within a matter of months and was praised for its flexibility, accuracy, and light weight. Now, after decades of service all over the world, the US Navy is about to give the classic all-American artillery weapon a new chance with an upgraded iteration meant for the United States Air Force... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

SS-Obergruppenführer Doctor Hans Kammler was one of the most influential leaders of Nazi Germany. Imposing, ingenious, and rampantly power-hungry, he was one of the architects behind the Nazi concentration camps, director of the top-secret V-2 rocket initiative, and the master of Germany's late-war Emergency Fighter Programs. The shrewd and calculating SS commander consolidated massive power as the Nazi regime crumbled into pieces around him. And even Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, called him: (QUOTE) "Himmler's most brutal and most ruthless henchmen." But just as his power and ambition reached their zenith in the latter years of the war, the machiavellian SS commander mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Earth. Conflicting reports as to his whereabouts emerged across the lands. Some claimed he had fallen in battle, while others affirmed he had taken a cyanide pill along with his wife. She later denied it, raising concerns of a possible escape or secret negotiation with the Allies. However, there were also those who claimed the man made it to the United States, where he reportedly met a fate much worse than cyanide… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Greek Sacred Band was steeped in the epic military history of the ancient hoplite warriors. Established in 1942, the unit was trained to follow the footsteps of the British SAS and the Special Boat Service. For over two years, the seasoned Greek commandos conducted land and sea-based raids against the Axis forces. Having honed their skills to perfection, they were now ready to reconquer the Aegean islands. During moonless nights, the commandos boarded their small boats, stealthily approached the Dodecanese islands, and launched hit-and-run attacks from multiple sectors to overwhelm the enemy. By the time the Axis forces could retaliate, they were already encircled and cut off by several commandos. This strategy cemented the reputation of the Greek Sacred Band as the corsairs and liberators of the Aegean… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As World War 2 reached its blistering zenith, a depleted and overextended Nazi Germany began to pin its hopes of victory on its secret super weapon programs. As such, the relentless ingenuity of German engineering gave birth to the Vergeltungswaffen initiative, which loosely translates to "reprisal weapons." The program resulted in the creation of the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 missile, the precursor to modern intercontinental ballistic missiles. The weapons were used to rain destruction over Britain and to inflict terror among the confident Allies, but the V rockets had limited success in halting their ability to wage war. However, a secret V-weapon was already in the works, and if successful, it would far surpass the others in raw power. The V-3 was a massive 430-foot-long super cannon capable of thrusting 150-millimeter caliber shells, each weighing 140 kilograms at a rate of 600 shells per minute. Adolf Hitler's plan was to have 50 super cannons launching 3,000 rounds at London every day, and it was up to the Allies to stop the production of the world-shattering wonder weapon before it began its lethal barrage… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early days of the Nazi Party, Adolf Hitler recruited a selected elite of close and loyal followers that would protect his rise to power. Once he consolidated his rule in the country, the intimate circle expanded its influence across the borders. As the Third Reich spread throughout the continent, the Nazi leaders were desperate to keep their ideology intact, and the infamous SS was born. However grim its reputation, an even gloomier group of carefully chosen individuals eventually grew inside the organization. It was the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, which would guard the Fuhrer himself at any cost… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Sergeant Franklin D. Miller and his small team were pinned down by over 100 North Vietnamese soldiers. Four of his men were critically wounded, and the rest were almost incapacitated. Nightfall was upon them, and Miller had already single-handedly repelled three numerically superior NVA attacks with nothing more than his trusty CAR-15 Carbine and a dozen grenades. Despite his heroic efforts, he knew time was running out. The relief force had not arrived, he was bleeding from his chest and left arm, and ammunition was running low. It was now or never, so he calmly went prone, made sure he was concealed by the tall grass above the hill, and prepared to repel an incoming attack on his own... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At first glance, the Sturmtiger looks like a bloated Tiger 1 tank with an equally comical short barrel mounted on top. However, the self-propelled assault gun was an overwhelming fortification destroyer and a promising solution that would make the German Blitzkrieg even more terrifying. With armor plates as thick as 150 millimeters and shooting shells weighing over 800 pounds, the unstoppable behemoth was impervious to almost every conventional weapon on the battlefield. But its development was actively racing against the might of the Allied offensive throughout every front, and German engineers fought to deploy the motorized gun before it was too late. When it finally reached the battlefront, its capabilities proved astounding, taking three US Sherman tanks out of action and even razing entire building blocks to the ground. The Sturmtiger was ready to leave its mark on history… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The First Special Service Force was activated in the summer of 1942. Composed of brave American and Canadian men, the force was one of the foundational units in unconventional warfare. Its members were forest rangers, lumberjacks, hunters, and woodsmen, and they were trained for every sort of battle in any kind of climate. Also known as the Devil’s Brigade, they formed one of the most extraordinary commando units, ruthless to anyone who dared stand in their way. In the words of a German Army officer who wrote to his soldiers in 1944: [QUOTE] "They are treacherous, unmerciful and clever. You cannot afford to relax." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the last days of World War 2, as American soldiers faced the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, liberating one after the other, a unique group of soldiers opted to defy the soul-wrenching events taking place all around them by putting together a highly unusual mission to save a group of exceptional horses. The stallions belonged to a unique breed of racing horses known as the Lipizzaner. The last of these invaluable animals were now in the Czechoslovakian village of Hostau, right in the middle of the destructive path of the Red Army, which would soon raze through the region. Knowing the mercilessness of the Russians, the American and German soldiers joined forces to save the unique beasts and their Spanish Riding School in Vienna. With the help of the exiled Russian prince and his riders, the daring team secured the town and the horses within. But the newly formed alliance would soon be tested when an enraged rogue group of SS troopers assaulted the defenders with everything they had. Soon, the Americans, Germans, and Russians found themselves fighting side by side, only one of two such instances during the entire war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Dzerzhinsky Square in the strategic Soviet city of Kharkov was engulfed in flames and smoke. It was the third time it had turned into a battle zone since 1941. The elite Waffen SS Panzer Corps had surrounded the city to take it back, with the Panzer Grenadiers engaging the Soviet defenders in ruthless house-to-house combat. But the resistance was stiff, and Soviet snipers were picking up any enemy soldier on sight. As grenades flew above buildings and the bursts of relentless machine-gun fire covered the scene, the German soldiers had to stay low and wait for the Panzers to come in and eliminate the last stronghold of Red Army resistance in a city that could prove a significant difference in the tide of the war... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was January 31, 1968. The firecrackers, the music, and the cheers of the crowds gathered in Saigon to celebrate the Lunar New Year masked the bombardment and small-arms fire of the nearby Viet Cong and NVA troops that infiltrated the city and began attacking. Chaos quickly overwhelmed the area, and as the Americans tried to strategically distribute their forces, they received an alarming call. The Embassy at Saigon was under attack, and enemy forces were already inside the compound. Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division were immediately dispatched to save the US citizens inside, but as the men approached the objective aboard their helicopters to land on the roof, intense Viet Cong fire forced them to abort. Time was running out for the overwhelmed Marines and Military Police fighting the intruders inside the compound. It was imperative that the soldiers made another pass before it was too late… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After almost 80 days of uninterrupted fighting against the Japanese invaders in August of 1937, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek ordered the retreat of the Chinese National Army from Zhabei and nearby towns to protect the inner suburbs of Shanghai. However, he asked for one battalion of the elite German-trained 88th Chinese Division to remain at the Sihang warehouse to cover the army’s retreat and fend off the advancing Japanese troops. While the battalion only had 414 combat-effective soldiers, the Chinese army planners did not want to show any signs of weakness. Following the principles of Sun Tzu's ‘The Art of War,’ the officers lied and told the media they had 800 men ready to fight to their last breath in one glorious last stand that was so brutal it has since been described as "Stalingrad on the Yangtze"... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Being in the shoes of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in the months leading to D-Day must have been a living nightmare: the Allies seemed to be everywhere, preparing to strike from every direction. As the largest amphibious invasion in human history loomed closer, large troop encampments had been photographed across Pas-de-Calais in the north of France. Thousands of tanks and even more tents spoke of an unprecedented attack. However, other reports pointed to a major invasion of Norway. Things were just as concerning in the south, with intelligence suggesting a massive amphibious landing on southern France. Moreover, the British Twelfth Army was assembling in preparation for a rumored invasion of the Balkans from North Africa. In the end, the liberation of Europe would not start in Pas-de-Calais or in southern France. In fact, there was no such thing as the British Twelfth Army, and it had all been an elaborate series of deceits designed to mislead the Germans. Even so, ruses like Operation Zeppelin that claimed an invasion through the Balkans, were so sophisticated and masterfully executed that some historians still debate whether Winston Churchill actually considered liberating Europe that way… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The war had been raging in Europe for the last eight months, but the Allies had not yet experienced a taste of the relentless Nazi blitzkrieg. That all changed in May of 1940 when the British Expeditionary Forces found themselves stranded in continental Europe while the French and Belgian armies fell to the Germans. Within a matter of days, the Allied troops were trapped by the invading forces on the coast of France and Belgium around a critical port that offered their last hope to flee. However, the British Imperial General Staff doubted that even 25 percent of the men could be saved. A desperate and near-miraculous rescue operation ensued, one that might have even saved the Allied cause from total collapse. In the words of US Army officer George Fielding Eliot: (QUOTE) "No purely military study of the major aspects of the war could do justice to the skill and the heroism of Operation Dynamo." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The way a war was fought changed forever in August of 1945 when the United States detonated the world's first atomic bombs on top of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But despite the massive damage, the Japanese had still not surrendered a week later. While Japan's conditional capitulation was a promising sign, it was not enough for President Harry S. Truman and his cabinet, and unbeknownst to the general public, the president had dozens of potential bombs at his disposal. While it might appear that dropping two atomic bombs on top of Japan was always the plan, historical evidence shows that in the closing months of World War 2, the Manhattan Project scientists were building as many atomic bombs as they could. American officials, scientists, and military leaders pondered whether or not dropping more bombs was necessary, but hours before Japan's surrender, the responsibility lay solely on one man... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Robert Jean Marie de La Rochefoucauld fled France in 1940 to escape the relentless Gestapo forces. He returned three years later, but the 19-year-old had become a cunning and lethal French resistance operative trained by British commandos to conduct sabotage and reconnaissance missions deep within enemy territory. After dropping from a warplane in the wilderness near the town of Bordeaux and concealing his parachute, La Rochefoucauld immediately began to work. The young man first acquired a local worker's uniform, allowing him to pass unnoticed in the German-occupied city. He then infiltrated a German munitions plant and, little by little, smuggled 40 kilograms of explosives concealed in hollowed-out baguettes and specially designed shoes. After four days, he set off the payload and rushed from the scene. The story, however, would be a mere afterthought compared to the daring adventures the man considered the greatest French saboteur was destined to lead… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The deafening roars of Soviet artillery awoke the 3rd Romanian Army slumbering inside their frozen trenches in the early morning of November 20, 1942. The Axis troops were expecting an attack on the right bank of the Don River, but they were totally unprepared for the sheer scale of the massive Soviet counter-offensive. The Romanians fought hard as a brutal battle ensued, but so did the Soviets, who overwhelmed them with their imposing tanks. By mid-day, Commander Petre Dumitrescu told German Army Group South that it was a matter of time before the front at the Don River collapsed. And when it did, the USSR unleashed its master plan. It was called Operation Uranus, and it called for the encirclement of the Axis forces in the vicinity of Stalingrad. The Soviets were ready to take their territory back! - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Aimo Koivunen and a small group of Finnish ski troops set camp in a snow-covered forested area for a brief rest after a long night patrol. Before they could settle, the white calmness of the Finnish countryside was suddenly shattered by the sound of Soviet gunfire. The Finnish troopers jumped to their feet and hastily packed as an entire Soviet platoon began to enclose them. In a desperate dash across the woods, Koivunen led his countrymen away from the Soviet forces, but the enemies went after them and an ardent pursuit across the frozen wasteland ensued. Koivunen and his comrades knew the region well, but crippling exhaustion soon took hold of them. Now, with the Soviets at his heels, the young trooper was about to collapse. That’s when he remembered he was holding Pervitin, a German drug that allowed soldiers to stay alert for days at a time. As he skied downhill, he tried to pour a pill into his mitten-covered hand, but the entire lot fell at once and Koivunen swallowed the whole batch of 30 methamphetamines. Koivunen was then able to lead the way as his men continued their excruciating escape attempt. But suddenly, the trees and his comrades began to shift into strange shapes as he abruptly drifted in and out of consciousness. One of World War 2’s strangest meth-fueled misadventures was about to begin… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As soon as Germany invaded Poland, France prepared for an offensive on the Western Front to ease the pressure on the stricken country. Honoring their pact of mutual support, France gathered no less than 40 divisions that would penetrate through Germany's neglected front. In the days following the invasion, 30 French divisions had advanced into the border, but Poland still fell to a superior German force. Soon, France withdrew its troops in utter fright of German retaliation. The event gave way to a somewhat quiet period of bewilderment in Western Europe known as the "Phoney War," in which the Allied governments allowed their economic superiority to build up military resources and prepare for outright combat. But as history revealed, World War 2 could have been stopped right on its tracks that September of 1940 if only the Allies had been more assertive. In the words of General Edward Spears: (QUOTE) "It is ignominious to wage a confetti war against an utterly ruthless enemy." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Saddam Hussein's eldest sons, Uday and Qusay, knew their time was running out. They had disobeyed their father's advice of splitting up to prevent the Americans from hunting them down and were now paying the price of their disobedience. Even so, the two brothers and their bodyguards were fighting like lions, cornered by the American 101st Division at the palatial Mosul villa. The US troops tried to destroy the villa with launchers and artillery fire with little success, and Uday and Qusay barricaded themselves on the second floor, believing they were safe behind the bulletproof glass panels. However, they didn’t count on the US forces bringing the most lethal anti-tank missile ever developed to the forefront… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Staff Sergeant David Bellavia and his platoon received orders to secure an entire block in the city of Fallujah, Iraq, on November 10, 2004, the brave soldiers covered the street door-to-door looking for Jihadists harassing the American troops. It was until the tenth building they searched that the Americans found themselves inside a heavily defended enemy bunker. They were in a highly precarious position, and Bellavia decided to neutralize the terrorists on his own. As he stepped into the house, he didn't know if he would make it out alive - let alone earn the Medal of Honor for his selfless devotion to duty. But at that moment, Bellavia was confronted with the enemy face to face. As he said later in an interview: (QUOTE) "I didn't know what close combat was until I went to Iraq. And it's not 30 meters, it's 2 feet." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Those who were chosen for the special mission had been waiting for days. The training and rehearsals had been completed, and the men were ready to take on the Germans. Everything was going according to plan, and Major John Frost was satisfied with the current conditions: little to no wind for the parachutists, good nighttime visibility for the Air Force, and the right tide for the Navy. On February 27, 1942, the last night of the mission window, the men of C Company embarked for France on board converted Whitley bombers. There was a lot of tension in the air, as the British desperately needed a win. Operation Biting called for them to steal unknown advanced equipment from a mysterious German coastal radar installation that was believed to be key in guiding Luftwaffe nighttime fighters toward British bomber formations. At last, the rookie soldiers readied their parachutes and valiantly jumped out of their aircraft into Bruneval. There was a lot at stake, and it was now or never… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Just months after defiantly deceiving his ally Stalin and sending troops into Russian territory, Hitler commanded his Wehrmacht to lay siege and capture the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. The outnumbered German forces advanced aggressively, spearheaded by their Panzer groups, while the Soviets collapsed helplessly before their merciless strides. As the Soviet and German forces clashed on the banks of the Dnieper River, the Red Army desperately scrambled to contain the German onslaught and prevent them from crossing the rivers at all costs. The body of water and thinly spread Soviet force was the only thing standing between Hitler and the fall of Kiev. The Soviet defense could only hold for so long before the German tanks pierced the line in a brutal pincer maneuver. Suddenly, faced with annihilation, Southwestern Front Commander Semión Timoshenko pleaded with Stalin for permission to withdraw. Even so, the response was always the same: Kiev had to be defended at all costs and to the last man. One day after the city was enveloped and four entire Soviet armies lay trapped, Timoshenko received a telegram, a message finally giving him and his men permission to leave the city. But with nowhere to run or hide, over half a million Soviet fighters chose to make the Germans pay for every inch of Kiev they wished to claim… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Scattered attacks had intensified during the last hours of April 30, 1968, at the Dong Ha sector. The Marines, fierce as ever, were all-in for some combat, but something was off. These skirmishes seemed coordinated. By the time the Marines made one of the prisoners speak about the nature of the attacks, it was already too late to call reinforcements. The sector was being invaded by more than 10,000 NVA troops coming from all directions, and there were only 600 Marines to stop them. It was now up to the outnumbered Leathernecks to fend off a massive assault from taking over the sector. Even so, many Devil Dogs were optimistic. The odds were not even. Not for the NVA… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Severely weakened and crushed by two overwhelming forces, what remained of the Wehrmacht by December of 1944 continued to defend the crumbling empire. The Allies had calmly settled near the German border after breaking from Normandy, and they knew Germany had lost the war. Many US soldiers on the front lines were replaced with new recruits, who saw the task almost like a vacation. Bernard Montgomery, Commander of the 12th Army, went as far as to say: (QUOTE) "The inadequacies of German manpower, equipment and resources precluded any offensive action on their part." However, on the night of December 15, the green US GIs began to hear unsettling sounds, mechanical growling, and isolated gunfire in the distance; but with no experience to assess the situation, they did nothing. A few hours later, their world came crashing down; like thunder, a vast German force descended upon the US forces, their numbers and strength so overpowering that they seemed to have appeared out of thin air. In a final attempt to turn the tide of the war, the Germans had managed to unleash a last ferocious offensive on the unsuspecting Allies, seeking to break them and force a peace negotiation. The Battle of the Bulge had just started… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During World War 2, the Wehrmacht sent messages over the radio singling out a few men out of the millions serving, and it was the highest honor any soldier of any rank could receive. Throughout the entire conflict, only one non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm was named in the Wehrmacht Radio communique: Kurt Knispel. Although he was the best Panzer ace, with a reported 168 tank kills, he never received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross despite being recommended four times. Knispel had a knack for breaking the rules, sported long hair and a beard, and had a particular disdain for abusive SS officers, which earned him more than a few enemies within the ranks. Even so, he is widely considered the most successful tank ace of World War 2. And yet, the affable rulebreaker is also the most forgotten Panzer ace of them all… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the morning of May 10, 1940, the population of the Netherlands suddenly woke up to the roars of about a hundred aircraft. It was the cacophony of war. The Germans had invaded the country and were now bombing airfields to destroy the Dutch air forces. As the attacks began, the Dutch military personnel witnessed something they had never seen before. Hundreds of paratroopers were pouring from their transport aircraft and airdropping from the sky. Little did they know that the Germans were carrying out a secret operation to capture the Queen and her government, forcing the country into submission… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The British troops were trapped inside Singapore city. The Japanese had left them without water or supplies, and after 70 days of intense persecution across the Malayan Peninsula, the defenders were exhausted. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival was at a crossroads. Although Prime Minister Winston Churchill had mandated that the colony be defended to the last man, Percival ’s forces were overwhelmed, and the Commander had to avoid further losses. Forced to capitulate, Percival met with Japanese leader Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The invaders asked for unconditional surrender, but Percival demanded better conditions for his soldiers. Yamashita was furious and smashed his fist on the table. His conditions were non-negotiable, as he couldn’t risk letting the British know about a secret that could turn the odds in their favor… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the summer of 1937, some of General Alexander Von Falkenhausen’s 80,000 German-trained Nationalist Chinese soldiers were trying to hold back the Japanese. The men were equipped with German Mausers, Stahlhelms, artillery pieces, and 15 Panzer Is, and had been trained by some of the best generals in the German forces. The elite soldiers had taken positions on the outskirts of Nanjing and were steadily resisting the bombardments and heavy blows of the Japanese artillery. Wave after wave, the Chinese fought bravely, but they soon discovered that their sole armored division was being torn to pieces by Japanese tanks. Even so, they wouldn’t give up so easily… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The 3rd Division was inching closer to Baghdad after the invasion started, and by early April of 2003, the US forces resolved to take the Iraqi capital at any cost. Soon, they launched an armored advance throughout the city streets. And as the column pressed on into the center, the soldiers on the highway struggled to distinguish friend from foe. Eventually, the troops stopped a car on its tracks and found it was carrying an Iraqi Army Colonel who turned out to be the head of logistics for the Baghdad sector. This gave them hope - their strategy was working! Confident, the formation kept moving forward relatively unopposed on their way to the Baghdad International Airport. But then, the smooth advance that would become known as the Thunder Run took an unexpected turn for the worse… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

World War 2 became a catalyst for weapons that had been unimaginable only a few years before, but one of them would shake infantrymen to their very core. It was the multiple rocket launcher, a spectacularly devastating tool that was as effective on the enemy's morale as it was on its numbers. From the shrieking horror of the German Nebelwerfer that routed the green US recruits at the Battle of Kasserine Pass to the dreary wails of Stalin's organ that sent German soldiers running for their lives when they heard its uncanny sounds outside the gates of Moscow, the emerging technology proved to be a terrifyingly effective weapon. After the Americans saw the sheer power of the German and Soviet rocket launchers, they decided to create their version. But while the Nebelwerfer was a towed launcher and the Katyusha was installed on a truck, the US decided to take it a step further and mount their novel weapon on a Sherman tank. With the mobility and heavy armor of the mighty Sherman, the T34 Calliope rocket launcher would soon become the war's most terrifying rocket launcher system. As the Germans were eventually forced into an ever more desperate defensive war, the Calliope would strike fear into the last Nazi bastions, its maddening song resonating through the Saarland and spearheading the advance of the Allies while portending the inevitable fall of the Third Reich… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Seelow Heights area was crucial in Germany’s last effort to repel its enemies. If the defensive line was pierced, the gates of Berlin would be open for the Soviet Army to seize the heart of the crumbling Third Reich. As such, more than one million Red Army soldiers were repeatedly pushed back by a relentless German force that was underequipped, underfed, and, most importantly, outnumbered 10 to 1. The heart and soul of this genius defense was General Hasso Baron von Manteuffel, a seasoned World War 1 veteran whose leadership proved decisive in defying the waves of Soviets sent to strike down the Germans. Under intense artillery barrages, tank columns of over 50 T34 tanks, and the diminishing morale of his troops, Manteuffel was prepared to give his life for the Reich until support came to relieve his men… if it ever came. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

For decades after it happened, Operation Mars would be taught in Soviet History books as a brilliant and effective diversion scheme that masterfully deceived the Germans. The official story claimed that Operation Uranus, the ambitious Soviet thrust to encircle Stalingrad, was the cornerstone of the Red Army's offensive, while operation Mars was merely a secondary diversion assault aimed at keeping the Germans near Rzhev from reinforcing the embattled city. But as Operation Uranus unfolded, the Soviets launched a second pincer maneuver on a salient located in the northern town of Rzhev. The tumultuous assault kept the German 9th Army engaged, leading a desperate defensive effort and prohibiting the soldiers from reinforcing their comrades in Stalingrad as they were being besieged. Nevertheless, another version of the events would emerge five decades later, portraying Operation Mars not as a clever distraction that fooled the German armies but as a massive, botched assault aimed to be even more significant than Uranus. The operation was filled with reckless actions and appalling mistakes that would lead to one of the most ruinous Soviet defeats in the war, earning the name of "The Rzhev Meat Grinder"… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

To break the agonizing stalemate that World War 1 had become, the German Empire infiltrated the most protected fortification on Earth, Fort Douaumont, capturing it without firing a single shot. This gave them the confidence to go after the rest of the French forts in the highly protected region of Verdun. When the German 12th Grenadier Regiment prepared to storm the nearby Fort Vaux, merely a fraction of the size of Douaumont, they expected little resistance. They also believed that seizing the fort would lure the French troops out of their trenches, shifting the fate of the war in Germany’s favor. As the relentless shelling had rendered Fort Vaux’s field guns useless, all the French forces had to defend themselves were machine guns, grenades, and rifles. Moreover, the garrison inside the fort was led by Commandant Sylvain Eugène Raynal, a 49-year-old veteran bound to a walking cane who had bravely volunteered to oversee the stronghold. Even so, the disabled commander would soon lead 600 fearless men into battle against thousands of Germans, in what became one of the most brutal and heroic defensive efforts of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After shocking the world by assaulting the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese forces quickly moved to conquer the US-controlled Philippines; this was their one chance to seize the entirety of the Southwest Pacific and claim the resource-rich Dutch East Indies for themselves. Isolated and weakly armed, General Douglas MacArthur's troops in the Philippines were suddenly overwhelmed by a superior force. Still, Japan was gravely mistaken if it believed the US would relinquish the precious archipelago and its 7,100 islands without a fight. The Empire had to pay with blood for every inch of land gained as they slowly pushed the Americans south to the Bataan Peninsula. Then, a month into the invasion, the defenders had a glimpse of hope when they achieved the impossible: stopping a major offensive at the Orion-Bagac Line. Humiliated, Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma had to live with the shame of becoming the first Japanese commander to be defeated in the Pacific War. Suddenly, eradicating the US opposition in the islands became a matter of personal honor… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest American ground battle against the Germans in World War 2. However, a lesser-known confrontation during the opening days of Germany's massive Ardennes counteroffensive was the catalyst that set back the Reich's plans in the Western Theater. Protected by several pivotal hills and close to the Ardennes forest, the town of St. Vith was the epicenter of six crucial roads and located right on the right flank of the German offensive’s advance. For days on end, the US Army's 7th Armored Division fought an exhaustive battle against six German divisions that pummeled them with incessant fire and determination. But despite the surprise factor, terrible weather conditions, and a lack of appropriate material, the American forces at St. Vith would not go down with a fight, refusing to give up the pivotal town so easily… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

General Freyberg's 2nd New Zealand Division was given the order to make a last stand at Thermopylae to halt the German advance and allow the rest of the British forces to retreat. Like the ancient Spartans that had defied Persia, it was now up to the New Zealanders and the 6th Australian Division to fight the restless German 2nd Army until no single bullet was left. As the men prepared their defenses and placed their machine guns and mortars, they saw the columns of German panzers and motorized infantry approaching the horizon. They knew it would be a brutal confrontation, but they were the only men who could stop the Wehrmacht from racing straight into the heart of Greece. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was 1940, and a new European conflict was spreading like wildfire across the globe. For the Allies, things were not going well; France was on the verge of collapse, and Italy was about to take control of Northern Africa. This would give the enemy access to the oil fields in the Middle East, tentatively fueling the Wehrmacht for decades. Meanwhile, Britain struggled to contain the Axis advance in Egypt, and time was running out. But just when all hope seemed to vanish, Major Ralph Alger Bagnold approached General Archibald Wavell, the commander of the Middle East Command in Alexandria, with a daring and unusual idea. Bagnold had trained in desert combat and survival for many years. He believed a distinct unit of specially trained men could pierce the Libyan desert, travel the uncharted wastelands autonomously, and wreak havoc on the Italian forces in the region. After the scheme was approved, Bagnold trained the men and showed them how to modify their vehicles for the sweltering climate. The group then plunged into the scorching deserts of Northern Africa to hunt the enemy in utter isolation. Not before long, the Long-Range Desert group would start tilting the balance of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

With the Allies closing in, Germany and Imperial Japan launched spectacularly daring last-ditch missions to save themselves in the dying months of World War 2. While the German High Command launched the Ardennes Offensive, marking the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge, Japan launched one of the most important operations in the nation's history on the other side of the world. The Imperial Headquarters was aware that the US Armed Air Forces were about to lay waste to mainland Japan from air bases in China. Resentful from years of prolonged fighting, the top Japanese commanders approved Operation Ichi-Go, to be launched in April of 1944. By then, China had been in a decades-long civil war, and the growing pressure from both sides would influence the animosity towards Japan, as well as stoke a tense relationship with America. Japan’s hail-mary was going to try to fracture the region’s fragile alliances and unleash chaos. Ichi-Go would be the largest warfare operation in the history of the Japanese Army, and its consequences would have an impact on China far beyond what was expected… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Fire and smoke. Steel and gunfire. Rubble and ashes. That is all that remained of Königsberg, one of the most beautiful medieval cities ever built by the Germans. The castle, the chapel, the library, and the university were all gone. Over 200,000 civilians and soldiers were now encircled by the Red Army, and there was no way out. It was April of 1945, and East Prussia was overwhelmed by more than one million Soviet soldiers. Still, the men in Fort Five, the heaviest fortification in Königsberg, held their ground for days against brutal engagements and superior odds. But that quickly changed when the small garrison spotted Soviet sappers approaching to place explosives and bury them alive, marking the beginning of the end… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was the night before one of the most transcendental military invasions in human history, and hundreds of C-47 Skytrains darted across the English Channel carrying thousands of brave paratroopers about to face the darkest chapter of their lives. The warplanes carried a group of paratroopers unlike any other, with mohawk haircuts and tribal face paint. The outfit led by the rebellious and untamed Jake 'McNasty' McNiece laughed and joked even as their aircraft was engulfed by fierce German flak fire. As the Skytrain lost altitude, McNiece ordered his men to prepare for the jump. The lights inside the cabin then turned red, and the men scrambled to their feet amid fire and thunder. As McNiece and his comrade Willy made it to the door, flak burst through the warplane's belly, hitting Willy's backpack and unraveling his parachute inside the plane. Now significantly damaged, the C-37 continued to lose altitude as Willy desperately tried to gather his parachute and move away from the door so other paratroopers could jump. McNiece then jumped into the flak-lit skies over France, and the Skytrain exploded in midair only a few seconds later. There was no time to mourn, as McNiece and the rest of the notorious Filthy Thirteen outfit were now behind enemy lines in Normandy, and they had a crucial mission to finish… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The echoes of the artillery could still be heard. Outside of Pushkin, the fight was still raging on. Amidst the chaos, the unique team of German commandos composed of soldiers, art historians, archeologists, and scientists cautiously made its way to the Catherine Palace. The place had been ravaged by the brutal combat in Leningrad. However, the commandos were hopeful that what they were after was still intact: the centuries-old Amber Room. One way or the other, the German plunderers had to find, dismantle, and carefully pack up the more than 92 square meters of pure amber valued at over 140 million dollars… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The A Company of the Winnipeg Grenadiers was surrounded. They had managed to claim the summit of Mount Butler in the center of Hong Kong and hold the invading Japanese for three hours. But a gap in their unprotected flank suddenly left them vulnerable. It was December 19, 1941, and the war in the Pacific had just begun. The Winnipeg Grenadiers had been summoned along with the Canadian C Force to reinforce the defense of the British colony in the Far East. The Allies knew the Japanese could not be stopped but still engaged them and halted their advance for as long as possible. Among the brave men was Sergeant Major John Robert Osborn, who put himself at risk by returning several enemy grenades to the Japanese during the bitter fight at the peak of Mount Butler. But then a final grenade hit the ground, one that the men knew would be almost impossible to reach and pick up. It was then that Osborn pushed a fellow soldier aside and jumped at the grenade while loudly yelling: (QUOTE) “Duck, lads!” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the evening of February 26, 1991, an American company that included 12 M1 Abrams tanks emerged from a sandstorm in the middle of the desert to face an entire Iraqi armored division. The Americans were severely outnumbered, but the old Soviet-made T-72s were no match for them; in just over 30 minutes, the US tanks had shredded through 28 enemy tanks, 16 trucks, and 30 armored utility vehicles, with not a single M1 Abrams being damaged. Known as the Whispering Death for its overwhelming firepower and swift, silent movements, the M1 Abrams debuted during Operation Desert Storm, where no force on Earth could contain its rampaging trail of destruction. As the war progressed, Iraqi forces became so frustrated with not being able to put a dent in US tanks that they improvised devastating mines connecting dozens of 150-millimeter rounds together in a desperate attempt to destroy the unassailable vehicles. Still, the Abrams tank was destined to change the world, and no enemy defenses would be able to cripple its advance. Ironically, the only thing that would be able to stop it in its tracks was another M1 Abrams… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the early hours of October 28, 1941, the Italian ambassador in Athens handed an ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas. The message demanded the free passage of Italian troops into strategic points scattered around Greece, and the government had three hours to comply. It said no more. The request was unacceptable, and Metaxas knew the Italians were just provoking them. He then muttered the words: (QUOTE) “Then it is war!” The Prime Minister then rallied his people for the fight, and hours later, Italian soldiers began pouring into Greece. For the first time in centuries, the descendants of the Roman legions and the Greek hoplites would wage all-out war to control continental Greece and the Aegean… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The night was silent and pitch-black, but Austro-Hungarian sentinels were still watchful. The Russians lay no more than 100 meters ahead, and their enemies knew they were up to something. Skirmishes had been scarce, but there had been some unusual movement of hostile forces for the past few days. Although bored, the soldiers kept their machine guns and rifles aimed at the opposite trenches. It was then that they heard the echoes of more than one hundred hostile artillery pieces and realized the inevitable was about to happen. Another attack. But this one was unlike any other, giving way to one of the most lethal offensives in history, and the largest of World War 1, with numbers involved in the long behemoth of a battle rising to the millions… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The rule of the Third Reich was coming to its spectacular and violent finale. A demented, wild-eyed Hitler hid in his bunker under the Reich Chancellery as the Red Army surrounded Berlin and threatened to put an anticipated end to the thousand-year Reich that was never meant to be. Refusing to accept the defeat was inevitable, and Hitler clung to every single promising piece of news in the hopes that it would be the miracle that would save Germany from the claws of destruction. On April 12, 1945, the irrational Fuhrer believed the miracle had become a reality when he learned of the passing of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Hitler rejoiced at the possibility of having to fight just one enemy, as he was confident incoming President Harry S. Truman would sign a peace treaty with Germany. However, Truman refused to throw the German dictator a lifeline, and as Berlin fell under siege, Hitler placed his delusional hopes on General Walther Wenck, the youngest general in the Wehrmacht and the Commander of the 12th Army, which was now everything standing between the Allies and Berlin. Wenck, the last hope of Nazi Germany, was given the impossible order to break the siege of Berlin at all costs and buy Germany enough time to regroup or sue for peace. But in a move that drove Hitler to the verges of insanity, Wenck decided to do something for the civilians instead, and gathered his men one last time to tell them: "Comrades, you've got to go in once more. it's not about Berlin anymore, it's not about the Reich anymore, it’s about the people of Berlin…" - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Axis forces that had unified Rome and Berlin had been shattered, Mussolini had been deposed, and the Italians had lost the will to fight the invading Allies. In southern Italy, US and British forces were advancing north to push the Germans out of the Mediterranean country once and for all. Still, Hitler declined to concede Italy and give the Allies another path into Germany; he would defend the peninsula even if the Italians refused to do so. Consequently, Germany established an unbending defensive wall known as the Gustav Line. Like waves against a rock, the Allies couldn’t advance through the German fortification. Hence, a significant diversion was planned. A force spearheaded by elite US Army Rangers would land north of the wall and pierce through enemy territory, then capture the town of Cisterna, and force the Germans to fight simultaneously on two fronts. The Rangers landed almost unopposed and expected to find an equally feeble resistance at Cisterna. They had been trained as a light and elite special force by British commandos, and US leaders expected them to seize the small Italian town without major complications. Still, just as the Army Rangers began the attack, a Polish soldier that had deserted the German Army crossed the US frontline and warned the commanders of a massive defensive operation at Cisterna. But the officers disregarded the report, and the US servicemen walked right into one of the most brutal traps ever seen during World War 2… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the American Army made its way through the Italian Peninsula in early 1944 after the rough landings at Anzio, the soldiers had to wait until the harsh winter was over to carry out the planned spring offensive against the Germans. Sergeant Van Thomas Barfoot and his men waited for weeks in a defensive position until the order to attack came on May 23. But as they struggled to gain a foothold in the mountains, they encountered fierce and desperate German resistance on their way to Rome. The devoted leader then decided to open the way for his men across an enemy minefield. But when the American squad stopped to gather its forces, three German tanks came directly toward them. Barfoot wanted to protect his men at all costs, so he hastily took a rocket launcher, positioned himself directly in the tanks' path, and aimed directly at the enemy… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On the night of August 31, 1939, several operatives in Polish uniforms infiltrated the radio station at Gleiwitz in Upper Silesia, Germany. After seizing the facilities, the saboteurs broadcast a concise anti-German message in Polish. The crime scene was undeniable, with several infiltrators sacrificing their lives for the cause against the Nazi Regime. The police and press found the evidence irrefutable and soon sealed the case against the irascible Polish people. Immediately after, the Fuhrer issued a declaration of war, alleging the violent provocations of Polish assaults in Gleiwitz and several other places simultaneously. The following day, the German forces struck their Northern neighbors in an attack that many historians consider the first official action of World War 2. And while the Gleiwitz incident was a made-up excuse to declare war on the Polish, the Germans could not have expected that the same day they invaded Poland, the defenders would do the same in German territory… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thank you to Wondrium for sponsoring today's video! Signup for your FREE trial to Wondrium here: http://ow.ly/6a6S50LnkZG ______ Launched in the early 1970s, US Navy submarine USS Parche was initially built as one of many Sturgeon-class attack submarines. But as fate would have it, she would then be transformed into a highly specialized and unique vessel that included tiny retractable ski legs that allowed her to rest over undersea cables. As the years went by, Parche’s missions evolved from ordinary attack submarine operations to secretive covert spy undertakings. Subsequently, she was outfitted with the finest monitoring gear, reconnaissance, and surveillance systems of the time. Still, most of her service details remain unknown, as her main purpose was to serve in top-secret operations, something that she exceeded at. Parche would eventually become the most decorated vessel in the history of the US Navy and would do so without ever firing a single shot in anger… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When World War 2 broke out, the light tank was merely a tracked scout with lackluster armor and armament. Still, the US Army employed the reliable but underwhelming M3 Stuart during its campaign against General Erwin Rommel in North Africa. However, the expertise learned from this combat experience led to the creation of the ultimate light tank of World War 2: the M24 Chaffee. Also known as the Panther Pup for its similarity to the German tank and its inclusion of sloped armor, the M24 was also armed with an effective 75-millimeter cannon, a .50-caliber machine gun, and two .30-caliber Browning ones. With a top speed of 35 miles per hour, a range of 100 miles, and excellent off-road capability, the Chaffee became the spearhead of armored formations when the Allied forces crossed the Rhine to defeat the Third Reich. Moreover, its operational service lingered well after that global conflict… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

While most accounts put the start of World War 2 on September 1, 1939, many historians claim the conflict actually began on July 7, 1937, when the Japanese Empire invaded China. Taking advantage of the country's vulnerability due to a civil war, Japan launched several attacks on China, including in the city of Changsha in the Hunan province. While the city's name has all but disappeared from the known records about World War 2 -even more so in the West- Changsha was one of the most strategic places in the world from 1939 to 1944. The city’s communication lines were so crucial that as the Japanese embarked on a series of battles to overtake the city, the embattled Chinese Nationalists and the Communists even created a truce to fight for the city tooth and nail with the help of the Allies… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By the fall of 1944, the USS Tang submarine had accumulated one of the best records in the United States Navy, sinking dozens of Japanese ships across the Pacific. But although the vessel had a promising career and one of the most renowned and notorious commanders in the entire theater, Tang's run suddenly came to an unfortunate end when it sank due to its own errant torpedo. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

From 1955 onwards, the colossal B52 Stratofortress became the primary long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force, and as the Cold War continued, it was modified and employed for many different purposes, many of which were classified. The upgraded B52C was one of them, and it was used in the 1960s to carry a strange and one-of-a-kind payload known as the Flashback Test Vehicle. Rumors quickly spread that the device was a heavier and more powerful nuclear warhead than the world’s most lethal atomic weapon, the Soviet Tsar Bomba, which had an explosive yield of 50 megatons. Still, stakes ran high during the Cold War, and the United States government had to secretly develop their most ambitious project yet: a 100-megaton bomb that used this unique device as a means to test the bomb’s yield without the Soviets finding about it… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play War Thunder FREE on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S here: https://playwt.link/darkdocs. Download the game to get your exclusive bonuses now. See you on the battlefield! ----- The Marines stationed at Con Thien were constantly frightened. The military base located near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was subjected to daily artillery fire by the People's Army of Vietnam, and the casualties were so significant that entire battalions had to rotate at least once a month. The base became a key target for the North Vietnamese because it offered the Americans miles-wide views to the coast and north of their country, but it was also highly vulnerable to artillery and described as hell on earth by those who spent time on it. The base was established for the McNamara Live to prevent the enemies from infiltrating the DMZ, but despite occasional help from other branches and desperate cries for help to Washington, the Leathernecks were mostly alone atop the remote hill and had to rely on each other to survive. The relentless and brutal battle forced the Americans to be more prepared if they wanted to achieve any kind of success during the upcoming Tet offensive, while the Leathernecks honored the Marine Corps code of ethics and courageously defended their post until their last breath… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Adrian Carton de Wiart suddenly had to assume command of three beheaded units, as all their commanders had become casualties. In the middle of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Lieutenant Colonel, with his only eye and one hand, would run from position to position guiding his men across no man’s land to secure victory. Carton de Wiart was seen pulling the pins out of grenades with his teeth and then throwing the charge at the enemy. While the courageous leader would be awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions that day, he was not even British - he had lied about his true identity! A Belgian aristocrat, Carton de Wiart was desperate for action and jumped into any conflict he could, regardless of his personal stake in them. Moreover, he would be wounded a dozen times, including taking a bullet to the back of his head, and emerge unscathed. Carton’s reputation eventually earned him the nickname of the “Unkillable Soldier.” And when he was asked about it, he would only say: "Frankly, I enjoyed the war." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When hundreds of thousands of Communist soldiers poured into South Vietnam with overwhelming force on January 30, 1968, the few men that survived the onslaught gathered inside the MACV-SOG compound south of the Perfume River. Every village, town, and base was violently attacked, and the American and ARVN forces were caught entirely off guard. Soon, the city of Huế was overrun, and most of its defenders and thousands of civilians lost their lives. The remaining commandos bravely held their position inside the compound, but their luck was quickly running out. However, several units of fearless Marines suddenly arrived to help. With the clock ticking, the Marines engaged the enemy in brutal house-to-house combat that turned Huế into one of the bloodiest and largest battles of the war, becoming the first time since the capture of Seoul during the Korean War that the Marines engaged an enemy in urban combat… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Devised in utter secrecy as early as 1934, the German engineers disguised their Nebelwerfer Multiple Rocket Launcher as a smoke projector. League of Nations intelligence believed Germany was producing a defensive smoke weapon when, in fact, they were making a powerful rocket launcher that would terrorize the Allied forces in World War 2. Then, as the distressful weapon reached the Eastern Front, France, and Northern Africa battlefields, it was the world's most advanced rocket launching system. In February of 1943, the green American troops did everything in their power to hold back the battle-hardened forces of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel when they first clashed against the mighty Wehrmacht during the Battle of Kasserine Pass. However, their efforts would prove futile as the Germans unleashed a battalion of Nebelwerfer Rocket Launchers upon the unexpecting Allies. The disturbing wailing produced by the rockets, as well as the fiery spectacle that lit the night, sent the Americans into a panic, and the weapon became as feared as the enemy itself… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By January of 1945, Japan’s once remarkable territorial gains were now unraveling before their eyes. The Empire of the Rising Sun was being shoved back in every front, and in an ambitious strike, British and Indian forces launched Operation Matador, an amphibious thrust designed to capture the critical port of Kyaukpyu in Ramree Island on the Burma front and begin their seizure of the landmass. The Indian forces then reached a stronghold defended by 900 Japanese, but just as the battle started, a British regiment outflanked the Japanese, who were forced to either surrender or retreat. The zealous Japanese servicemen, favoring anything over a dishonorable surrender, opted to retreat through a treacherous Mangrove swamp filled with crocodiles. The unrelenting troopers had to endure disease, hunger, and treacherous waters as they sought to survive and outmaneuver their opponents. Still, the British were determined to take their Southeast Asian colony back, no matter the cost… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the depleted members of the 1st Infantry Division entered the ancient city of Aachen in October of 1944, they would be met by fierce and unrelenting German resistance. Crawling through one demolished building after another as the autumn winds howled over the capital of the First Reich, the American soldiers had to fight passionate Volkssturm members who hid in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to surprise the invaders. The skirmishes would often be resolved by the side who could hurl more grenades at the enemy or by M4 Sherman tanks leveling entire buildings. Still, after the GIs captured a pivotal property, armed civilians emerged from the floorboards to assault the invaders during the night, including women and children. It would become one of the most brutal urban battles fought during World War 2 by the US forces. Blinded by ill-founded conviction and fear of the SS, the Germans in Aachen would resist the invasion of the symbolic city to their last breath… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

A young Army Corporal waited nervously for the guards to arrive. He looked around the prison where he had been held for over two years and was relieved about the prospect of finally returning home to his family. Corporal Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura welcomed the sight of his Communist captors for the first time since he was put there. Now, he would be turned over to American officials. Still, the young Japanese-American soldier was restless, as he believed he would be court-martialed for his failure at Taejon-ni in Seoul. While there, the Chinese Communists had flooded his unit’s defensive positions and decimated their numbers. The machine-gun squad leader was then captured before he could even learn the fate of his men. When Miyaruma met General Ralph Osborne in front of several reporters upon his release, the Division commander turned to him and asked: (QUOTE) “Do you know why you are here?” To which he replied no. The officer then explained that he was being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the April 24, 1951 offensive. Confused, Miyaruma immediately replied: “What?” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At 3:00am on November 9, 1979, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a national security adviser for President Jimmy Carter, was awoken by a terrifying phone call. According to North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD officials, the Soviet Union had just launched hundreds of ballistic missiles with a direct trajectory for the continental United States. America was about to be nuked by Russia. In retaliation for this alarm, all air defense interceptors were activated, and at least ten warplanes took to the sky, including the president's doomsday plane. Even a few air traffic controllers were ordered to ground all commercial aircraft immediately. Still, at no point were POTUS or the Secretary of Defense notified. In the 1979 NORAD alert, a mix of Soviet-inspired paranoia, human error, and early computer technology caused a nearly catastrophic blunder at the United States' top missile defense compound, leading to one of the closest calls of the Cold War... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thank you to Wondrium for sponsoring today's video! Signup for your FREE trial to Wondrium here: http://ow.ly/BuHN50KwXac ___ Ten days after World War 2 had taken the world by storm, horde after horde of German soldiers was pouring into Poland in an overwhelming attack to cripple the country's defenses as fast as possible. Wreaked by fear and disorganization, the Polish troops desperately scrambled to slow down the invaders. One day, a group of Polish recruits was guarding a railroad bridge near Demblin that was critical to the German invasion and was preparing to demolish it. However, a group of highly motivated Polish soldiers suddenly came marching in while singing a Polish Army tune. The newcomers offered to take over the bridge and execute the demolition, while the surprised commander tried to phone his superior to get directions. Out of nowhere, a Ju-87 Stuka dive bomb strike hit the location, sending everyone into cover. After the close call, the guards were happy to be relieved, leaving only a few men behind. The new unit then guarded the bridge for five hours until the German Panzer Corps arrived and attacked the remaining Polish personnel, causing a panic. The unit then handed control of the bridge to the Germans and changed into German uniforms. It was one of the first covert operations of the Brandenburg Commandos, a group of elite Nazi special forces specialized in deception and sabotage... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The fighting at Leningrad was relentless, and the city was completely cut off from the outside world due to an effective German and Finnish encirclement in late 1942. Moreover, the Soviet civilians and soldiers were starving and had no more ammunition or war assets. Most of the populace would have to endure the harsh winters and the brutal close-quarters combat until help arrived. If it ever came. Under these extreme circumstances, the Soviet Army launched Operation Iskra in January of 1943 to break through the German encirclement and relieve the city with valuable supplies. The fate of Leningrad and its people now depended on the success of this desperate operation... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At 7:00am on February 19, 1942, an air raid siren filled the air over Winnipeg, Canada. Before long, the city was subjected to a large-scale Nazi attack. As the enemy drew closer to Winnipeg's downtown streets, 3,500 Canadian soldiers, reservists, and volunteers defended the city. However, the Canadians ultimately succumbed to the Nazi invaders at around 9:30am. The city was then renamed Himmlerstadt after high-ranking Nazi officer and head of the SS Henrich Himmler, while local teachers, priests, and politicians were arrested and taken into internment camps. Also, books were incinerated on the front steps of Carnegie Library, and Nazi-approved music and speeches echoed on every home radio. Even the Canadian currency was replaced by Reichsmarks. However, there was nothing real about the distressing invasion. In reality, the raid was an elaborate ploy aimed to show the citizens of Manitoba what life would be like under an oppressive Nazi regime, instilling a sense of fear in them and thus bolstering donations to the Canadian war effort… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The tension was overwhelming in February of 1943. The American troops were finally going to face the relentless and mighty Wehrmacht, considered by many the most powerful military force on the planet. For the Germans, it was time to prove that the Americans were no match for their experience, tactics, and determination. At the same time, Britain was eager to assess the combat capabilities of its new war ally, and the Americans wanted to show that they could stand up against tyranny and overwhelming odds. Thus far, the American forces in North Africa had only fought against poorly supplied and motivated Vichy French troops. The setting for the anticipated encounter was a two-mile chasm in the Grand Dorsal chain of the Atlas Mountains in west-central Tunisia, a place known as Kasserine Pass. There, 30,000 entrenched Americans patiently awaited a German attack. A force of 22,000 German troops then advanced toward the American position, led by the legendary Desert Fox himself, General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. As the sun rose on February 14, Rommel ordered his troops to attack the heavily defended Allied position. Inexperienced and anxious young American recruits finally saw German tanks surging over the dusty horizon, and over the next four days, they would experience the wrath of the Wehrmacht for the first time in their lives… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After being deployed to China to defend Christian citizens against the brutal attacks of the radical Boxer Rebellion at the turn of the 20th century, Dan Daly found himself defending the Tartar Wall entirely by himself as his fellow soldiers ran to seek reinforcements. As darkness covered the land, hundreds of Boxer rebels stormed the US post, with wave after wave of relentless fighters making their way towards the lone defender. Daly then used his bolt-action rifle and a machine gun to fend against the invading hordes, as he was all that stood between them and the consulate building where scores of refugees were taking shelter. The violent skirmish was only illuminated by constant muzzle flashes, and Daly valiantly engaged in brutal hand-to-hand combat with the zealous Boxers. The encounter dragged on for hours, and when dawn broke, the American reinforcements could not believe what they found in the scene. Daly would later receive his first of two Medal of Honors for his actions that day, and would be close to becoming the only man to ever receive a third one… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The German troops defending the area in and around the city of Wesel were bravely fighting to protect the fatherland, but their tenacity would not be enough. By late March of 1945, the German army was exhausted, fighting a hopeless last stand on both fronts. Still, the weary soldiers on the Western side had one cover left: the Rhine River. If the Allies were to cross the last major obstacle leading to the heart of Germany, the Third Reich would be over. Thus, the German resistance kept fighting to the last man while the Allied armies made their way across the Rhine, trying to gain another foothold on their way to Berlin. But while the Germans engaged the enemy on their side of the river, they suddenly realized something odd: there was movement on the downed bridge. Without hesitation, they started shooting at the incoming enemy, but little did they know that the group included British Prime Minister Winston Churchill… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play Call of War for FREE on PC, iOS, or Android: https://callofwar.onelink.me/q5L6/DarkDocs Receive a unique starter pack only available for the next 30 days! _____ No force in the world could stop Jack Lucas from serving his country. While other 14-year-old boys supported the war effort by collecting scrap metal around town, Lucas forged his mother's signature and joined the Marines. Then, at merely 17, he would prove to be made of the stuff of legends while storming the beaches of Iwo Jima. As Japanese troops hurled two live grenades into the trench where Lucas and several fellow marines were positioned, the young boy reacted impulsively by throwing his body over the two explosives to save his comrades. After being pierced by over 250 pieces of shrapnel, Lucas refused to succumb to disability and continued serving his country by joining the Army's airborne division. Then, defying every odd, he survived a parachute drop that malfunctioned. Lucas would become the youngest man to earn the Medal of Honor in World War 2, but would continue to cement his reputation as “The Indestructible” as he faced several more accidents and even an unexpected attempt on his life… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Play War Thunder FREE on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S here: https://playwt.link/darkdocs. Download the game to get your exclusive bonuses now. See you on the battlefield! ----- Descended directly from the famous T-34 Medium Tank, known as the Soviet Union's armored savior, the T-54/55 series is the most-produced tank in history, with an estimated 100,000 models. A light tank with great maneuverability, the T-54/55 series had the ability to cross areas where Western tanks would usually get stuck. And in addition to being the world's most potent frontline combat vehicle, the series had accessible systems that could be operated even by the lowest ranks. According to American author and defense consultant Steven Zaloga: "The T-54 was an excellent tank combining lethal firepower, excellent armor protection, and good reliability". For over 75 years, whether a coup d'etat or a civil war broke out anywhere in the world, there was, and still is, a big chance that a Soviet T-54/55 series primary battle tank participated in the conflict, as the type continues to be popular with small nations and non-state irregular armed forces. From the Soviet Union to Vietnam, Congo, Iraq, and Syria, this Red-Army beast has proved that economic, well-made, simple, and lethal tanks are still good enough to give the enemy absolute hell… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was 1915, and the world was immersed in one of the most brutal conflicts in human history. As massive armies clashed in France and Russia, the fighting forces dug in into fortified trenches in a desperate attempt to cripple the enemy's onslaught. As the months dragged on and the unparalleled stalemate seemed to have no end, the Allied forces looked to the distant Ottoman Empire, Germany's ally, as a possible target to weaken Germany's supply lines and manpower. Thus, Britain planned to use its all-mighty Navy to invade the Gallipoli peninsula and rain fire over Constantinople forcing it to surrender in just a couple of weeks. If the scheme worked, Germany would be cut off from supplies, and the Allies would be able to support Russia through the Dardanelles strait. Thousands of British, Australian, New Zealander, and Indian troops then stormed the beaches of the Ottoman peninsula on April 25. But what was meant to be a simple operation against one of the weakest armies in Europe quickly became a crushing defeat for the British forces and a nightmare for a young Winston Churchill. It would take cunning wits and remarkable bravery if the Allies wanted to come out alive… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

While the United States did not want to open another front in Italy, the British hoped for a rapid advance, and the Allies then agreed to fight in the country. However, they were unexpectedly met by fierce German opposition, leading to some of the most bitter fighting of World War 2. The strategy was necessary to dilute the German forces in Normandy and pave the way for Operation Overlord. But as winter came on the steep mountain slopes of Italy in January of 1944, the Allied troops were overwhelmed while struggling to gain an inch of ground. Not only did the Americans, British, and French had to join forces to push the enemy back, but they also needed the help of the forces from India, New Zealand, and Poland. Only together would they be able to breach the German Gustav Line, but it came with a costly price… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After days of waiting for the perfect weather conditions, the ideal time finally came on March 9, 1945. Three hundred B-29 Superfortress bombers then took off from US air bases across the Mariana Islands, carrying over 500,000 napalm and petroleum jelly cylinders to be dropped on top of the heart of Tokyo. For the last five months, the Twentieth Air Force had been using American B-29 bombers to carry out precision strikes on several military targets in Japan, but the results were deemed fruitless. Eager to force Japan into surrendering, the US decided to switch from precision strikes to area strikes in the hopes that they would be as successful as in Hamburg and Dresden. During that fateful day, the massive formation of American bombers unleashed a firestorm over Tokyo as the world had never seen before or since. The Night of the Black Snow would make the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki pale in comparison, becoming the single most destructive bombing raid in history… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the early hours of May 25, 1944, hundreds of Waffen-SS paratroopers dropped into Josip Broz Tito’s headquarters with the support of Luftwaffe airstrikes. The swift coup de main attack was part of the larger Operation Rösselsprung, with the objective to capture or get rid of the Communist leader once and for all. As World War 2 raged on, Tito had formed a guerrilla force of 200,000 men to fight off the German occupation of Yugoslavia. He had become a real threat to the German order, and Hitler was enraged, ordering a mission that would finish the Yugoslav revolutionary. Still, to get close to Tito, the paratroopers would first need to engage his entire forces, armed to the teeth with Italian weapons and ready to fight to the last man… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In 1918, after three years of incessant war, the Germans’ objective was clear: to free up Eastern troops and send them west before the Entente's new partner, the United States, could change the tide of the war. To achieve this, Germany planned Operation Albion, an attack on the Russian-occupied Baltic islands. After the revolutionary turmoil in Russia during the early part of 1917, the German High Command believed that capturing the islands would outflank the already suffering Russian defenses and leave the capital of Petrograd vulnerable to attack, forcing the fractured nation into surrendering. Months later, as World War 1 wound down, the Germans finally launched their planned assault on the Baltic Islands. And despite not having any previous experience with joint Navy and Army operations, nor any sort of established amphibious doctrine, they were ready to give it their all… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The guards on board the Duchess of York passenger liner were agitated as they accompanied the first batch of German prisoners from Britain to Canada in early 1941. And while captured soldiers would not likely attempt to escape in the middle of the Atlantic, Franz Von Werra was not a typical inmate. The Swiss soldier had already tried to escape twice from British prisons, and almost achieved it both times. During the current voyage, Von Werra and several prisoners plotted to take the ship and get it to a port in occupied France. The plan called for assault parties to overtake the vessel, and they would then call for U-boats roaming the Atlantic to escort them. At dawn on the assault day, Von Werra and his fellow conspirators hurriedly stepped out of their cabins and did not find any ships on the horizon. However, much to their surprise, they soon spotted a battleship right astern, which halted their plans. Von Werra would now have to wait until they got to shore to try and escape again in the middle of the harsh Canadian winter... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Despite an initial successful string of victories in the Korean War, the 65th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, conformed mostly of native Puerto Ricans, suffered catastrophic casualties during the Battle of Outpost Kelly in September of 1952. Less than a month later, the Borinqueneers faced an even more challenging undertaking, and even after two weeks of intensive retraining, they would suffer a far greater calamity during the Battle for Jackson Heights. However, sick of the unfair treatment by their superiors, the Boricua soldiers would not hold on to the last man, and their decision would cost them everything... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The town of Chinju in South Korea was almost deserted when the improvised platoon of three American tanks arrived during the day. The vehicles adopted a defensive position and calmly awaited the upcoming enemies. When the hostile Chinese forces showed up, they charged with all they had. They were confident that their Soviet-made T34 tanks would be enough to get rid of the US tanks without major problems. But as the enemy approached, the .30- and .50-caliber gunners from the American tanks opened fire with lethal accuracy. To the Chinese’ dismay, one of their rounds simply bounced off a US vehicle. It was then that they realized they were not fighting the usual M24 Chaffee tank but a 46-ton M26 Pershing one armed with a powerful 90-millimeter gun. The Chinese didn’t stand a chance… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was 1966, and the Vietnam War was turning out to be unlike anything else the US military had faced before. Robert McNamara, the US Secretary of Defense, was severely concerned; despite massive territorial gains, the North Vietnamese troops continued to move south freely and didn’t seem the least deterred from continuing with the conflict. If the US didn’t shift its strategy, the war would become unwinnable. Thus, a new plan was devised: the US would use its air superiority to conduct swift hit and run strikes in enemy territory, prioritizing enemy fatalities over territorial gains. The new ‘Body Count’ or search and destroy approach began with Operation Attleboro, a massive air assault on the Tây Ninh province, which was being used by communist forces as the main supply area in the region. On September 14, 1966, US troops boarded dozens of Huey helicopters to storm the Tây Ninh province in a series of daring probes. The strikes were moderately successful, with US troops inflicting many casualties on the communist forces and learning of a significant enemy operations base further in the north. Brigadier General Edward H. de Saussure then deployed two battalions to destroy the base before the enemy could reinforce it, but as the American helicopters darkened the sky as they approached the target area, they were in for a nasty surprise. As soon as they landed, the US forces were attacked by communist troops hiding in the tall grass. Besieged by mines, booby traps, and sniper fire, the soldiers were pinned down, and the future of the new strategy hung in the balance… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The fighting at Okinawa in mid-1945 was reaching a breaking point for the restless US Marines, and sanity was going out the door. Almost two months of bitter battle under mud, rain, blood, uninterrupted Japanese artillery barrages and mortar strikes were taking their toll on the leathernecks. 20-year-old Marine Private Eugene Sledge watched as the Japanese soldiers launched continuous kamikaze attacks with swords unsheathed when they were cornered and knew there was no way out. Sledge had also witnessed how his fellow Marines had turned into beasts who resorted to the same grisly tactics employed by the Japanese military. With every push the Marines made towards conquering the island, they seemed to be losing some of their humanity. Still, the fight had to go on; the war’s outcome depended on it… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Compare news coverage from around the world and across the political spectrum with Ground News: https://ground.news/darkdocs ____ During the rise of the Cold War, the United States began working on the ultimate infantry fighting vehicle that could be used under the effects of radiation and chemical agents to safeguard the troops. As the years passed, the specifications kept increasing, and the end product significantly changed from its original incarnation. Still, it unquestionably paid off when the M2 Bradley IFV was finally introduced to the US Army. The Bradley was completely amphibious and highly capable in cross terrain, and was able to carry a crew of three plus six heavily armed soldiers. Also, it was armed with a powerful Bushmaster cannon, a machine gun, and TOW missiles to face hostile armored vehicles. It would be during Operation Desert Storm in the early 90s that the Bradley would prove its dominion, exceeding all expectations and even surpassing one of the most influential tanks in US military history. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was the spring of 1945, and World War 2 was almost over. The Allies had secured a new front in France and were mere weeks away from marching into Berlin. However, the Allied front in Italy was heavily struggling as most men and equipment had been sent to France. Among those who remained were the ‘Black Devils’ from the 370th Regiment, a segregated all-black unit tasked with dissolving what was left of the German fortifications in Northern Italy. In early April, the regiment received orders to seize Castle Aghinolfi, a virtually impenetrable German stronghold, but as the days passed, battalion after battalion was pummeled. Then, on the morning of the 5th, it was Second Lieutenant Vernon Baker’s turn to lead his platoon and take the castle. As the future Medal of Honor recipient put it: “When they got down or were driven back down, we knew it was our turn.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On November 24, 1964, a dozen C-130 aircraft were slowly flying over the Congo river in a close formation while the fog covered them as they made their way to the colonial city of Stanleyville. The aircraft were carrying an elite group of Belgian commandos under Operation Dragon Rouge with one daring objective: to rescue over 2,000 American and European prisoners captured by Communist rebels. Time was running out, and they had to act fast. The rebels, nicknamed the Lions, had brutal tactics and committed unspeakable acts of violence, so every second counted. Finally, at 6:00am, the Belgian paratroopers ventured into the jungle and attempted to pull off one of history's largest hostage rescue operations… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The stage was set, and the wintry Russian landscapes awaited the arrival of almost four million Axis soldiers, 600,000 motor vehicles, and over 600,000 horses marching towards Moscow. The Soviets were utterly unprepared for what would become the largest invasion in warfare history. As the curtains drew open for the Eastern Theater of World War 2, the Soviets would be shoved back to the very gates of Moscow. Still, in an unexpected plot twist, the colossal invasion would be halted by the cold winter months, Germany’s shattered supply lines, and the sheer determination of the Soviet troops. Outside of the Soviet capital, the drama would unfold before the sound of a dreadful orchestra like the world had never heard or seen. It was the so-called Stalin’s organ, a massive rocket artillery system that launched dozens of rockets in a brief time, raining destruction upon vast areas. The weapon emitted imposing howling sounds as it fired, scaring the enemy to its core and even sending soldiers running in a panic as they heard the ominous lament spreading through the frozen Russian wastelands, proving a decisive factor in the outcome of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was late June of 2005 in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan, and four outnumbered US Navy SEALs were pinned down, low on ammunition, and without high ground advantage. As the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes into hours, the escape options began to run out. Over 100 insurgents had steadily cornered them, and more enemy combatants were on their way. Team Leader Michael Murphy realized that the only hope for survival was to call in a Quick Reaction Force, and in a heroic move, he left the safety of his cover and went straight for a clearing in the mountain to contact friendly troops, completely exposing himself to enemy fire. All the four wounded operators could do was wait for friendly cavalry to arrive before it was too late… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The FCM Char 2C heavy tank was the French response to the legendary British Mark V Landship tank. The colossal metal beast weighed 69 tons, had a width of three meters, a height of four meters, and an astonishing length of 10.20 meters, making it the largest operational tank ever made. The expectations were sky-high for the French tank, with the stage set to become the definitive breakthrough armored vehicle to plow through No Man's Land and the German trenches of the Western Front during World War 1. Protected by a 45-millimeter-thick armor and armed with a powerful 75-millimeter cannon and up to eight machine guns, the Char 2C was meant to be the Cerberus of the battlefield. Still, technology advanced faster than its development, but the French would not give up on it, and a new way to make the most out of their imposing size was devised as World War 2 approached. The Char 2Cs were ready to serve once again. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As World War 2 was coming to an end, the Japanese forces cornered at the Philippine Archipelago resorted to the most primitive tactics to halt the American advance, inflicting a lot of pain on the innocent people of Manila. General Douglas MacArthur then fulfilled his promise to return to the Philippines, and his forces engaged the relentless Japanese soldiers in their fight for every inch of the formerly majestic city known as the Queen of the Pacific. The brutal conflict would become one of the bitterest urban battles in the whole war and would last much longer than it should because of one man’s pride, affecting hundreds of thousands of lives and leveling the city to the ground. The only thing left to reinstate peace in the country would be the Filipinos’ sheer will and perseverance, and the urgent help from their allies… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Bell UH1 Huey helicopters proved that the concept of air cavalry was feasible during the first days of the Vietnam War. However, their M60 machine guns were not powerful enough to defend the aircraft from the concentration of enemy fire when approaching a landing area or taking off from a hot evacuation zone. And what’s worse, they quickly overheated and were prone to failure. General Electric then came in and introduced its M134 rotary machine gun, which quickly earned the nickname of ‘The Minigun.’ The gun proved so successful at its role that the Army and Air Force began to fit it into other aircraft, such as the Cobra, which had two Miniguns, and the AC130, which was armed with four and had an astonishing rate of fire of over 14,000 rounds per minute. Chambered in a 7.62-millimeter cartridge and with no risk of overheating, the Minigun quickly became the ultimate weapon used to clear the Vietnamese jungles. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When an elite American–Canadian commando unit launched a heavy coastal barrage on the remote Alaskan island of Kiska, they were ready and charged to reclaim the area from the Japanese invaders. Operation Cottage began on the morning of August 15, 1943, and the assault was one of only a few World War 2 battles fought on United States soil. For two long days, the Allies made their way inland through a thick cloud of fog while facing constant machine-gun and artillery fire, landmines, and booby traps. Little did they know that the Japanese had left the island weeks before, and the Allied soldiers were actually fighting against each other, fending off extremely grueling conditions to secure a piece of land without an enemy… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Nazi invaders had taken over her homeland, but 25-year-old Lyudmila Pavlichenko would not give them any peace. An innate sharpshooter, the young woman was then tasked with countering the German snipers at Sevastopol in the summer of 1941, where she learned all about endurance and restraint. As she silently looked for enemies without moving even a single finger for hours, the Red Army sniper suddenly spotted a German helmet, or a fraction of it. She then pulled the trigger, and much to her dismay, the tin hat waggled like: (QUOTE) "The head of a toy elephant, and disappeared." She had fallen for an enemy trick and betrayed her position. Immediately, the Germans opened a squall of fire so aggressively that she would not dare raise her head. She called for help, shouting: (QUOTE) “Machine gunners save me!" Friendly fire then appeased the enemy for a moment, and she was able to crawl back. But once she figured out her opponents' ploys, Pavlichenko became unstoppable and was feared by even the bravest of Nazi soldiers. As she put it: (QUOTE) "After a while, things went very well." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Despite the Italo-German force’s attempts to hold back the Allies in Egypt by laying over half a million mines over the desert in late 1942, their enemy was steadily closing in on the once-mighty Afrika Korps. Led by the infamous General Erwin Rommel, the Axis forces in and around El Alamein were beginning to crumble due to General Bernard Montgomery's ingenious yet controversial war techniques. What’s more, Rommel's health was quickly deteriorating, opening an opportunity for the Allies amidst the lack of solid leadership in Egypt. By then, the Allied forces were ready to seize the Mediterranean town of El Alamein after a first attempt to take it in July ended in a stalemate. The second battle broke out in October with a severely outnumbered Axis force that was immensely weakened due to a lack of supplies. Still, the confrontation took off with a slow start and heavy resistance, but a major tank engagement soon gave the Allies the upper hand. It was the beginning of the end for the Axis powers in the desert, as two of the most legendary World War 2 generals faced off for the fate of North Africa and their own pride... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the war in the East reached its brutal zenith in 1943, the depleted Wehrmacht forces made up what they lacked in critical supplies with the fearlessness and wits of the men determined to bring victory to Germany. One such man was Otto Carius, a soldier who fiercely fought during those desperate days, overcoming ever-worsening odds and performing one astonishing feat after another. Carius was a renowned German Panzer Ace credited with destroying over 150 enemy tanks and was well-known by the enemy. The soldier would achieve most of his accomplishments aboard his fearsome Tiger one, one of the most influential and resilient armored vehicles in the world. One fateful day, as Carius and his unit found themselves pummeled by enemy fire from relentless Sturmovik fighter aircraft on the Eastern Front, he and his gunner got increasingly annoyed by the constant attacks. They had orders to hold their position no matter the cost, and thus, as they heard a squad of approaching assault bombers, Carius positioned the tank, and his gunner then aimed its powerful 88-millimeter cannon at them. Protecting their Panzer unit was their priority, and it was now or never… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the Germans were slowly but steadily realizing they could not face the rising Soviet force by the fall of 1943, Hitler came up with a plan to halt the advance of one of his most hated enemies. However, the weakened Werchmacht would have to rely on a clever and organized strategy to achieve such a colossal feat. The objective was for the Germans to seize and keep their positions along the Dnieper, a massive body of water stretching over 1,400 miles that offered a natural shield. Then, as the Soviets finally launched a hastily-planned invasion, a monumental and ruthless battle ensued. It would take almost four months for a front to emerge victorious, as not even nature could hold back Stalin’s Red Army and their thirst for conquest… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The situation was critical. What was expected to be a straightforward amphibious landing operation on Bougainville Island in late 1943 had turned into a lethal trap for the Marines conducting the invasion. A heavily fortified and camouflaged enemy artillery gun was raining fire over the landing crafts desperately trying to reach the beachheads. The Japanese artillery crew had already destroyed four landing boats and severely damaged 10 others, inflicting numerous casualties on the Allied forces. To make matters worse, the artillery post was strategically positioned so that no ship could approach the islands without coming well within the range of the powerful Type 94 75-millimeter mountain gun. The operation was at risk of collapsing at any moment, but it was then, at the darkest hour, that US Marine Sergeant Robert Allen Owens did the unthinkable. Owens assembled four volunteers and proceeded to charge toward the artillery post in a daring assault. Shots rang across Cape Torokina, and the Marines on the beach held their breath as the world seemed to stop. The fate of Operation Cherry Blossom now hung on the actions of Owens and his brave men… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Initially expecting a quick sweep of the Soviet forces in the triangle comprising the towns of Dubno, Lutsk, and Brody, most German Panzer units were shocked to find out that the Soviets counted with a large number of technologically superior armored heavy carriages. The Battle of Brody, a massive World War 2 clash between 4,000 German and Soviet tanks in western Ukraine that started only a day after Operation Barbarossa in June of 1941, eventually became the largest armored battle in history, but few really know about it. The Red Army's mechanized Corps incessantly tried to block the Nazi advance with all they had, but they didn’t expect that the ever-mighty Luftwaffe would soon take control of the air. Still, despite disordered planning, an essential lack of communication, and flimsy leadership, the Soviets would not give up without putting up one hell of a fight… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Hell's Gate, Shanderovka, 1943. As every day passed, the Soviet double encirclement tightened and began to choke the German garrisons that were trapped inside. It was a matter of time before the Germans were either shot or taken prisoners by the thousands. But the Fuhrer insisted on holding the ground to the last man. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein was not willing to lose his men in a fight they could not win. Knowing that disgrace would fall upon him, he ignored Hitler’s direct order and commanded a retreat to save as many soldiers as possible. But when the Soviets realized what he was doing, they raced to capture the only hill that opened the way for a breakthrough. With less than 400 tanks left, the seasoned von Manstein knew that the fate of more than 60,000 Germans now depended solely on the efforts of his waning and outnumbered III Panzer Corps... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

One decade before Panama reclaimed its canal, hell broke loose in the capital as General Manuel Noriega abused his power and imbued a regime contrary to the principles of democracy. Known as a drug dealer and money launderer, Noriega menaced the peace of not only his country but also the entire continent. And when he openly declared a state of war against the United States, the nation’s top brass believed it was time for the illegitimate ruler to face his crimes. On the night of December 19, 1989, SEAL Teams stormed into the capital with one objective in mind: to seize the dictator. They then targeted Noriega’s private jet and boat in two extremely dangerous missions to cut every possible escape route. Cornered, the General sought refuge in the Vatican’s embassy. Soldiers and priests alike were surprised by the clever maneuver, and unable to take Noriega by force in such a delicate diplomatic scenario, the American forces were forced to use a few creative and controversial measures… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The weather was humid and extremely hot, and sniper Carlos Hathcock and his spotter, John Roland Burke, were tired from running around the Vietnamese jungle looking for their next prey. Still, Hathcock remained unfaced. Peering through his binoculars, the experienced gunman quietly inspected his target, a feared countersniper known as the Cobra that had become his nemesis while fighting against the North Vietnamese. But Hathcock was confident that Cobra was no better than him. After all, the brave soldier had a 30,000-dollar bounty on his head, the highest ever for an American sniper in Vietnam. After failing the first attempt, Cobra and Hathcock ran deep into the jungle in a cat-and-mouse game until the two men were within sight of each other. They then aimed their rifles at each other, and what happened next only cemented the so-called White Feather sniper as a Marine Corps legend… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The rebel forces struck shortly after the elections were held. In the summer of 1936, the right-wing party led by General Francisco Franco threw a coup d’etat against the recently established left-leaning government and resolved to take the entire country of Spain within weeks. However, despite the rebel army’s intentions, the people soon rose to arms to slow their advance, thus starting a gruesome Civil War. As young idealists watched and grew increasingly enraged, fascism quickly spread around the globe. And by December, hundreds of international volunteers would travel to the conflict zone to offer their service in favor of democracy. The Lincoln Battalion, made up of thousands of young American men and women, would risk their lives to defend a country that was not theirs, even at the risk of losing their citizenship while fighting fascism before World War 2 even started… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On July 17, 1944, Erwin Rommel’s car was strafed by British aircraft after leaving his headquarters. The Field Marshal was seriously wounded and hospitalized with severe head injuries that took him out of World War 2. The Normandy landings had taken place just a month before, and the British had suspected that Germany had mined the beaches of Northern France, a devastating ploy that could foil their landing efforts. Thus, British Army officer George Lane was sent to gather intelligence. Lane was captured after having completed two successful missions. He expected to be executed according to Hitler’s Commando Order, but instead, he was blindfolded and taken to a secret location where he met Rommel face to face. The clever Jewish soldier managed to charm the Desert Fox and hide the fact that he was German and Jewish, and he was then sent to a prisoner camp. While there, Lane shared Rommel’s location with the other inmates, and after confirming the specific château through a book in the camp’s library, they relayed the information to London via a smuggled wireless radio. Rommel would be intercepted by British aircraft weeks later, one of many extraordinary accomplishments carried out with the help of German Jewish operatives of the legendary X Troop, whose brave actions would significantly shape the fate of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was the summer of 1940, and against all common sense, Hitler opened a war of two fronts. The Red Army soldiers were surprised but not entirely taken off guard, for they were in position along an impossibly long frontline. However, many dispersed units learned of the incoming enemy invasion a little too late. One day, as his comrades risked their lives on a nearby battlefield, Soviet army cook Ivan Pavlovich Sereda was ordered to stay in the encampment and prepare dinner for those who returned. But while he executed his basic but vital task, he heard the noise of vehicles approaching. Three tanks rolled towards his kitchen, and a stunned Sereda noticed the white-cross emblems on their sides. Then, as two of the German panzers passed him by, the cook quickly found shelter. But the danger was not over, and as the third panzer advanced towards him, Sereda looked around and grabbed the only weapon in his reach: a firewood ax. He would not let the Germans take over without a fight! - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the US joined World War 1, their inexperienced troops and lack of military doctrine gave Allied commanders scarce hope that they would turn the tide of a war in which Britain and France were barely holding the line against a relentless German offensive, and Russia had signed a separate peace treaty with the central powers. Then, in the spring of 1918, the US military’s first-ever modern division was swiftly organized to conduct the first American assault in the area in an attempt to capture Cantigny. Despite the minor strategic importance of the French village, the stakes could not be higher. If the 1st Division failed at Cantigny, the consequences on the morale of the Allied forces would be unmeasurable, the Germans would prove that the US troops were inferior, and the world would perceive the US as not being ready to enter the big leagues of the world superpowers. As the soldiers from the 1st Division prepared for the unprecedented assault against the most potent military power in the world, they marveled at the sight of modern warfare operations, tanks, and aircraft flying over them in a coordinated orchestra of destruction. Little did they know that their actions that day would define the future of US military warfare and set the stage for the end of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After the successful Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939 and 1940 that significantly extended Germany’s domains, Adolf Hitler prepared its armies to conquer the Soviet Union. However, once the previously undefeatable Panzer III and IV tanks faced the Soviet’s most devastating tank, the T34, Germany realized it had seriously underestimated the enemy. The German tanks were no match for the Soviet behemoth, and the military quickly put in motion the development of a new medium tank that could tear the enemy’s armor apart. The new tank would be baptized as the Panther because of its impressive armor, power, and agility, and in a desperate race against time, Hitler would rush its production to be ready for the Battle of Kursk. However, when the pivotal clash against the Soviets finally broke out in July of 1943, the Panthers would be deployed into combat for the first time without any test trials, with many even facing the enemy without machine guns! It was a desperate last offensive on the Eastern Front, and the Germans’ fate significantly depended on the Panther… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the legend goes, on September 28, 1918, as World War 1 was nearing its end, Private Henry James Tandey came across a wounded and unarmed German soldier and spared his life. He was Adolf Hilter. Tandey supposedly encountered the future dictator during the battle of Marcoing, after which he was awarded the Victory Cross and emerged as a hero. One of the most decorated privates of the British forces during World War 1, Tandey eventually became famous because of what he reportedly did when he faced Hitler, a rumor that seems to have been spread by the Fuhrer himself. Decades later, Tandey would remark: "If only I had known what he would turn out to be. When I saw all the people, women and children, he had killed and wounded, I was sorry to God I let him go." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By 1942, everything seemed to be going according to plan for the Wehrmacht. The German troops were dashing across Eastern Europe and Russia towards Stalingrad and the Caucasus, and the Soviets were desperately reeling before the onslaught. Meanwhile, in Northern Africa, General Erwin Rommel had pushed the commonwealth forces back to Egypt, demonstrating the remarkable capabilities of German armed tactics. Because of these victories, Hitler felt confident that the United States would mainly focus their efforts on the Pacific Theater, giving the Germans enough time to capture the Soviet oil fields that would supply their eventual confrontation against each other. However, something unexpected happened. In November, German and Italian intelligence detected a significant build-up of Allied ships near Gibraltar, but Germany disregarded the warning as simply another supply convoy to reinforce Malta. The Italians, however, were not so sure, and they pleaded with Germany to investigate the anomaly. Still, Hitler had lost all faith in the Italians by then, and he refused their request. The decision would prove costly for Germany, as what they believed to be a supply convoy was actually a transport fleet carrying 65,000 US servicemen, commanded by Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Operation Torch, the first American incursion on the Mediterranean, was about to begin… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was 1915 in the Gallipoli peninsula, and the odds were not promising for the Australian invaders facing the local Ottomans. The ambitious amphibious landing in late April had not only undermined the Australian forces, but also their spirits as the Turkish snipers took their toll on them. Among those recruited as reinforcements was Private Billy Sing, a horse driver turned sniper that would single-handedly reignite the Australians’ morale. Hiding in the cliffs with his fellow Anzacs, Sing’s name would earn a place among the most prolific snipers in the world, so much so that the Turks were forced to send their most lethal soldier to stop the sneaky Australian. Then, one fateful day during the 8-month campaign, Sing looked into Abdul the Terrible’s eyes and grunted:“It’s me or him.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The North African heat waves that rose from the arid desert did not help the British artillerymen distinguish the figure they were aiming at. It was a German tank, the men were sure of that, but it looked different. The tank’s square-shaped frame looked more prominent, more robust. It was probably just another Panzer III. Nothing that a few rounds from a 75-millimeter gun could not get rid of. As the tank approached, the British soldiers opened fire. But when the smoke cleared, the men were aghast: the German vehicle kept advancing without a single scratch. The Brits then fired another dozen rounds, but every single one bounced off. Little did they know that they were facing the Wehrmacht’s most potent and devastating tank ever produced: the invincible King Tiger tank. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It seemed like the rain would never end in the seclusive enclaves of the Scheldt Estuary during the Fall of 1944, but despite the thick mud, impenetrable fog, and heavy fire, the Allies had one clear goal: to secure a supply line to Antwerp for the incoming forces advancing into continental Europe. The excruciatingly challenging circumstances played against the liberators, as almost 86,000 Wehrmacht soldiers steadily defended the position and had no mercy against the Allied forces, most of which belonged to the Canadian Army. Still, the Canadians and several sympathizers continued advancing to liberate the Scheldt river between Belgium and the Netherlands. And with it, the most fortified German strongpoint of the Atlantic Wall: the Island of Walcheren. As the amphibious vehicles approached the island, the soldiers could spot the Orange Mill against the glow of fires and realized that the brutal last phase of one of the longest battles in the war had just begun. Like Bill Davis of the Royal Highland Regiment said: (QUOTE) “That was the dirtiest job that we ever had.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Hitler's Third Reich was rapidly crumbling before his very eyes; the vast empire that had once spanned from Tripoli to Rome to Kyiv was now shrinking, drawing ever so close to Berlin. Also, Paris was still under Nazi control, but not for long. By the summer of 1944, Allied forces were advancing through France, and the population in the City of Light was ardently revolting against its Nazi occupiers. Hitler, by now a mere shell of the man he had been just a few years before, was visibly ill and vehemently paranoiac and was determined to turn Paris into dust before anyone else could have it. The dictator also had the perfect man in mind for such a grim task, and his name was Dietrich von Choltitz. A soldier from a military family who never questioned orders, von Choltitz was amply experienced with Germany's scorched earth policy, having razed several cities on the Eastern Front. As such, Hitler appointed von Choltitz as the Military Governor of Paris, and on August 23, he received a terrifying order from the Fuhrer: (QUOTE) "Paris must not pass into the enemies' hands, except as a field of ruins." The directive was clear: von Choltitz had to bring down the Eiffel Tower, burn Notre Dame and the Invalides, blow up the 65 bridges of Paris, and turn its museums and palaces to rubble before withdrawing from the city. It is said that as the Allies surrounded the French capital and his men awaited orders to once again raze a city before fleeing, von Choltitz felt overwhelmed with remorse and decided to disobey an order for the first time in his life, even if it came directly from Adolf Hitler… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Job Maseko's bravery knew no bounds. While imprisoned after the fall of Tobruk in 1942, the member of South Africa's Native military Corps and his fellow black comrades received inhumane treatment. Still, determined to help the Allied fight against the Axis powers, Maseko took matters into his own hands and made a bomb out of a milk tin and other objects he could find. Then, after asking his friends to look out for him, Maseko boarded a German freight ship and placed the handmade item near the fuel barrels, lit the fuse, and walked back to his work spot before anyone could spot him. Little did the South African soldier know what the ship carried and the role this brave act would have in the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When US forces approached the tiny island of Peleliu inside the Japanese National Defense Zone in late-1944, the Imperial Japanese high command was determined to defend the small landmass at any cost. By then, the Empire was strictly on the defensive, as their forces had suffered blow after blow while they slowly retreated to their country. A regiment of 10,000 men belonging to one of Japan's most experienced and capable regiments, the 14th Infantry Division, was sent to reinforce Peleliu. Their instructions were to hold the islands with their lives, and they were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to halt the American incursion. Meanwhile, American forces composed of the 1st, 5th, and 7th Marine Regiments were ordered to take the island and capture its runway at all costs, as it was one of the most essential airstrips in Asia. As the Americans landed in Peleliu expecting a weakened Japanese force, they had no idea that the enemy had reorganized and switched tactics entirely, turning into what became known as the bitterest fight for the Marines in World War 2... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the last months of the First Indochina War in 1954, French General Henri Navarre believed that he could get rid of the Viet Minh Communist guerrilla if he concentrated his forces at the valley of Dien Bien Phu, an isolated location deep into enemy territory. Navarre believed that strict French training and artillery superiority would be more than enough to destroy the enemy, but he was quickly proven wrong. When the Viet Minh finally attacked, Navarre was surprised by the 50,000-strong army and countless artillery pieces that his counterpart, General Võ Nguyên Giap, was able to put together and transport through the jungle. Navarre had cornered himself into a zone where retreat was impossible, so it would either be France’s defining victory, or the beginning of the end of French Indochina… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the situation in Italy was reaching a boiling point in 1943 with the fall of the Fascist government, massive German reinforcements arrived at the peninsula. The Allies recognized that if they exerted pressure on Germany's grasp on Italy, the Wehrmacht would be forced to divert troops from the east to the west, weakening their front against Soviet advances. Thus, a colossal attack to liberate Italy was launched. The battle north of Sicily towards Rome was a slow and brutal affair for the Allies, but it all came crashing down in the mountainous region north of Naples, as the Germans fiercely tried to hold their Winter Line and fortified their positions on Mount Sammucro and Mount Lungo. However, if the Allies hoped to advance towards Rome, they would have to cross the small valley between the mountains and capture the vigorously defended town of San Pietro Infine. As the American 36th Division endured the grueling winter gusts while preparing for their incursion through what was known as the Valley of Death, they could have never imagined what destiny had in store for them… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Europe was sleeping on November 7, 1983, the Soviets began mobilizing their troops, preparing their air force, and transporting nuclear weapons to their borders. NATO agents stationed in Berlin soon noticed all the movement and uncertainty took over. Earlier that day, NATO forces had gathered at its headquarters in Brussels to practice an unconventional exercise that went by the name of Able Archer. The objective of the exercise was simple: to simulate the outbreak of a global conflict and a Soviet nuclear attack. The simulation was successful, and all parties were satisfied. Still, nobody knew that the Soviet Union truly believed it would be invaded by NATO and that World War 3 was almost about to break out… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In early April of 1968, President Lyndon Johnson ordered an operation that demanded the cooperation of the Marines, the Air Force, the Navy, and the Army and involved the deployment of over 15,000 soldiers in less than a week. The US services teamed up to relieve a strategic base at Khe Sanh in South Vietnam, where the 26th Marines had been surrounded and harassed by the North Vietnamese for months. Soldier Don Sykes summed it up well when he said: (QUOTE) “I’m counting the days till I’m out of the Godforsaken place.” Determined to retake the base at all costs, Operation Pegasus was launched with the objectives of not only relieving Khe Sanh and reopening its main artery but also neutralizing as many North Vietnamese units in the area as possible. The brutal battle became one of the largest offensive campaigns of the Vietnam War and would require all the bravery and faultless communication that the US forces could muster… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On June 24, 1941, during the desperate fight to defend Raseiniai in Lithuania from the massive German offensive, one Soviet KV2 tank crew decided to stop and make a difference. While the Soviets retreated in masses, the KV2 tank bravely held off the enemy as long as it could before the much-needed reinforcements arrived. The valiant crew would hold the advance of the entire 6th Panzerdivision for a whole day, defending the only road through which the Germans could advance and continue their invasion as part of Operation Barbarossa. The lone KV2 tank fought to the last man while outnumbered and outgunned, but when the fight was finally over, the unthinkable happened... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the American offensive prepared to claim the coral atoll of Tarawa in November of 1943, they were confident that their more potent force and resources would be enough to defeat the outnumbered Japanese on the island. Previous amphibious landings had met little resistance, but the Japanese were angrier and more prepared than ever this time. The resistance posed by the enemy proved a massive challenge for the Americans, who fought a force that had given up on any chance of winning and only wanted to create as much damage as possible, resulting in one of the most brutal battles in Marine Corps history with much more losses than expected and a harsh public outcry that haunted President Franklin D. Roosevelt for years. Still, while Japanese top brass initially bragged that it would take the United States 100 years and a million soldiers to claim Tarawa, 18,000 Marines did it in just 76 hours. And part of it was even caught on camera… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Colonel William P. Doyle was sleeping on March 28, 1971, when mortar shelling outside his bunker awakened him. As he tried to figure out what was happening, tear gas started to choke and blind him. Firebase Mary Ann was under heavy attack, and the Americans and South Vietnamese allies were taken entirely by surprise. The savage perpetrators were the infamous group known as the sappers, North Vietnamese soldiers tasked with undermining their adversary’s strengths and harassing American bases in South Vietnam with all their might, instilling fear and generating invaluable losses. The stealthy agents continually wreaked havoc in US facilities by planting bombs and throwing grenades, then leaving before their victims could respond. There was nothing the Americans could do when they stumbled upon the sappers but fight back with all their strength. In the words of senior sapper commander Bach Ngoc Lien, they sought: “To allow the few to fight the many; the weak to fight the strong.” Still, the sappers’ usually relied on inside information to plan their attacks, and little did the Americans know that most of the times the enemy was well within their ranks… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In early 1942, the Japanese forces were rapidly advancing across the Pacific, conquering island after island and defeating the Allied troops at every step. It became so bad that primary resistance fell to the locals, and Australian forces were sent to the small island of Timor to provide support and defend the territory. The battalion tasked with protecting the island was given the code-name Sparrow Force, and was made up of 70 officers and 1,330 men. When Sparrow Force saw a massive shipment arriving at the island, they thought they would be reinforcements, but to their dismay, they turned out to be the invading Japanese. The Australians were outnumbered, surrounded, and heavily engaged, so they retreated to the mountains while suffering many casualties. The military command in mainland Australia and the Japanese forces thought that Sparrow Force had been eradicated, but to their astonishment, the remaining soldiers in Timor had actually built a headquarters deep in the jungle. A 10-month guerrilla operation against the occupying Japanese ensued as the battalion sniped patrols, destroyed bridges, liberated towns, and disrupted communications, becoming much more than a headache for the invaders. However, there was no way to reach the Australian command, and with little ammunition and resources left, time was running out for the renegades. It would take remarkable wits and unparalleled endurance to make it out of the island alive… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On April 24, 1943, John Oscroft was ordered to take and hold an enemy position identified as Point 174 alongside the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters; it would be the young man’s first time seeing action, and he was feeling anxious and uneasy. Still, Oscroft found some relief in knowing his Battalion would be supported by nine friendly tanks, but as the brutal battle raged on, the tanks were nowhere to be seen. Fighting valiantly and after severe casualties, the British soldiers captured the enemy position on top of the hill but soon spotted two dreaded Tiger 1s. The newest German tanks were a mighty and devastating weapon, a remarkable achievement of German engineering and one of the most technologically advanced armored vehicles in the entire global conflict. As the tanks overwhelmed their position, the soldiers dropped to the floor to take cover. Tiger 131 was quickly approaching, and Oscroft suddenly took his PIAT anti-tank weapon and aimed it. With no reinforcements on sight, it was their last chance at survival… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Sergeant John Basilone and his unit were facing relentless fire from the Japanese forces during the Battle for Henderson Field in October of 1942 when suddenly he realized that the weapons they were carrying would not last much longer. As an experienced gunner, Basilone then took it upon himself to repair the damaged guns and resupply them so that his unit could continue holding off the incessant enemy, running back and forth under darkness and relentless fire to hand them back to his men. His brave actions during the Guadalcanal campaign would earn him a Medal of Honor and elevate him as a hero by a nation that instantly turned him into a celebrity. However, Basilone was not done yet, and would soon return to defend his country in a fateful and brutal battle for which he would later become the only Marine to ever receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross during World War 2… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After the Allies successfully stormed Normandy in June of 1944, the troops continued to fight the Germans occupying the area for weeks. However, the British Army and the Canadian soldiers fighting along them were fixated on the strategically important city of Caen in the eastern end of the frontline in Northern France. Unhappy with the slow results and advancement over a month after the landings, the British officials decided to launch an operation unlike any other. It was called Operation Goodwood, and for three days, the British and Canadian forces besieged the area in what would become the largest tank battle the British Army ever fought… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Shortly after the outbreak of World War 2, Jewish refugees Frederick Mayer and Hans Wijnberg enlisted in the American Office of Strategic Services to have the chance for some payback against the Nazis. With the help of Wehrmacht defector Lieutenant Franz Weber, the three-man team parachuted behind enemy lines into the Austrian province of Tyrol in February of 1945. The perilous operation was codenamed Greenup, and the objective was to gather intelligence about the operational state of German railroads and military resistance to get an idea of Germany’s plans during the last stretch of the war. It was a gruesome and violent story right out of the movies, and Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino knew that, eventually bringing a version of their story to the big screen and thus earning the nickname of ‘The Real Inglourious Basterds.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was December of 1950, and thousands of US marines desperately struggled to withdraw across the North Korean mountains in a hectic attempt to reach the safety of the port of Hungnam. They had fought fiercely for 17 days in freezing temperatures after being abruptly surrounded by 120,000 Chinese troops. At the same time, eight American F4U Corsairs soared the brutal zenith delivering support to the retreating marines. Aboard one of the outdated propeller fighters was Ensign Jesse L. Brown, a skilled pilot and the first black US Navy aviator in history. The other Corsair pilots soon received a distress message from Brown; he was losing engine power. The radio communication was followed by a much more disturbing indication (QUOTE) "I think I may have been hit. I've lost my oil pressure and I'm going to have to go in." His wingman, Thomas J. Hudner Jr., and the rest of the pilots watched in horror as Brown's Corsair quickly lost altitude. The algid landscape offered no suitable landing terrain, only mountain after mountain as far as the eye could see. He then crashed-landed. When the snow cleared, Hudner could see Brown opening the canopy and waving at them. But after a few flybys, he realized that Brown was not getting out of the cockpit, and ominous black smoke was coming out from the aircraft's nose. With no way to land and confident that Brown's Crossair was about to explode, Hudner did the unthinkable and said over the radio: "I'm going in"… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On April 22, 1955, British Lieutenants Philip Curtis and Terry Waters attended church service in an abandoned Korean Temple in the windy hills of South Korea. The two men pondered silently as they prepared themselves for the battle ahead. Their regiment had been appointed to hold the line at the Imjin River at any cost, and they knew that if the front was breached, Seoul would fall again. That night, hundreds of brave British and Belgian soldiers held their positions along the hills on the South riverbank when suddenly a flare lit up the sky and revealed thousands of Chinese soldiers crossing the river in a massive abrupt attack. The men would soon be engulfed in one of the bloodiest battles in British military history. Outnumbered 7 to 1, the British soldiers and their allies tried to hold off a massive wave of Chinese soldiers that threw themselves against the UN line of defense in an attempt to breach it. It would be China’s last and largest effort to try to overwhelm the weary and numerically inferior UN task force and invade the Korean Peninsula to establish a Communist government. But the battle-hardened Gloucestershire Regiment would not give up so easily… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The port city of Tobruk would become the epicenter of the brutal African campaign during World War 2, and it would push the Allies to unimaginable lengths in their attempt to defend it. In June of 1942, the German forces under the command of General Erwin Rommel were on the run from the British 8th Army. The Allies had recently liberated Tobruk from a famous eight-month siege in which the heroic actions of the 9th Australian maintained the port in Allied hands against overwhelming odds. As the 8th Army expelled the weakened and depleted Axis forces from eastern Libya, the Allied high command figured it would be impossible for Rommel to launch a counteroffensive anytime soon. Calmly, General Neil Ritchie sent off many of the 8th Army back to Egypt and replaced the remaining troops with inexperienced soldiers. The miscalculation would prove fatal, as Rommel launched a fierce offensive that overwhelmed the Commonwealth forces. By June 20, Tobruk was again under Axis siege, and the ensuing battle would severely change the course of the war… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! New subscribers get 20% off their first box — go to https://bespokepost.com/darkdocs20 and enter code DARKDOCS20 at checkout. __ When the German Army reached the outskirts of Paris in March of 1918, they unraveled the biggest long-range siege gun ever produced. It was called the Paris Gun, weighed about 256 tons, and fired 106-kilogram shells at a range of 130 kilometers. The shells fired by this colossus weapon achieved an altitude of 43 kilometers, the greatest height by a human-made projectile to that day, only surpassed by the future V2 rocket. The distance was so impressive that German engineers had to consider the rotation of the Earth to hit their intended targets. It took three minutes for the shells to hit Paris, and when they finally stroke from the stratosphere, the locals thought they were being attacked by invisible zeppelins or bombers. Little did they know that the shells were being fired from a hidden cannon only 130 kilometers away… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Lieutenant Jack Hendrick Taylor parachuted from the skies into enemy territory south of Vienna on October 13, 1944, he inadvertently became the first reported US soldier to operate in air, land, and sea. Taylor was injured during the precipitous fall, but he still went on with the dangerous mission involving secretly reaching out to anti-Nazi individuals in the area and forming an allied network. It was one of several high-stakes operations in which the orthodontist from California was involved during his extraordinary career. After the Pearl Harbor attack, Taylor could have joined the Navy Medical Corps, but decided to enroll in the Navy and fight against the Nazis instead, eventually becoming one of the first elements of the Office of Strategic Offices and mentoring hundreds of soldiers. But as fate would have it, his help was urgently needed in the European Theater, where he organized the Maritime Unit in the Mediterranean and unknowingly became the first unofficial Navy SEAL two decades before the special operations force was even formed. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When the fake body of a Royal Marine carrying a black attaché chained to his wrist was found off the coast of Huelva, Spain, in April of 1943, German spies were quickly notified. Although Spain was neutral, they allowed the Germans to take a look at the briefcase before notifying the British that one of their own had been found. What the Germans discovered among the papers of the deceased marine was quite the coup! The Allies were about to invade Greece and Sardinia, and thus Hitler quickly reinforced these locations. What they didn’t know was that they had just taken the bait of one of the most successful deceptions of the war inspired by the author of the James Bond novels himself. It was called Operation Mincemeat, and proved the perfect coverup for the Allied invasion of Sicily… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Bob Semple Tank continues to be the laughing stock of World War 2 buffs and casual spectators alike. And it's hard to blame them. It takes just one quick glance to appreciate that the tank has very little in common with the well-composed, robust and dynamic designs of many such vehicles that excelled during the global conflict. However, there’s prideful courage behind its creation, as it was conceived by New Zealand to prepare for a possible conflict with the technologically superior Japanese armed forces. At the time, New Zealand didn't have the experience nor the resources to develop a tank; it only possessed an anxious need to protect its people. Consequently, they took what little resources they had and created weapons to defend themselves at all costs, knowing full well that their allies around the world would be hard-pressed to help them in time if a sudden Japanese assault began. Thus the worst tank ever built was born… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

30-year-old pilot Francis Gary Powers was winging through the atmosphere at the edge of space over Soviet territory when suddenly a state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile took to the skies to take him down. It was May 1 of 1960, and Powers was on a 9-hour reconnaissance mission to gather intelligence about Soviet military installations. No enemy missile system had shot down a U-2 aircraft at those heights for the past 6 years, but the Soviets were on high alert and Powers had no way of escaping the imminent hit. The incident would put the world’s most powerful nations at the brink of war after the USSR discovered that the spy plane was gathering information for the CIA. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Mankind has looked to the most hopeless of people to carry out desperate and highly dangerous missions, while prisoners have been treated as disposable individuals that can undergo the riskiest of enterprises. The colonization of Latin America and Australia began with the most unwanted subjects from European societies sent to these unknown corners of the planet to fulfill their sentences. Likewise, armies have always used prisoners as soldiers, from Imperial France to the American Civil War. And during World War 2, the Nazis used the same strategy, weaponizing convicted criminals who were not expected to survive the war. However, there was possibly no unit more spine-chilling than what came to be the 36th Grenadier Division of the Waffen-SS, better known as the Dirlewanger Brigade. Initially formed in 1940 and tasked to contain the Polish resistance movement through counter-insurgency measures, the brigade would also prove helpful in anti-partisan actions across Eastern Europe during the German occupation. However, their original purpose would soon morph into a horror story… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After 20 years of savage conflict, Vietnam was reduced to wasteland and debris. What remained of the war-torn country was a terrible famine and an unprecedented refugee crisis. Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese forces continued to advance largely unopposed towards Saigon, counting down more and more closely to the inevitable fall of Vietnam. After decades of lackluster results, the US troops had been ordered to retreat from the country, and the only mission left was to evacuate US citizens and high-risk Vietnamese citizens. In an unprecedented humanitarian effort, the US then led a final massive endeavor to evacuate thousands of Vietnamese children. It would be known as Operation Babylift. As the curtains fell on the Vietnam conflict, the world united to achieve the impossible, but the operation would be anything but simple. The impending invasion from the North gave US authorities and world humanitarian organizations little time and limited resources to execute the massive endeavor. And as one of the rescue planes fell from the sky in a horrible crash, the world would question if the US and its allies were really saving the children or if they were taking them from their home just to save face. Only time would tell… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After months of barely resisting the North Korean assaults, US forces in Pusan, the last South Korean bastion during the early phase of the Korean War, were ready to attempt their first counterattack. The US forces were untrained and limited in numbers. Still, recent reinforcements had allowed them to move to an offensive position. More importantly, they received four M-26 Pershing Tanks, and the armored vehicles gave them the courage to face the Soviet T-34 tanks that the North Koreans were using. The Soviet T-34 had been a significant issue for US and South Korean troops at the outset of the war, as the American M-24s had been systematically blown to pieces by the T-34’s powerful 85-millimeter guns. The American forces now prepared to take “No-Name Ridge” and strategically placed three out of their four tanks in the middle of the narrow road. If the tanks were destroyed by the T-34s as quickly as their predecessors, at least their burning husks would provide an obstacle for the Soviet tanks. The battle started some distance ahead of the curve where the American tanks sat. US forces clashed with North Korean ones, and soon the colossal Soviet tanks were deployed to disperse the rebellious attack. The Americans then started to retreat, hoping to lead the four Soviet vehicles into a surprise attack, as the North Korean troops could not see around the curve, and they were not expecting the American M-26s. A tank battle of epic proportions that would shape the war’s course then ensued, as the Soviets advanced along the curve to suddenly be confronted by three American tanks they had never seen before. As they fired on each other for the first time, one tank would prove to be much superior to the other… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

General Tomoyuki Yamashita was one of the most feared men in World War 2. Dubbed as ‘The Tiger of Malaya’ because of his conquest of the nation within 70 days from the British, Yamashita was one of Japan's most significant military assets. The general also planned and carried out the ignominious fall of Singapore from the United Kingdom to Japan, which Prime Minister Winston Churchill once called the largest capitulation in English military history. Despite his lengthy list of feats during the conflict, General Yamashita's personal legacy is mainly tied to an almost 80-year-old mystery that supposedly occurred during the last months of World War 2. For decades after the war, professional and amateur treasure hunters have traveled to the Filipino mountains to search for a legendary bounty worth hundreds of billions of dollars, with one Filipino man even suing the president for the value of a supposedly stolen Golden Buddha… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

All hell had broken loose. A 12-man US Special Forces patrol had been ambushed by a battalion of North Vietnamese enemies in the jungle and over 1,000 enemies were now encircling the Americans. There was no way out. A Mexican-American operator from MACV-SOG heard the distress call through the radio while he was attending Mass and immediately raced for the helicopter that was going to aid his comrades. With nothing more than a bowie knife and a First Aid kit, the Green Beret went ahead of the others and jumped out of the chopper to help his brethren. His name was Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez, the Medal of Honor recipient who single-handedly stopped 1,000 enemies from whipping out his colleagues... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Finnish Army was forced to recruit men from the humblest origins to stand up against the Soviet Union in times of need. However, Simo Häyha was no ordinary farmer. Growing up in the woods, Häyha developed a knack for dealing with nature and learned hunting skills that far surpassed what he was taught during the short time he spent training with the Finnish military. Then, when the Soviets tried to seize Häyha’s homeland, the clever self-made sniper was ready to put up a fight, so much so that he earned the nickname of “The White Death.” Countless enemies would fall by his hand, and Häyha would go down in history as one of the most lethal -and humble- snipers of all time... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was May 1945, and Hitler's reign of terror had finally come crumbling down under the combined strength of the Allied powers. Victory for the Allies was guaranteed, and it was time to decide who would claim the spoils of war. For the Western powers, Berlin and the prized Reich Chancellor were trophies that they could no longer claim as the Soviets had beaten them to it as early as April. There was now only one other prestigious asset available for England, France, and America: the Kehlsteinhaus. The Reich Chancellor might have been the political headquarters of the Nazi regime, but the Kehlsteinhaus was Hitler's personal sanctuary and the site of a possible hideout for the last members of the Nazi administration. The alpine fort, built high in the Bavarian Alps above the quaint town of Berchtesgaden, also functioned as a luxury resort for Hitler and high members of the Nazi party during the Third Reich. As the remaining Allied superpowers raced against each other and within themselves to reach the prized location before anyone else, it would be a rebel group of soldiers who would ultimately claim the place and its surprising contents for themselves… even as they had been explicitly forbidden from doing so. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After spotting a rather strange vehicle being sunk by French soldiers in the Seine river, Nazi soldiers took it upon themselves to retrieve the machine. Upon a thorough inspection, the Germans were amazed by the vehicle's structure and immediately saw its impressive potential to hinder the long enemy Allied trenches. There was no time to waste, and soon the Germans ordered a private contractor to build a similar vehicle of their own. The result was the mighty Goliath tracked mine, a series of two unmanned ground vehicles that stood at a mere 1 foot 4 inches but could carry up to 220 pounds of high explosives. The Goliaths were built with high expectations, and as they were put into service in early 1942, Hitler himself was confident that they had the potential to change the course of the war... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft flew over the skies in the late 1950s, American and Taiwanese pilots tried to get a closer look at the desert area in the Northern Xinjiang province. Rampant speculation about the possibility of a Chinese nuclear program had been brewing for years, and skepticism increased when the Soviets withdrew their monetary and technical support. However, upon closer inspection, the Allied pilots were stunned to find a completed atomic reactor in the Lop Nur testing site. The men photographed the device on the spot and immediately showed it to top-ranking intelligence officials, as it seemed finished and capable of producing destructive nuclear power. It seemed like the suspicions were finally confirmed, and there was nothing the United States could do about it… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The heavily-equipped British SAS commandos were silent inside their Wessex 5 helicopter. They had spent the last 16 hours traveling in dreadful weather looking for Argentinians, and now they had to turn back because one of them was beginning to show signs of hypothermia. Outside, a Force 10 storm with 100-mile gusts was making their lives miserable, but Royal Navy Lieutenant Mike Tidd still managed to lift off the helicopter and head for safety. However, a snowstorm eventually trapped the Wessex, and Tidd lost control of the aircraft. All the men miraculously survived the crash, but that was the least of their problems. They landed in the middle of nowhere, probably surrounded by approaching Argentinians, and had to rush to find cover if they wanted to survive the inclement weather reaching -25 degrees. Operation Paraquet, the recapture of South Georgia as part of the Falklands War, was up to a rough start... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The air was tense as North Vietnamese officials prepared to put Commander Jeremiah Denton in front of television cameras for a propaganda broadcast in May of 1966. Denton had been a prisoner of war for almost a year, and he was asked to behave and do as he was told. For a while, he obeyed and followed the instructions, but when he was asked about the United States’ involvement in the war effort in Vietnam, Denton went off script and expressed unwavering support for his country, much to the disgust of his captors. The officials then noticed Denton doing something rather strange: it looked as if the American prisoner was uncontrollably blinking, but he blamed the camera lights and kept going. In reality, Denton was sending a Morse code message with his eyes, hoping that someone back home would notice. The word spelled ‘TORTURE,’ and it was the first time the entire world realized that the prisoners of war were being severely mistreated by the Communists. The US Office of Naval Intelligence would readily take action, but so would the North Vietnamese officers who held Denton captive... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As First Lieutenant Martin James Monti hitchhiked his way to Naples during the last stretches of World War 2, he knew there was no turning back. The 22-year-old officer was determined, and eventually made his way to the Pomigliano Airfield, lied to the officers in charge, and basically stole a Lockheed F-5E Lightning. He then flew into German-occupied Milan and joined the Nazis as a propagandist and writer. During the war, it was not unusual for Americans of European descent to turn against their native country, and Monti’s extremist and isolationist upbringing probably convinced him it was the right thing to do. However, as the end of the war approached and Germany was losing, Monti had to make a fateful decision: whether to stay with the Nazis and risk being arrested or continue to test the limits of his lying capabilities with the US Army... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the final curtains of the Vietnam War dropped with the Vietcong invasion of Saigon, the US needed to evacuate as many US citizens and South Vietnam allies as possible in the span of fewer than 18 hours. As US personnel threw dozens of their own million-dollar helicopters overboard to make space for more refugees, the scenes of Operation Frequent Winds would shock the world and exhibit the merciful side of US troops. Still, thousands of refugees rushed Saigon’s coasts, trying to escape from the incoming invasion. Many of them used boats and makeshift rafts to try to make it to the US ships, while others even attempted to reach them in small planes. Pilots worked non-stop for almost 20 hours in the most grueling and desperate conditions, and some of the helicopters were so overburdened that the vehicles could barely hover a few inches from the ground. As the artillery rounds struck closer and closer, no one wanted to be left behind, and US commanders would have to make an extremely difficult decision… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Chinese forces attempted a new advance into the South Korean city of Kapyong in April of 1951, all that stood in their way was a small brigade of Canadian, Australian, and New Zealander soldiers. Outnumbered 10 to 1, the UN had to hold the line against a much better-armed force. While the Chinese were carrying new Soviet machine guns, the UN soldiers only had single-bolt-action rifles from World War 2. With US reinforcements weeks away from arriving and a seemingly endless number of Chinese soldiers supporting the North Koreans, the small UN brigade at Kapyong had insurmountable pressure on their shoulders. If the city fell, the front line would be breached, almost assuring the total Chinese invasion of South Korea. The Australian and Canadian forces then set up defensive positions in two hills overlooking the valley and established the few machine-gun posts they could manage as they prepared for the incoming attack. They knew an onslaught was coming, as their South Korean allies fled through the valley in disarray after losing a battle in the North. As the sun began to set on the evening of April 23, 1951, the UN soldiers watched in disbelief at the Kapyong Valley below them as an approaching horde of Chinese soldiers was rushing their position. With their South Korean allies bolting in a panic, it was up to them to stop the Chinese advance and hold the line at whatever cost. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As Hermann and Albert Goering were growing up, the two brothers already showed their evidently opposing personalities. The older of the two, Hermann was extroverted and a born-leader who would grow up to become the second most powerful man in the Nazi Regime. In contrast, the younger Albert was a rather timid individual, but still had a strong mind of his own. While Hermann planted the seeds of anti-Semitism within the Reich, Albert would go out of his way to help as many Jewish people as he could to escape the claws of the Holocaust. Their extreme views made for a surprising twist of fate, as the two mostly remained intimate despite their differences, and Albert never doubted using his powerful last name to navigate the dangerous German environment of the 1930s. Still, years before Hitler even came to power, Albert suspected that nothing good would come out of his brother’s ideals: "I have a brother in Germany who is getting involved with that bastard Hitler. And he is going to come to a bad end if he continues that way." He was right. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was the summer of 1940, and the vicious Nazis were seemingly closing in on the United Kingdom. The British Army was highly concerned and began looking for the most skilled men in the military, capable of living off the land and keeping a secret. These elite fighters, known as the Auxiliary Unit, were chosen for their knowledge of the surrounding landscape and were the United Kingdom's last line of defense. They were also some of the most lethal units in Europe. Up to a thousand patrol units established their living quarters in secret underground bases all across the territory, digging up holes and using precarious furniture. The Auxiliary Unit men were tasked with sabotaging enemy invaders and were ready to emerge and wreak havoc behind German lines at any moment... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was November of 1967, and the United States was in the midst of building up its forces in Vietnam. Throughout the month, American troops struggled to secure strategic areas in the surroundings of the town of Dak To in a flat valley surrounded by sharp peaks nearly a mile-high. The area served as a forward staging base for some of the most top-secret US special forces missions of the Vietnam War. The battles fought during those weeks would go down in history as some of the most brutal of the entire conflict. However, it wasn’t only the enemy that posed a threat to American ground troops. On November 19, in Hill 875, the 2nd Battalion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade was in dire need of support to counterattack a significant movement of North Vietnamese troops. Help was on the way, but it wasn’t what anyone expected. As a US Marine Corps A-4 Skyhawk approached with two 500-pound bombs, chaos reigned, and one of the darkest moments of the war was about to take place... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As the Allied forces took the beaches of Normandy in June of 1944, hundreds of Axis soldiers were captured, but a young Asian man stood out. The soldier was infamously photographed and identified merely as ‘Young Japanese man,’ but it is believed that he was Yang Kyoungjong, a Korean soldier who had crossed half the globe to fight in several theaters of World War 2. Initially recruited in the Imperial Japanese Army from an occupied colony in Korea, Yang was later captured and forced to serve with the Red Army. More impressively, he would also end up fighting alongside the Nazis with the Werchmacht, the only soldier in recent history presumed to have fought on three sides of a war. Still, many historians claim that his story was a mere construction to emphasize a myth, but author Anthony Beevor disagrees: “Yang remains perhaps the most striking illustration of the helplessness of most ordinary mortals in the face of what appeared to be overwhelming historical forces.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Charles Hazlitt Upham was fighting in the North African front during World War 2 when he started throwing hand grenades at the enemy, destroying a truck filled with German soldiers and even a tank. The soldier received bullets to an elbow and foot and was gravely injured, but disregarded his pain and went back to get his comrades under fire. Upham had already proved himself with a similar feat when he fought on the Island of Crete in Greece, and not even being captured could stop his daring exploits or his selfless pursuit to help those around him, achieving legendary status as a prisoner of war who could not be held captive. Award-winning columnist Tom Scott would suggest years later that the two Victoria Crosses Upham received weren’t enough… he should have gotten 8! - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start streaming today and watch the documentary "Top 10 Warfare" and the rest of MagellanTV’s science and history collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/top-ten-warfare-weapons-battles-leaders ___ While soldiers from Battery A, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division rested in their bunkers after participating in one of the Vietnam War's largest offensives, the brunt force of North Vietnamese troops attacking them woke them up. The men were protecting a hill known as Landing Zone Peanuts in support of troops that had just regained control of the nearby Khe Sanh base. As dozens of American cavalrymen and their respective artillery units scrambled to find refuge amidst the relentless fire coming from all flanks, the battle quickly turned vicious. The confrontation between the outnumbered American force and the specialized North Vietnamese unit known as sappers ultimately resulted in some of the most brutal fighting that air cavalry troops would ever see... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to https://keeps.com/darkdocs to get 50% off your first Keeps order. ____ The American Special Forces operators at Camp Nam Dong knew that the Viet Cong would attack their outpost sooner rather than later. They just didn’t know when. In early July of 1964, several confrontations had escalated to full-fledged warfare, innocent villagers were attacked by Communist aficionados, entire farms were destroyed and left to rot, and combat patrols from around the area reported countless ominous signs. Then, at 2:00am on July 5, twelve Green Berets instructors and their Vietnamese trainees received their baptism in fire when over 1,000 Viet Cong guerillas surrounded their base and went after them. The odds were not in their favor, and it was up to Captain Roger Donlon to push his men to the limit until air support arrived... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Holiday Season Deal! Go to https://nordvpn.com/darkdocs to get 73% off a two year plan plus one additional month free, only $3.16 per month! ___ In the summer of 1943, the Germans captured dozens of Soviet prisoners of war during the Battle of Smolensk. However, one of them stood out. It was Yakov Dzhugashvili, the eldest son of Joseph Stalin. Stalin’s first son was born to the dictator’s first wife and only love, Kato Svanidze. When she passed, her husband was devastated and abandoned their son with his wife’s relatives. He would be hard on the boy from then on, even refusing to give him the name Stalin. When World War 2 broke out, Yakov had become a man and served his country as an artillery officer. But in an unfortunate turn of events, he was seized by the enemy and turned in by his own people. The Nazis would exploit his image in propaganda strategies and even tried to swap him for a German prisoner in the custody of the Soviets. However, they did not realize one key detail: Joseph Stalin was no family man… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Hone for sponsoring this video! Go to http://honehealth.com/darkdocs to get your at home assessment and doctor consultation for only $45! ____ On February 7, 1951, Captain Lewis Lee Millet was approaching Hill 180 in Korea when he and his Company E realized that the enemy was right above them. Suddenly, they were met with intense fire from a mighty Chinese force, and found themselves vulnerable against the overwhelming threat up in the hill. Millett had to think on his feet if he wanted to avoid being massacred, and quickly spurred his men and yelled: "We're going up the hill. Fix bayonets. Charge! Everyone goes with me!" The men then followed the orders of a highly respected Captain who only two days earlier had led them to an unexpected victory against the enemy. The ensuing confrontation would then become the last major bayonet fight in US history, going down in history as the legendary Battle of Bayonet Hill... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start streaming today and watch the documentary "Tanks" and the rest of MagellanTV’s science and history collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/top-ten-warfare-weapons-battles-leaders/tanks _________ After the heavy losses sustained by the opening of Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht reached a decisive turning point. They could wait and be pummeled by an imminent Soviet offensive or take the upper hand and launch its own operation to encircle and subjugate the Red Army. The decision came to Adolf Hitler, and the dictator opted to bet all of his armored forces and put together a decisive offensive at Kursk codenamed Operation Citadel. However, the British let the Soviets know of the exact dates and locations where the offensive would take place, and thus the Battle of Kursk began. More than 2 million men, 7,000 tanks, and over 4,000 aircraft would participate in the world's largest tank battle, where the Germans were outnumbered 3 to 1 in men, armored vehicles, and supplies. The advance was bitter and brutal, but the Germans still fought tooth to nail against a relentless Soviet army that had the resources to drain them out to the last man, bullet, and tank. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It is commonly believed that the Vietnam War was waged only by the United States armed forces against the Communists of the North, but the reality was much different. As part of the Free World Military Assistance Forces, thousands of Spanish, Australians, New Zealanders, Philippines, and South Koreans served in Vietnam to support the US and the South Vietnamese. Among them, over 320,000 South Koreans joined the confrontation, reaching more than 50,000 at the height of their deployment. By 1972, the South Korean allies even outnumbered their American comrades! Most of the South Korean young volunteers came from their country’s Marine Corps, and when Communist forces spotted them in the jungle, they knew that the Korean Marines meant serious business. Time would only prove that they were a force to be reckoned with. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy invaded the island of Luzon in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, American and Filipino forces fought for three months around the Bataan Peninsula before finally surrendering. President Franklin D. Roosevelt then asked General Douglas MacArthur to leave his men behind, and the General made a vow: “I shall return.” More than 70,000 troops remained in the Philippines and were captured by the enemy, of which about 500 men were sent to the Cabanatuan prison camp. The atrocious conditions the prisoners of war endured for years prompted the Allied forces to plan a rescue operation, and a group of US Scouts and Rangers, along with loyal Filipino guerilla fighters, were then assembled to retrieve the Americans. Commander Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci would say to his troops: “We don’t leave one of them behind. Not a single one! We attack tomorrow night. I think the date of 30 January 1945 will be long remembered. Go with God—and bring our boys home. They have not been forgotten.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch the documentary Operation Foxley: Mission Liquidate Hitler and the rest of MagellanTV’s history science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/video/operation-foxley-mission-liquidate-hitler _____________ When Adolf Hitler ended his life on April 30, 1945, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz announced to the German people: (QUOTE) “(Hitler) died a hero’s death in the capital of the German Reich, after having led an unmistakably straight and steady life.” During Hitler’s last days, his closest friends had betrayed him and he had no one to trust. The Reich was irremediably doomed, but the Fuhrer’s last wish was for Dönitz to succeed him, and he was named President of Germany and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The responsibility of the entire country now laid in the hands of the former Navy Commander-in-Chief. Dönitz came to power on May 1 with what was left of the Nazi party and took his feeble cabinet to the undamaged town of Flensburg in the northern border. For a while, the pretend administration, sometimes referred to as a ‘comic opera,’ was allowed to exist, even if no one cared by that point. Daily meetings took place at 10:00am, and the so-called last Fuhrer and his officials discussed the plans for Germany even after the country’s unconditional surrender and with total indifference to what little leeway they actually had. It would only be a matter of time until the whole charade came crashing down... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On January 21, 1968, after months of gathering thousands of troops and supplies at the border with Laos, the North Vietnamese Army surprised and encircled the isolated American base of Khe Sanh. There was no way in or way out, but the Devil Dogs trusted each other, cleaned their rifles, and fixed their bayonets to get the job done. For over 77 days, the US Marine garrison would fight against overwhelming odds without a single day of rest. The 6,000 Marines had to resist the violent push of over 16,000 NVA eager to overrun the base, and the Tet Offensive would be drained from men that could have been used elsewhere. Artillery bombardment, mortar fire, and airstrikes carrying explosives or napalm would lead to a daily cacophony that tested the guts of the outnumbered leathernecks. The Siege of Khe Sanh ultimately became one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

It was 1944, and World War 2 was raging across Europe and the Pacific. By then, both Allied and Axis forces had captured many enemy soldiers thanks to their various military operations across the globe. The significant increase in the number of prisoners of war led the U.S. military to establish incarceration facilities in the most inhospitable places inside the U.S. mainland to secure the prisoners and avoid escapes. Camp Papago Park, built in the middle of the Arizona desert on top of some of the country's hardest and most compact soils, was one of such facilities. These conditions, in addition to a fearsome system of barbed wire fences and watchtowers, made an escape attempt highly unlikely. Still, U.S. officials were not counting on the wit and determination of Nazi Commander Captain Jürgen Wattenberg, who, after arriving at Papago Park, started orchestrating what would later be known as the Greatest P.O.W. Escape in American Soil during World War 2. After three months of arduous planning, the scheme resulted in 25 prisoners of war escaping into the Arizonian desert through a 178-foot log dirt tunnel. The feat led to what the Phoenix Gazette called: (QUOTE) "The greatest manhunt in Arizona history." The U.S. now had to deal with a feared “Super Nazi” loose within its own borders... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch the series World War II: Battles Won and Lost and the rest of MagellanTV’s science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/world-war-ii-battles-won-and-lost _____________ Long before the outbreak of World War 2, the Empire of Japan began an expansionist policy to stop the influence of Western powers in Asia. After the conquest of Manchuria and Northern China in the 1930s, the Japanese created puppet states and accepted foreign volunteers on its armies to impose the will of the Emperor. When the war finally broke out and Japan started conquering British, Dutch, French, and American territories, waves of volunteers of different nationalities joined the ranks of the Imperial Army. Following the footsteps of the Wehrmacht, these foreign soldiers became the spearhead troops of Japanese incursions into new territories, and Chinese, Mongolians, Indonesians, Indians, and many more Asians soon became the eyes and swords of the Emperor in lands unknown to the Japanese. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! New subscribers get 20% off their first box — go to https://bspk.me/darkdocs20 and enter code DARKDOCS20 at checkout. _______ During one of the War in Afghanistan's worst battles, 21-year-old scout sniper Dakota Meyer took one brave risk. After learning that four of his closest friends were missing after an ambush in a heavily Taliban-occupied area, Meyer decided to look for them by himself. Hurt and tired, the Marine looked for the group while hiding as best as he could from a rain of bullets, saving over a dozen lives, including Army Soldiers, Marines, and Afghan trainees. Dakota Meyer became the second-youngest living Medal of Honor recipient and the first living United States Marine since the Vietnam War to earn the United States Military's highest honor. He was also the only one to share a beer with the president before the ceremony... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As two French-Canadian snipers were silently advancing through the Nazi-occupied city of Zwolle in April of 1945, one of them, Corporal Arsenault, was hit by machine-gun fire. The soldiers were trying to gauge the German garrison's size and contact the Dutch resistance. Enraged, Private Léo Major rushed to the German position and decided to avenge his friend by singlehandedly liberating the city. And even though the one-eyed soldier is considered a hero in Zwolle, the story of the so-called Quebecois Rambo only became widely known 75 years later... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the last months of World War 2, when it was evident that Nazi Germany had lost, Adolf Hitler issued a decree that would have surely doomed his own people. In order to avoid benefitting the Allies as they advanced to Berlin, the dictator issued an order to destroy all German infrastructure at the expense of the country’s future. Hitler’s “Nero Decree” was issued on March 19, 1945. The order was termed after the infamous, and some might say insane, Roman Emperor Nero who allegedly ordered much of his own capital burnt to the ground. Both possessed by paranoia and obsessed with conspiracies against them, the parallels between Nero’s and Hitler’s final days were stark. Many of Hitler’s closest officials were convinced that the Nero Decree would bring devastating and pointless ruin. Albert Speer, Hitler’s Minister of Armaments and close friend, was left to carry out the task. To fail to do so would mean risking everything and committing high treason against the man Speer had been so devoted to for many years... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At the height of the Korean War, the United States and its United Nations allies successfully pushed back the North Korean and Chinese armies that threatened to take over South Korea. However, this was not enough to stop the restless Chinese forces. Using overwhelming force and plenty of artillery, the Communists seized control of six outposts guarded by the outgunned and outmanned US Marines in October of 1952. And just when everything seemed lost, and the Chinese were about to march into Seoul, the surviving Marines regrouped for one desperate last stand at a point known as the Hook. The outcome of the Korean War now rested on their shoulders. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Go to https://nordvpn.com/darkdocs to get 73% off a 2-year plan plus 1 additional month free... that's only $3.16 per month! Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this video. _____ As a group of Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft flew over Belgrade on April 13, 1941, Captain Fritz Klingenberg pointed at the skies and then back at his watch. Time was ticking. Should the Yugoslav Mayor not surrender his city, Klingenberg would call upon a rampant air attack and artillery barrage, sparing none of the capital's 200,000 citizens. But the Mayor obliged. However, he did not know that he had just been duped by one of the sneakiest and most conniving men of the Schutzstaffel. On that day, Captain Klingenberg, with only six men and a whole lot of guts, captured a critical city in the Balkans, defeating thousands without a single gunshot. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Adolf Hitler is one of the most photographed people in history. And yet, there is plenty of mystery and speculation surrounding his last photographs. Shortly before taking his own life in his secret underground Führerbunker, Hitler stepped outside with one of his closest officers to survey the nearby damage caused by the Allied forces. Only days later, as Hitler learned of Mussolini's passing and Berlin's takeover by the Soviets, the dictator took his own life, preferring death over capture. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch History's Verdict about the Allied and Axis leaders during WW2, and stream the rest of MagellanTV’s science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/historys-verdict ______ As World War II was coming to an end and the Nazi threat was being suppressed, the uncertainty of the new world order significantly concerned the Allied leaders, with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill especially wary of Joseph Stalin’s unreliability. When the Soviet Union betrayed the Yalta Agreement and took over Poland, tensions between the two global powers rose exponentially. Churchill then summoned his top military leaders and urged them to develop a plan to face their former allies and now potential adversaries. US General George S. Patton agreed, even warning the US Undersecretary of War, Robert Patterson, and saying: (QUOTE) “Let’s keep our boots polished, bayonets sharpened, and present a picture of force and strength to these people. This is the only language they understand and respect. If you fail to do this, then I would like to say to you that we have had a victory over the Germans and have disarmed them, but have lost the war.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the initial stages of World War II, the Third Reich shocked the world with its Blitzkrieg attacks on all battlefronts. And while the Nazi's military efficiency is commonly attributed to their technological superiority and innovative warfare strategies, there was an extra incentive that changed the course of the war. Every officer in every level of the Wehrmacht carried another weapon in its pocket: performance-enhancing methamphetamines. This and other drugs were ultimately used by both sides of the conflict, but it is widely recognized that the consumption of this extreme superdrug was one of the main reasons behind the Nazis’ fall. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

As a Russian referred to as Merlin arrived in Vienna, his whole body trembled. For months, he had been telling his handlers that someone was trying to get into his emails, and he was worried for his safety. But the CIA officials continually reassured him that everything was going according to plan and instructed him not to open the envelope meant for the Iranian representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Still, the Russian was starting to get cold feet. After all, he was the main asset of Operation Merlin, a top-secret American plan to hinder the Iranian Nuclear program. This operation became one of the most spectacular CIA screw-ups in the agency's history that we know of. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By late 1941, the Germans occupied a considerable portion of the European continent, but an Allied strike against them was not yet feasible. Endorsed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the British then launched daring Commando raids along the coastline. Aided by a detachment of Free Norwegian Army Commandos, the British targeted the islands of Vaagso and Maaloy to dismantle strategic targets in the area, including military facilities, fish-oil factories, and stores. Operation Archery would eventually become the first time that air support joined sea and land plans from its conception to carry out an amphibious raid on a defended coast. As Admiral of the Fleet Louis Mountbatten said to the troops before the operation was launched: "Nobody knows quite what is going to happen and you are the ones who are going to find out." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During a foggy night in early September 1942, a local forest ranger spotted a floatplane dropping materials from its fuselage on top of the dense Oregonian forest. As the droppings touched the ground, they created a bright flash of light, and the ranger quickly rushed to the spot. With the help of two persons, they put out the small fire and sent the recovered materials to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The ensuing inquiry confirmed that the object was a Japanese incendiary bomb, making it the first time an enemy aircraft attacked the contiguous United States. However, said aircraft was nowhere to be found. The Lookout Air Raids were only possible because of the Yokosuka E14Y floatplane, a one-of-a-kind aircraft that could be launched from a submarine, and its pilot, Nobuo Fujita, who would later become an honorary citizen of the United States. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch the series Combat Machines about how modern technology has changed the face of warfare, and the rest of MagellanTV’s science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/combat-machines ________ The Pacific Theatre of World War II taught the United States Army and Marines the importance of close-quarters combat training and basic survival instruction. Consequently, the military sought boxers, wrestlers, martial artists, and survival experts to prepare a new generation of fighting men for the upcoming war in Vietnam. Special Jungle Training centers then forced the Americans to adapt to the extreme jungle environments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Navy SEALs, MACV-SOG, Special Forces, and Recon Marines got the most out of these types of training, as they were often outnumbered while deep into enemy territory. Eventually, the Americans discovered how to become one with the jungle and strike the enemies when they least expected it. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany set up over 44,000 concentration camps for a wide range of purposes, including forced labor and detention of people thought to be enemies of the Third Reich. Near the end of the war, as Germany's military force collapsed before the eyes of the Führer, the Allied troops began to close in on the camps, with the Soviets approaching from the East and the British, French, and Americans from the West. Consequently, Hitler and his second in command gave SS Generalleutnant Berger Gottlob, one of their most trusted allies, the power to decide what to do with the prisoners. In what became known as the Long March of 1945, thousands of prisoners of war walked hundreds of miles in harsh weather conditions across European countries to reach Germany before the Allies could free them. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The División Azul, or Spanish Blue Division, was a unit of about 45,000 volunteers from Francoist Spain that fought alongside the Germans on the Eastern Front of World War II. Although Spain remained neutral during the war, Franco sympathized with Hitler after the German Condor Legion helped him win the Spanish Civil War. The unit was officially designated the 250th Infantry Division by the Wehrmacht and saw action against the Soviets from June 1941 to October 1943, proving themselves at the Battle of Krasny Bor, where over 5,900 brave men halted the advance of an entire Soviet Army composed of more than 30,000 Russians. The Spanish men went on to fight near Moscow and Leningrad, and they are credited for not letting the Eastern Front collapse thanks to their sacrifice. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch Invasion: The Outbreak of WW2 about the early events that led to the war, and stream the rest of MagellanTV’s science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/series/the-invasion-the-outbreak-of-ww2 ___________ One evening in Haarlem, Netherlands, Truus, a beautiful Dutch teenager, walked into a restaurant filled with SS officers while her sister Freddie waited outside. Once inside, the young woman approached the highest-ranking officer and began flirting with him. As they became familiar, she coyly suggested they go into the woods for more privacy. Unbeknownst to the officer, he had just walked into a trap, as the two girls weren't ordinary; they were the Oversteegen sisters, teenage Nazi hunters who had been training for missions like these from an early age. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After the Invasion of Normandy in June of 1944 and the Allied push into mainland Europe, it was necessary to capture more German-occupied facilities to unload the supplies required for the advancing troops. The military then set their eyes on the port of Brest in northwestern France. The Americans initially believed that capturing the port would not be that difficult, but Brest was occupied by the battle-tested Second Fallschirmjäger Division led by one of the most renowned German generals, Hermann Bernhard Ramcke. The German paratroopers were surrounded, outnumbered, and outpowered, but they would resist for over a month against all odds. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The headline of the New York Times read ‘Nazi Saboteurs Face Stern Army Justice.’ It was July 4, 1942, and eight Nazi agents had been caught on American soil with plans to sabotage economic targets and demoralize the population. Two four-man squads had come ashore in Long Island and Florida aboard stealthy submarines. Hitler himself had authorized the plan to mirror a similar feat perpetrated in France during World War I. But the FBI thwarted the plot as the men were about to blow up a critical railway bridge and found enough explosives to operate for two years. The other side of the story would come to light decades later, and it would prove that it was not the FBI that gave away the enemy’s intent, but rather an act of treason… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch Operation Foxley: Mission Liquidate Hitler about the plan that came closest to assassinate Hitler, and watch the rest of MagellanTV’s science collection: https://www.magellantv.com/video/operation-foxley-mission-liquidate-hitler ___________ On July 20, 1944, German army officer Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler inside his headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. After dozens of failed attempts to take Hitler’s life, several high-ranking German officials had formed a resistance unit to take him down and launch a coup to reclaim Germany from the Nazi forces. Operation Valkyrie was then launched, and a plan was hatched to strike Hitler with a bomb as a desperate attempt to end the oppression and the war. But Providence would be on the dictator's side, as he claimed after walking out of a bombed conference room during a warm summer afternoon. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Go to https://nordvpn.com/darkdocs to get 73% off a 2-year plan plus 4 additional months free... that's only $3.18 per month! Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this video. ____________ The most top-secret unit of the United States Army in the Vietnam War was established in January of 1964 and was called the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group, but it was mostly referred to as MACV-SOG. Only the best of the best were recruited for the high-risk, high-reward missions that the unit carried out in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Force Recon, Air Force, and CIA personnel were among the bravest men that filled its ranks. MACV missions involved sabotage, strategic reconnaissance, personnel recovery, counterintelligence, and psychological operations, all behind enemy lines. And stories of 10-man units that held off against thousands of Communists were common. However, more than half of those who enrolled did not return from their missions. But this did not stop MACV-SOG from becoming the unit with the highest kill/death ratio in American history. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get 60% OFF your first 4-bottle box at https://bit.ly/BrightCellarsDarkDocs for just $38 plus taxes. Bright Cellars is the monthly wine club that matches you with wine that you’ll love. Get started by taking the taste palate quiz to see your personalized matches. __________ When Richard Nixon became president in 1969, the Vietnam War was in its 14th year, and the recent Paris peace negotiations with North Vietnam had not shown promising results. Several of the President’s advisers believed a nuclear blast was a plausible option to terminate the conflict, and according to declassified documents, National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger might have considered the matter more seriously than other administrations when he created the September Group to organize a nuclear plan codenamed Operation Duck Hook. Secretary of Defence Melvin Laird thought it was a: (QUOTE) “laughable thing,” and asked Kissinger to forget about it. But the Secretary recalled that for Kissinger: (QUOTE) “Nothing was out of consideration.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for one free month of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive opportunity for our viewers! Start your free trial today and begin streaming more than 3,000 documentaries! We recommend checking out more videos from MagellanTV's War and Military playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/genres/war-military ______________________________ A symbol began appearing across the walls of Germany near the end of World War II. It looked like a hastily drawn swastika but with a short vertical line in the middle intersected by a longer horizontal line with hooks at both ends. It was the mark of the Werewolves. As the war was coming to its inevitable conclusion, the Nazi Party ordered every German to: (QUOTE) "stand his ground and do or die against the Allied armies, who are preparing to enslave Germans." The Nazi Werewolves were the last desperate attempt to keep this ideology alive. The fighters’ purpose was not to delay the Allied occupation but to sow fear among them with a covert resistance force that would continue the Nazi strive. More than guerrilla fighters, the group performed like terrorists and would take down isolated soldiers or haunt back roads. The war was over, but the Werewolves still terrorized American soldiers...A symbol began appearing across the walls of Germany near the end of World War II. It looked like a hastily drawn swastika but with a short vertical line in the middle intersected by a longer horizontal line with hooks at both ends. It was the mark of the Werewolves. As the war was coming to its inevitable conclusion, the Nazi Party ordered every German to: (QUOTE) "stand his ground and do or die against the Allied armies, who are preparing to enslave Germans." The Nazi Werewolves were the last desperate attempt to keep this ideology alive. The fighters’ purpose was not to delay the Allied occupation but to sow fear among them with a covert resistance force that would continue the Nazi strive. More than guerrilla fighters, the group performed like terrorists and would take down isolated soldiers or haunt back roads. The war was over, but the Werewolves still terrorized American soldiers... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the Easter Offensive in the Vietnam War, Lieutenant Colonel Iceal “Gene” Hambleton was shot down by Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles while flying aboard an EB66. He was the sole survivor of a six-man crew and parachuted right into a battlefield with about 30,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Hambleton had top-secret access to Strategic Air Command and was an expert in nuclear weapons, so the armed forces launched what would become the largest, longest, and most complex rescue operation in the entire Vietnam War. Several men lost their lives, many aircraft were shot down, and costly resources were spent during the operation, which ultimately summoned one of the remaining Navy SEALs in Vietnam for support, and led to a historic revaluation of how rescue operations would be conducted from then on. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Most of the Nazi forces surrendered to the Allies during the first week of May 1945. During the following days, the remaining German resistance units stationed in Czechoslovakia, Greece, Poland, and Yugoslavia also fell, and soon France was isolated. German submarines also surrendered to the Americans during that time, dropping their weapons in the United States and Latin America. However, there was still one unit left, a weather reporting team stationed in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, not far from Northern Norway. They were the men from Operation Haudegen, a mission so secret that even the Nazis forgot about them. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Lockheed Martin’s AC-130 gunship is one of the most lethal aircraft ever made, equipped with a wide array of technological innovations such as night vision, sophisticated sensors that can detect enemy formations and vehicles from miles away, and an offensive arsenal that ranges from rapid-firing machine guns to impressive explosive canons. The revered AC-130 has been around for almost six decades. It was first introduced in the Vietnam War as a replacement for the Spooky AC-47 under the top-secret Project Gunship II, and created havoc in North Vietnam to support American and South Vietnamese ground troops from 1969 to 1975. The aircraft soon earned its nickname ‘Puff The Magic Dragon’ after its unmistakable roar when firing its weapons and the flares it launched that lit up entire combat zones. After several upgrades, it also served in the Cold and Gulf wars, and because of its role in the War on Terror, many people still believe it is one of American’s recent innovations. In reality, it is a legendary powerhouse. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

American soldier Douglas Hegdahl was captured by North Vietnamese forces in 1967 and sent to the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison camp. On a day like any other, Hegdahl walked to the main entrance and messily swept the floor. The prison guards paid no attention to the young man, as they believed he was intellectually disabled. But instead of cleaning, the soldier was memorizing all the activities taking place at the front gate to later recount them to American authorities. That is because Hegdahl, known around the camp as "The Incredibly Stupid One," was only pretending, as he was just a regular man with a great memory, a distaste for communism, and a flair for acting. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! New subscribers get 20% off their first box — go to https://bspk.me/darkdocs20 and enter code DARKDOCS20 at checkout. __________ In the early 1970s, Sidney Shachnow commanded an elite unit of covert operators in Berlin to prevent the outbreak of World War III against the Soviet Union. The Major General was born in Lithuania and survived both the Communist regime of the Soviet Union and the Nazi sovereignty during World War II. After escaping from a concentration camp with his family, he reached American-occupied Nuremberg and eventually fled to the United States when he was only 16. Shachnow then joined the Army and fought in the Vietnam War as a Special Forces operator. It was after serving two tours there that he would risk his life to prevent another devastating global catastrophe. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Hone for sponsoring this video! Go to https://honehealth.com/darkdocs to save 25% on your home assessment test. _____ The Tsar Bomba is widely regarded as the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and detonated. Developed by the Soviet Union in the midst of the nuclear arms race with the United States, the hydrogen aerial bomb was dropped in 1961 from a Tu-95V aircraft above the “Dry Nose” cape of the Severny Island in Russia. The mission was supposed to be secret, but a nearby American aircraft picked up on the 50-megaton blast. The Tsar Bomba would be the pinnacle of a series of high-yield thermonuclear weapons built by the United States and the Soviet Union during the era, even leading to an increase in global radiation levels that called for new nuclear regulations... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive opportunity for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out more videos from MagellanTV's War and Military playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/genres/war-military _______ While fighting the Japanese during World War II, the Americans believed that their enemies had skillful martial arts expertise and guarded cultural secrets in their fighting style. The military then sought help from several martial artists such as boxers, wrestlers, and even knife-fighters, to teach hand-to-hand combat to American soldiers. Still, there was one eccentric personality that stood out among them: François D’Eliscu. Both a piercing intellectual and a fierce warrior, D’Eliscu’s mentality changed the way soldiers trained in the US. He once wrote: “Our enemies have been toughened, seasoned, and experienced to jungle fighting for a long time. They have been preparing for war - we have been enjoying a Utopian peace of mind. [...] The French learned this too late.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Gulf of Tonkin incident was the last straw that led to the open engagement of the United States in the Vietnam War. In early August of 1964, two encounters between American and North Vietnamese warships in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to get involved in the war. The US blamed the communists for both confrontations, but subsequent investigations years later would put the veracity of the second incident into question… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In early 1975, the People's Army of Vietnam swept through several South Vietnamese territories on their way to Saigon. The government pleaded with the Americans for help to no avail, and the town of Xuân Lộc became the last stronghold of South Vietnamese resistance. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam sent almost all of their remaining forces to defend the strategic crossroad, and President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu ordered the 18th Infantry Division to hold the town at all costs. The South Vietnamese front then faced the Communist 4th Army Corps in a relentless 13-day battle that would decide the fate of the war. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Dodecanese are a group of over 160 islands between the southeastern Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean that don’t even total 1,100 square miles. And yet, this was the location of the last great battle in which the Nazis beat the Allies during World War II. The archipelago was one of the most coveted strategic points for both sides, and the Greek island Leros took the bulk of the conflict. After Italy surrendered in September of 1943, the British sent reinforcements to support the Italian troops stationed in Greece, but the incessant German attacks that followed proved too much for the Allied forces. The Battle of Leros would end up becoming the central event of the Dodecanese campaign, and gave the Germans one last victory. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive opportunity for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out more videos from MagellanTV's War and Military playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/genres/war-military Rudolf Hess was a leading member of the Nazi Party and Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler. But in 1941 he did something so unexpected that the Germans, British, and Soviets alike dismissed him as mentally unstable. The afternoon of May 10, Hess climbed into his aircraft and flew to Scotland. He claims that he was there to negotiate a peace deal with the United Kingdom and end the war. Hitler was infuriated, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin believed a secret anti-Bolshevik alliance was being forged between the British and the Germans. Ultimately, the British held him prisoner until the end of the war, and Hess was then sentenced to life in prison at the Nuremberg trials for crimes against peace. The former Nazi Deputy Leader was found hanging in a garden house at Spandau prison in 1987. It was declared a suicide, but many historians reckon it could have been foul play. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Soviet pilot Mikhail Petrovich Devyataev was captured after his aircraft was shot down during World War II and sent to a labor camp next to Rocket Center Peenemunde, where the famous V2 rockets were being developed. With the help of his fellow countrymen, Devyataev executed a masterful escape that involved stealing a Heinkel He 111 bomber from the prison’s commander. The small team of Soviet survivors then managed to fly into Russian territory after evading Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, but their troubles were far from over. The soldiers were shot down by Soviet aircraft, deemed traitors by Stalin’s police, and sent to the frontline to keep fighting. But Devyataev would continue to prove his worth and was eventually recognized as a Hero of the Soviet Union thanks to valuable information he shared with the head of the Soviet Space Program. Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive opportunity for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out more videos from MagellanTV's War and Military playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/genres/war-military Corporal Desmond Thomas Doss was the first conscientious objector to ever receive the Medal of Honor. A simple man with a noble heart, Doss single-handedly rescued 75 men from the fiercest battle in the entire Pacific Theater during World War II: the Battle of Okinawa. Moreover, his actions rekindled the American spirit and indirectly helped the 77th Infantry Division capture Hacksaw Ridge in May of 1945. By October of that year, President Harry Truman bestowed him with the medal and warmly told him: "I'm proud of you. You really deserve this. I consider this a greater honor than being president." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In September of 1944, the Allied leaders plotted an ambitious plan to free Nazi-occupied nations and open a way into the German capital of Berlin. It wasn’t so much a long shot as an all-or-nothing bet. If Operation Market Garden worked, it would accelerate the end of World War II. Otherwise, it would give the Germans the time they badly needed to recover from their recent defeats. The 1st Airborne Division landed on Dutch territory on September 17 to secure the Arnhem bridge, but faced unexpected enemy resistance that led the courageous soldiers of the 2nd Battalion to hold the bridge for four days on their own. Their last radio broadcast was only heard by their enemies: (QUOTE) “Out of ammunition. God save the King.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Audie Murphy wanted to join the Marines but was rejected for being too short. The paratroopers wouldn’t have him either, so he settled for infantry. Little did the baby-faced Texas farm boy imagine that he would one day be considered an American legend. Murphy eventually became one of the most decorated heroes of World War II, including the prestigious Medal of Honor for his bravery in holding off a company of German soldiers. When he was later asked why he had seized a machine gun and taken on an entire enemy company by himself, he humbly said: "They were killing my friends.” - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the Battle of Caporetto in late 1917 during World War I, a young German officer by the name of Erwin Rommel led an elite team of around 100 Stormtroopers that captured around 9,000 Italian troops. The maneuver would become one of the most impressive feats in military history. After a stalemate of almost three years, the Austro-Hungarian forces, reinforced by the German Army, were finally able to break into the Italian front and force them to retreat during a month-long battle near the town of Kobarid, Slovenia. The German Army had sent units of elite frontline soldiers known as Sturmstruppen, or Stormtroopers, to get the job done. Some of these forces were trained as alpinists and belonged to the Royal Württemberg mountain battalion. They were tasked with flanking the Italians to disorient them from an upcoming full-scale frontal assault. During a carefully planned siege at the beginning of the battle, Rommel and a small unit surrounded the enemy and forced thousands of men to surrender using deceptive maneuvers. The feat was so unexpected that Rommel unknowingly helped pioneer a new form of infiltration tactic which would be later described as Blitzkrieg without tanks. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In March of 1944, Royal Air Force tail gunner Nicholas Alkemade was flying his Avro Lancaster heavy bomber when he was hit by German flak. His parachute then caught fire, and there seemed to be no chance of surviving a burning aircraft spiraling out of control. As the flames increased and the turret fluids ignited, Alkemade’s clothes caught fire too. He would later reflect: (QUOTE) “I had no doubts at all that this was the end of the line. The question was whether to stay in the plane and fry or jump to my death. I decided to jump and make a quick, clean end of things. I backed out of the turret and somersaulted away.” Hours later, the soldier opened his eyes and incredulously stared at the horizon. He then lit a cigarette and basked in his moment of glory... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive opportunity for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out more videos from MagellanTV's War and Military playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/genres/war-military --- When Larry Thorne enlisted in the United States Army as a private in 1954, he was already a controversial war hero in two other countries. Larry's real name was Lauri Törni, and he was actually born in Finland. For most of his adult life he had been fighting against the Soviets both as part of the Finnish Army and the Waffen-SS during World War II. To this date, Lauri Törni remains the only former member of the Nazi Army to be buried in Arlington Cemetery, the most hallowed of American burial grounds. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By December of 1944, over a quarter of a million Nazi troops had spread all over the Ardennes Forest in Belgium, and three fleeing Americans driving a Jeep would not normally have raised any alarm. However, Hilter-induced paranoia had taken over the Allied troops in the Western Front, and the men were taken in for questioning after speaking broken English. When American soldiers checked their vehicle, they discovered concealed weapons, explosives, and swastika emblems. These men weren't Americans; they were undercover Nazis, part of one of Hitler's final grapples against the Allied powers' supply chain: Operation Greif. Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Joseph Beyrle was a young American soldier who fought the Wehrmacht in two different uniforms during World War II. The so-called hero of two armies served as an elite paratrooper from the legendary 101st Airborne Division. He was then captured by the Germans, and after several failed attempts to escape, he finally did it in early 1945. Soon after, he became a tanker in the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of the Soviet Army. Besides becoming the only American that fought under the flag of the Red Army, Beyrle also met unique personalities during his adventures, such as the only female Soviet tank commander, Aleksandra Samusenko, and even Marshal Georgy Zhukov. Since then, Joseph Beyrle's story has been promoted by the United States and Russia as a symbol of unity, peace, and cooperation between both countries. Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Out of 3,500 people who have been awarded the Medal of Honor in American military history, only one of them has been a woman. When the Civil War broke out, Doctor Mary Edwards Walker made her way into the battlefield. She risked her life every day and helped save the lives of countless soldiers during the war, regardless of their political alliance. Although she was hired as a nurse, Walker was eventually recognized as the first female surgeon in the United States Army. She is also one of only eight civilians who have been awarded the highest military decoration, only to be revoked and restored years later. Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Operation Outward was a unique British World War II program that called for free-flying balloons to disrupt German communications, power lines, and other critical objectives. Despite its unconventional nature and practicality, the operation was a tremendous success. Some balloons were filled with trailing steel wire intended to damage high voltage power lines by producing short circuits, while others were filled with explosive devices to start unexpected fires in German forests and fields. The plan was not just cost-effective, amounting to less than 8 dollars per balloon in 1942 currency -around 140 dollars in today’s- but also practical, as there would be no friendly casualties. More than 100,000 Outward balloons were launched between 1942 and 1944. At one point during the war, over 1,800 balloons were being sent into Germany in a matter of hours. According to postwar data, it is estimated that damage caused by the unlikely weapons amounted to around 55 million dollars in today’s currency. That was a lot of havoc coming from cheap, ordinary balloons. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Captain Benjamin Lewis Salomon was a US Army dentist serving as a battlefield surgeon amidst one of the largest attacks by Japanese forces in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. On July 7, 1944, Salomon sacrificed himself to save the lives of his patients, becoming one of only three dental offices to receive the Medal of Honor. As the Japanese infiltrated the 1st and 2nd Battalions' perimeter at Saipan in the Mariana Islands, Salomon witnessed his aid station filling up with wounded soldiers. Wearing the Red Cross badge upon his sleeve, Salomon ordered to evacuate the tent as he took a machine gun and held the enemies off. The next day, signs of blood showed where Salomon had repositioned to cover the retreat, probably while fatally wounded. The officer was found bent over his machine gun with his finger still on the trigger, and piles of bodies from enemy soldiers laid around him. There were 98 of them... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out our personal recommendation and MagellanTV’s exclusive playlists: https://www.magellantv.com/explore/history ___ When American forces set out to cross the Rhine River in March of 1945 to continue advancing into the heart of Germany, the heavily-bombed city of Cologne stood in their way. Entire city blocks had been reduced to rubble during the war, but German forces still lurked beneath the ashes of their homes and churches. More impressively, the striking Cologne Cathedral remained standing after having resisted dozens of bombs. Spearheading the assault into the country where the American T26 Pershing tank crews. These brand new war vehicles were the American response to the ferocious Panther and Tiger tanks. In one of the main streets leading up to the Cathedral, a Pershing heavy tank would come face to face with a lone Panther waiting to fight a last stand. In a matter of seconds, both tanks aligned their shots and aimed at each other. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

General John J. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, called the Battle of Belleau Wood: "The biggest battle since Appomattox and the most considerable engagement American troops had ever had with a foreign enemy.” In June of 1918, as Russia had withdrawn from World War I, Germany relocated thousands of soldiers to France and launched a massive offensive to end the war. But as the German Army breached the Western Front and attempted to advance to Paris, it faced fierce resistance from Allied forces. A robust contingent of thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrived to fight the weakened Germans in the Belleau Wood preserve area, and the first large-scale battle fought by US forces during World War I ensued. Fighting mainly in the dark with fixed bayonets, poison gas, and hand-to-hand combat amidst harsh wood terrains and overgrown wheat fields, the Marines engaged in savage combat that cemented their place in history as some of the fiercest of warriors. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Major Tommy Macpherson was a highly decorated Scottish officer who became known as the Kilted Killer. His unconventional guerrilla warfare techniques caused so much havoc that the infuriated Nazis put a 300,000 Franc bounty on his head at one point. In one of his most legendary maneuvers, the 23-year-old British Army officer protected a pivotal bridge in the Loire Valley. Around 23,000 Nazis were stationed at the bridgehead when Macpherson managed his way into enemy lines and faced Major General Botho Henning Elster. True to his reputation, the soldier single-handedly triggered the surrender of an entire Panzer division with no weapons, only his sharp intellect and a wee bit of bluffing. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During the last major battle of World War I, with the German and Allied forces gathering their last bit of strength, the heroic actions of a single soldier made a difference in the outcome of the devastating war. Christian pacifist Sergeant Alvin Cullum York earned the Medal of Honor for bravely subduing enemy forces throughout the Battles of the Meuse-Argonne in late 1918. In the course of the largest offensive in United States military history, involving 1.2 million men, Sergeant York took charge of his crippled squadron and attacked a German machine gun nest on his own, taking their guns and dozens of prisoners with him. His exploits led to the neutralization of a crucial site that supplied the Germans, giving way to their Army’s fall on the Western Front in Northern France. For his actions, Sergeant York became one of the most decorated US Army soldiers of World War I, and actor Gary Cooper even earned an Oscar for portraying him in a 1942 film about his life. But his story could have turned out differently. Coming from humble beginnings and with a severe drinking problem, Sergeant York eventually claimed conscientious objector status when drafted into the military, and vowed not to engage in violence. Little did he know that his adventures would lead French Marshal Ferdinand Foch to tell him [QUOTE], "What you did was the greatest thing accomplished by any soldier of all the armies of Europe." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your special offer for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Learn how the Marine's earned the nickname the Devil Dogs: https://www.magellantv.com/video/the-devil-dogs-hero-marines-of-wwi Many veterans who saw action in the Vietnam War have described military operations conducted in the A Shau Valley as hell on Earth. Nevertheless, the young men of the 9th Marine Regiment and the 2nd Battalion 12th Marines bravely penetrated this dangerous zone on January 22, 1969, as part of Operation Dewey Canyon, the last Marine Corps offensive in Vietnam. The operation was planned to wipe the North Vietnamese out of the valley. But as the Americans invaded enemy territory, the People's Army of Vietnam began to cut off platoons and immobilize them with relentless small arms fire, grenades, and mortars. For over 60 days, the Marines built more than 20 base camps to fight off the Vietnamese and captured large quantities of enemy weapons, equipment, and supplies. Five Marines were eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for their selfless sacrifice during the conflict, proving the old adage that no matter how impossible the odds may seem, Marines always get the job done. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In 1983, the tiny 110,000-citizen nation of Grenada witnessed a severe confrontation between Western democracies and Communism. The small island, located within the Grenadines archipelago in the West Indies between Cuba and Puerto Rico, was of great interest to the Cuban government, which knew its value and sought to establish a major airport and use the former British colony as a holding place for Soviet-made weapons. American officials took notice and viewed it as an opportunity to restore the country’s name after several failed conflicts. In October of 1983, a controversial operation to rescue American medical students from Grenada was put into motion. President Ronald Reagan also sought to restore democracy in the war-torn nation and avoid further influence from Cuba and the Soviet Union. An invasion masquerading as a rescue mission then ensued... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

During World War II, 27-year-old Nepalese-British Gurkha soldier Lachhiman Gurung single-handedly withstood a Japanese force of 200 men with only one arm and a rifle. The Gurkhas were part of the Commonwealth's manpower. Renowned for their unique kukri knives and close-quarter combat skills during World War I, the Gurkhas were essential in driving the Japanese back from India and Asia during the Burma campaign of World War II. During the conflict, 13 Nepalese Gurkhas were awarded the British Army's highest military decoration: the Victoria Cross. And Lachhiman Gurung was one of them. Pinned down and surrounded by vengeful Japanese soldiers, Gurung stood his ground even as he was hit by enemy grenades while fighting from his trench. He returned two of them, but a third one blew off his arm and injured his right eye. Wounded and almost blind, Gurung reloaded his Enfield rifle and bravely faced the incoming Japanese battalion... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In the middle of the Tet Offensive, perhaps the most emblematic episode of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong, executed a brutal joint assault across the entire southern half of the nation during a supposed cease-fire. Within 56 hours after the attack began, Sergeant Drew Dennis Dix led a handful of American, South-Vietnamese, and allied troops in the liberation of the Province of Chau Doc. It was a rare but decisive victory in the chaotic circumstances. A total of 200 enemies were killed or captured thanks to the heroics of Dix, who inspired an otherwise fatigued and rag-tag force. During the battle, Dix went door to door under intense machine gun and motor fire. For what he would do next, Dix would become the first enlisted Special Forces soldier to ever receive the Medal of Honor. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

By early 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy had taken over most of Asia. Their eyes were now set upon the Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia. But the United States military knew that they were next, and an imminent conflict was inevitable. Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and other surrounding territories were simultaneously attacked in December of 1941. When America least expected it, the Japanese were already at its doorstep in Alaska. The Aleutian Islands Campaign of World War II was the second time an American territory was occupied and attacked by a foreign force since the Mexican Revolution. The Japanese sought to control the Aleutians to prevent a possible US attack on the Northern Pacific. On June 2, 1942, a Japanese Task Force was spotted off the coasts of Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island. Under the command of Japanese Vice-Admiral Hosogaya, an aircraft fleet attacked the island with hopes of damaging the American port with a surprise charge. But they did not know that an underpowered yet brave American garrison was already waiting for them... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

On Christmas Eve of 1944, German forces infiltrated the village of Sommocolonia in the Tuscan region of Italy. The invasion was part of a larger planned operation called Winter Storm, also known as the “Christmas Offensive.” After heavy pressure from the black community to actively participate in combat, several companies from the 92nd Infantry Division, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were sent to Italy to aid in penetrating the Gothic Line. 29-year-old Lieutenant John R. Fox, from the Cannon Company, 366th Infantry, was serving as a forward observer when the Germans arrived at Sommocolonia. As he was overseeing the battle from a second-story window in an abandoned building, the Germans kept inflicting damage upon his unit and the villagers. The enemies far outnumbered the scarce American troops who stayed behind, and Fox knew that only a drastic measure would slow down the attack and save many lives... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In 1965, right in the middle of monsoon season, US Marine Corps stationed in Vietnam were tasked with a series of ambushes to inflict damage in areas controlled by the Viet Cong. Operation Harvest Moon was a search and destroy mission along the Que Sơn Valley in South Vietnam, which had been taken over by Communists. It was also the most significant team effort between US troops and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam up to that point in the war. For almost two weeks, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, faced vigorous enemy opposition, culminating in a relentless ambush at the village of Ky Phu in which one company was separated from its battalion in open and fire-swept ground. But against all odds, one man’s quick thinking and devotion to his duty changed the course of the battle. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Japanese forces invaded the Philippines with little opposition. They took over most of the South China Sea islands, except for one called Corregidor. The small Corregidor Island is located at the entrance of Manila Bay, known as the finest harbor in the Orient. With its mixed and underpowered garrison, the island was the only obstruction that prevented the Japanese from having total control of the Philippines. American soldiers, Marines, Navy personnel, and the remains of improvised and locally-trained Philippine units would strengthen the 4th Marine Regiment to fight back the Japanese invaders. Known as the Gibraltar of the East, Corregidor Island and its World War I-era fortifications resisted five intense months of continuous Japanese bombardments. But after the fall of Bataan in April of 1942, the Japanese Special Landing Forces turned to Corregidor for one more implacable coordinated attack. General Masaharu Homma and more than 50,000 Japanese forces stormed the Corregidor beaches and encircled the vastly outnumbered allied troops in the area. A brutal battle for control of the island erupted. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

When the German Atlantic Wall was breached after the invasion of Normandy in June of 1944, the Wehrmacht knew that it was a matter of time before they had to withdraw from France. Underpowered and ill-trained German ghost divisions fought desperately against overwhelming odds, as American forces were eager to take the fight into the heart of Berlin. As a counter-offensive to recapture the Allied-occupied Lorraine region in north-eastern France, German forces clashed with American troops in the Battle of Arracourt during September of 1944. The battle confronted two World War I veterans who specialized in tank warfare. US Colonel Bruce Clarke and his 4th Armored Division faced the relentless 5th Panzer Army of General Hasso von Manteuffel. Although the German general knew that Hitler's idea of a renovated offensive was unsupportable by then, he opted to fight bravely by surprising the Americans with an unexpected armored attack. The encounter became the most significant armored confrontation between US and German forces up to that point in the war. Having initially undervalued their opponent, the Americans were obliged to reorganize and use creative strategic tactics if they wanted to outmaneuver the feared Nazi Panzers... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

At Tabu-dong, South Korea, Sergeant First Class Eduardo Corral Gomez risked his life and single-handedly pushed back the enemy to save his company’s lives. The US Army’s Mexican American soldier was fighting in the Battle of Tabu-dong in September of 1950, an engagement that was part of the large-scale Battle of Pusan Perimeter during the Korean War. Entrusted with keeping the United Nations headquarters secured, the US Army and the Republic of Korea Army troops withstood the North Korean People’s Army battalion for two weeks. During a frenzied offensive by the North Koreans, American forces began to withdraw after enemy tanks supported advancing ground forces. The US troops were quickly pinned down by intense rocket fire, and there seemed to be no way out of the incoming carnage. It was Sergeant Gomez’s selfless act of bravery that gave his unit a fighting chance... --- Dark Docs brings you cinematic short military history documentaries featuring the greatest battles and most heroic stories of modern warfare, covering World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and special forces operations in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

Get your special offer for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out our personal recommendations here: https://www.magellantv.com/explore/history One of the Pacific Theatre's most brutal battles during World War II was the conquest of the island of Saipan in the summer of 1944. Part of Operation Forager, the Battle of Saipan was a US offensive against Japanese ground and naval garrisons stationed in the Mariana, Palau, and Caroline islands. Sergeant Thomas Alexander Baker, a young soldier of the 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division, was part of the American forces that faced intense fire and ambushes as they advanced towards the island’s center. Fatally wounded after American forces successfully repelled a 5,000-strong Japanese counterattack, Sergeant Baker asked to be left behind. The battalion was running out of ammunition, and he was not willing to risk other soldiers’ lives for his own. Baker knew his time had come, and was ready to embrace it with a heroic last stand. He asked his comrades to lay him down near a tree to hold back the incoming Japanese. With no ammo left to share, one of his friends gave him a pistol with eight rounds. As US forces later returned to the battle scene, they witnessed firsthand the fighting spirit of the American warrior... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Operation Cobra contributed to the success of the Allied efforts to free Nazi-occupied France in the summer of 1944. Planned by General Omar Bradley, the operation would consist of a massive bombing run to open up a track that would allow Allied forces to advance in their effort to take France back following D-Day. Consisting of 550 fighter-bombers and 2,000 B-17 Flying Fortresses, the aircraft would drop over 5,000 pounds of ammunition. But it is a little-known fact that Operation Cobra began with an accidental fratricide, turning the operation into one of the worst friendly-fire incidents in United States military history… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In the early 1990s, the Somali Civil War tore the country apart and brought starvation to millions of people. Dozens of countries, including the United States, attempted to bring supplies to Somali civilians. But their efforts were halted by local gangs, even as the U.N stepped in with an emergency resolution. After American soldiers arrived at the war-torn country in 1992 as part of a peaceful humanitarian mission to ensure the resources’ safe delivery, they were attacked by warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and his forces. The once peaceful mission's purpose then evolved to an attempt to seize two of Mohamed Farrah Aidid's top men, triggering the Battle of Mogadishu. A smooth and simple operation that was supposed to take no longer than an hour ended up as a high-risk rescue mission that lasted overnight. The Somali rebel forces were armed with rocket-propelled-grenades, and they had America’s Black Hawk helicopters in their sights. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In the autumn of 1941, the British Army assembled a secret commando team that would strike behind enemy lines in Libya. Codenamed Operation Flipper, the mission's main objective was to destroy the presumed headquarters of the famous Nazi General Erwin Rommel. He was known to the British Press as Desert Fox for his sly and often chivalrous demeanor, and removing him from battle was thought to be key to any future Allied success in North Africa. Operation Flipper was one of the most fearless and courageous special force operations of World War II. The North African campaign's fate would be in the hands of a handful of young British soldiers from the No. 11 Scottish Commandos, led by one brave young man who even Rommel came to respect... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The Battle of Firebase Ripcord was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Vietnam War, and the last wide-ranging encounter between the US and the North Vietnamese Army before the war ended. Even though American involvement in the Vietnam War was generally supported by the public at first, opposition eventually emerged as President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, dramatically increasing the presence of US soldiers in the area. Unrest hit a high point after the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May of 1969. Targeting a hill with no real strategic value, many American lives were lost. The United States Congress had to intervene to reevaluate the US strategy in South Vietnam, and President Nixon began a withdrawal of American troops. But the incessant fighting continued with the Battle of Firebase Ripcord, which took place in a remote region of the A Shau Valley during the summer of 1970. The objective was to take control of the valley, a key tactical point for the North Vietnamese Army. American troops were sent to the abandoned Fire Support Base Ripcord as a first step to support the Operation Chicago Peak offensives against enemy supply lines in the area. However, Vietnamese forces unleashed thousands of troops in a fierce counterattack... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The press called it one of the most important events of World War II. It was March of 1945, and the war was coming to an end. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery had been planning Operation Plunder for months; the objective was to cross the river Rhine, which would open the floodgates to invade central Germany. By then, no one expected any German bridges to be still standing, but when American troops arrived at the resort town of Remagen on March 7, they were shocked to find just that. The Ludendorff Bridge was still there, overrun with Germans fleeing to the village of Erpel on the eastern bank. So surprising was the sighting, that the Americans were sure the bridge would explode at any moment. Still, Brigadier General William M. Hoge disobeyed commands and ordered to move into town and capture the bridge. A weak German defense, explosives that didn’t work, and the sheer bravery of American soldiers running towards enemy fire resulted in the taking of the bridge, which would trigger a battle between the two forces for the next ten days. Hitler was furious and commanded the bridge to be destroyed at once, but the Americans had lined-up unprecedented artillery to protect it. In a final, desperate attempt, eleven V-2 ballistic missiles were launched, the first time they were used against a strategic target. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your special offer for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Start your free trial today. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Check out our personal recommendation, the series Doomsday WW1: Descent into Global Madness: https://www.magellantv.com/series/doomsday-wwi-descent-into-global-madness Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In the summer of 1914, German top brass ordered a full-frontal assault on Osowiec Fortress, located in north-eastern Poland. Germany saw Russia as a significant threat to their rising power, and the Osowiec Fortress remained one of the main obstacles to their advancement into Russian territory. Three times the Germans tried to gain control of the fortress, and three times they failed. The fourth time, though, was different. Germany sent no less than 14 battalions of infantry, sappers, siege guns, and artillery for the last attack on the fortification. However, unlike previous assaults on the fortress, they had a new weapon that would make all the difference: chlorine gas. The Russians only had 1,000 men defending the fort, and less than half of them were conscripted militiamen. At four o'clock on August 4, a dark green cloud of a chlorine and bromine mixture floated towards the Russians positioned at the fort's front. When the gas combined with the water in the air and their lungs, the substance turned the chlorine into hydrochloric acid, and the Russians began to dissolve from the inside out. Because the soldiers had either no mask or a rudimentary version of one, the comrades had little to no protection when the fumes arrived at the fort. When the Germans triumphantly strutted over to the defense barrier and began to march towards the inner fortifications, they were met by a gruesome sight that would haunt their dreams forever. Instead of surrendering to the assault, the agonizing Russians decided to counterattack and fight for their country until their very last breaths. And thus ensued a terrible gory battle, where roughly 100 Russians charged at the 7,000 German soldiers with their bayonets. The Germans turned and ran away, terrified at the horde of melted-faced zombie-like men charging through the darkness and attacking mercilessly. This is the dire tale of the brave Russian soldiers who fought for their country despite being outnumbered and experiencing unimaginable physical pain. It's also a great reminder of why chemical warfare is banned all over the world. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The 10th Battalion of the 1st Australian Division was amongst the most feared fighting forces in the world leading up to World War 1. The Terrible Tenth, as they were known in the British Army, had proven their valor several times, with two of their men having received the coveted Victoria Cross. When they were recruited by Field Marshall Douglas Haig to raid the Celtic Wood, a deep forest within Flanders, Belgium, the 85-men crew accepted without hesitation. Everyone was shocked when the Terrible Tenth suffered so many losses. Even worse, 37 of the men were missing, and they would never be found. How could so many men belonging to one of the most fierce battalions disappear without a trace? Many wondered whether they had been abducted by Germans and lost in a mass graveyard. Others were convinced there was a supernatural element to the disappearances. The infamous Celtic Wood raid became known as the Australian Imperial Force's greatest mystery in the Great War. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The city of Ploiești, Romania, was better known during World War 2 as Hitler's gas station. The country produced a third of the Reich's oil supply, which made it a prime target for the Allies. At the beginning of 1943, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill, along with other key military leaders, met for the Casablanca Conference. In it, the Allies carefully outlined a surprise mission against Ploiești. The plan was to send 178 B-24 bombers to the city, flying at a low altitude to avoid German radar detection. Then, the aircraft would drop time delayed bombs over the unsuspecting town. The Germans, however, had fortified the city against any possible attack. Luftwaffe commander in the area, Colonel Alfred Gerstenberg, had hundreds of anti-aircraft guns, many of them hidden in rail cars and empty buildings, around Ploiești's refineries. Gerstenberg also summoned three Luftwaffe fighter units inside the city limits. Immediately after the operation began, the Allied B-24 formations discovered the challenges of flying in radio silence. The situation got so bad that the formations did not arrive in Ploiești simultaneously. Once over the city, they came upon Gerstenberg's unique traps... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Early in World War II, Japanese forces sank the USS Wahoo submarine with 79 men on board. Vice Admiral Charles Lockwood, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force commander, demanded retaliation. However, the Wahoo had been sunk in the Sea of Japan, and the US Navy was not quite ready to venture back into the heavily-mined Pacific waters controlled by the Japanese. The Navy’s submarines needed better equipment and tools for coordination. It would take two-years of research and development before a plan was hatched. A fleet of US submarines using an experimental and highly effective sonar system would penetrate the minefield and venture into the Sea of Japan to wreak havoc among their merchant vessels. If successful, the submarines could accelerate Japan's surrender before more American lives were lost. Operation Barney was launched in May of 1945, when a wolfpack of nine submarines was set loose on a hunt for revenge behind enemy lines... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs As the Persian Gulf War was coming to a close, the coalition forces against the Iraqi government aimed for one last push. Under Operation Desert Storm, American forces sought to attack the Iraqi military defending Baghdad, the country’s last stronghold and most heavily guarded area. Operation codename Package Q was the war’s largest airstrike, meant to destroy critical objectives before ground units could enter the city. The objectives included the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center near Baghdad, defensive zones where surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft guns were stationed, as well as barracks and other military depots. US forces were confident in their superior numbers, aircraft, and overall technology. Still, the Iraqi enemy defending its homeland was a force to be reckoned with. Package Q was launched on January 19, 1991. It had an unsatisfactory outcome, as it was neither a failure nor a success. Although Baghdad was heavily bombed, with hundreds of civilian and military casualties, the Iraqi nuclear research facility was not destroyed. Military analysts and personnel attributed Package Q's merely average results to a series of communication problems, sudden changes of strategy, and an accumulation of minor mishaps. This combination of factors proved that military superiority amounts to nothing when there is no coordination between the parties involved. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Operation Ripper, or the Fourth Battle of Seoul, was a United Nations military campaign meant to eliminate as many enemies as possible and recapture Seoul from the hands of the communist armies of China and Northern Korea. The plan was conceived by General Matthew Ridgway of the US Eighth Army. The main objective of the operation was to push the Chinese and Korean troops back to the 38th Parallel, the place where the war originally began in 1950. In a press conference, General Ridgway said that regaining the Parallel would stop the encroachment of communism in Korea and would therefore be, [QUOTE]: "a tremendous victory." Operation Ripper was formally launched on March 6, 1951, with a combined force of American, South Korean, and other UN units. The campaign began with the largest artillery bombardment of the three-year-long war. Instead of making a direct assault across the Han river to recapture Seoul, UN forces encircled the city through a series of flanking attacks that overwhelmed the Chinese and Korean enemy soldiers, forcing them to withdraw. At the end of March 1951, UN forces reached the 38th Parallel alongside the South Korean forces. They managed to advance an average of 30 miles from their starting lines. American forces could have gone further, but General Ridgway did precisely what the United Nations Mandate ordered. Secure the border with North Korea. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On the morning of 8 September 1944, Germany introduced a new secret weapon to its already deadly WW2 arsenal. It came out of nowhere and caused a massive explosion in Paris. There was nothing to compare it to. The weapon was part of Germany's Wunderwaffe, its miracle weapons program, created in a last-ditch effort to shift the war's balance in the Third Reich's favor. The V2 rocket, nicknamed the Retribution Weapon 2, was the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile. No defensive systems of the time could do anything to counter the weapon, and V2s rarely failed to reach their targets. They were extremely fast, powerful, and precise. The Allied forces, desperate to find an effective way to counter the V2's sheer effectiveness, realized that there was only one way to avoid further destruction. The solution was destroying the secret German military bases where they were assembled. Operation Crossbow's objective was simple. Find the enemy bases where the V2s were located and blow them to smithereens. But things weren't going to be that easy. The Allies soon realized that there were not two, or four, or 10 research facilities, but more than 50 scattered all over Europe. A race against time was undertaken to destroy them all before the bombs could disrupt American supply lines in France. Everything seemed lost to the Allies until an innovative method created by the British Intelligence seemed to offer hope. Cutting-edge 3D photography would reveal where the V2 launch sites were hidden... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On an evening of June 1917, a group of reporters gathered at the Western Front to get the latest information about a massive offensive the British Command was about to launch. Excited, British Major General Charles Harington told them [QUOTE]: "Gentlemen, I do not know whether we shall change history tomorrow. But we shall certainly alter the geography." For nearly two years, British miners had worked non-stop, burrowing under German lines near the Belgian village of Messines. Vast kilometers of intricate and deep tunnels were dug to be packed with thousands of pounds of explosives. On June 7, 1917, 19 enormous mines buried below the German line in the Messines ridge were detonated. The result was an escalated series of explosions that sent kilometric amounts of soil, concrete, and soldiers up into the air. The blasts were so massive that they could be heard in France and England. This was the Great War's most lethal explosion: over 10,000 German soldiers perished in less than 5 minutes. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs During the five grim years of World War 2, all of the countries involved created an effective propaganda system that portrayed enemy soldiers as monsters who deserved nothing more than death. British, American, German, Russian, and Japanese army departments were tasked with creating a false reality where stereotypes, racism, and discrimination were used to humiliate the enemy and increase the hatred between adversaries. However, the reality of war was often different. On the Western Front, enemies were mostly treated with respect, according to old laws of war. Although it may seem unlikely, acts of honor and soldier camaraderie depicting the ancient Warrior Ethos were no strange thing to the Second World War soldiers. Especially among air force pilots, mutual respect and acts of honor shared by aviators resembled the medieval acts of chivalry. A young 21-year-old USAF pilot, Charlie Brown, experienced first-hand the virtuous conduct exhibited by a Luftwaffe pilot during a bombing raid when his B-17 bomber was severely damaged and about to go down. After the German pilot, Franz Stigler, realized the American crew was defenseless, he took the dangerous decision of escorting the aircraft to safety across German-controlled territory. It was an almost unbelievable tale of two pilots that met each other as enemies in the skies of WW2, survived, and died as best friends and real kamaraden. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On the night of May 1918, Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts were patrolling a bridge on the Argonne Forest's western side. Johnson, a black American soldier, had been dispatched to France in 1918 to aid the French Army in its battle against the Germans. When his companion fell asleep, Johnson began hearing a strange noise that only became louder with time. When Roberts refused to wake up, Johnson started preparing his weapons, including a French bayonet and an American bolo knife. His suspicions were proved right when he noticed several German soldiers approaching them. Johnson was terrified. But instead of running, he decided to fight. And thus ensued a battle of one American man against dozens of German soldiers. Johnson's one-man army took out four soldiers and wounded many, many more. Although Johnson's story is one of true courage and heroism, history condemned him to oblivion for many years because of the color of his skin. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords, which ended the Vietnam War, was signed. However, on February 5, 1973, the Baron 52, an electronic warfare C-47 aircraft, began a covert and illegal mission to locate North Vietnamese tanks traveling southbound and monitor movement on the Ho Chi Minh trail. Aboard were two teams: the flight crew and a group of technology specialists. En route, the aircraft was hit by anti-missile fire. After notifying the control tower, the plane went missing, and half of the crew was never found. Even 4 decades later, many, including some of the men's family members, still believe that the remaining four airmen were captured by the North Vietnamese and possibly even sent to the USSR to be tortured. Is the mystery of the Baron 52 an unfortunate accident? Or did the U.S government bury what could be the last case of prisoners of war taken by Vietnam? - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs During World War I, Germany created havoc in the seas by unconventional means. The German U-boats, or submarines, sent tons of Allied war material to the bottom of the ocean in such a practical approach that the US and its allies could not keep up with the production line of new supplies other nations desperately needed. Eventually, the US, Great Britain, and other countries realized that the submarine, although slow and clunky at times, was a useful war asset. During World War 2, the Kriegsmarine continued to make fair use of the U-boat fleet, conducting a naval blockade all over Europe that forced the Allies to be cautious at sea. Nonetheless, since the original submarines were put afloat for the first time, there have only been two registered encounters of two of them clashing in a combat zone. The first one occurred in World War I, when U-27 sank the British E3. The submarine was destroyed, but the crew was saved. The second one had a more sinister ending in February 1945 when a U-boat carrying a secret cargo on its way to Japan was intercepted by British submarines dispatched to eliminate it. When both submarines were in range of each other, a short battle followed underwater, with the vehicles fully submerged. The skirmish jeopardized a secret mission whose objective was to help the Japanese Army with the latest German technologies to fight the Americans in the Pacific. Aboard U-864, the Germans carried prototype weapon designs along with German and Japanese scientists and a significant quantity of liquid mercury for transport to Japan. It was Operation Caesar, and it was the Reich's last attempt at trying to win the war against the Allied forces. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In 1953, almost three years into the Korean War, China, North Korea, and the United Nations Command had finally advanced in armistice negotiations. Previous talks had dragged on for many months, and there was still avid discussion on prisoners of war exchanges and the border demarcation between the two Koreas. As these negotiations took place, Pork Chop Hill became one of many hill outposts defended along the U.N.'s main line of resistance, used by both sides to gain political leverage. The outpost, which had significant propaganda value, was protected by single companies or platoons in bunkers connected by trenches. During the spring and summer of 1953, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the United Nations, primarily backed up by U.S. forces, fought two bloody battles to control Pork Chop Hill. Each side won one of the engagements. The events at Pork Chop Hill are historically regarded with great controversy because of the significant number of lost soldiers over no strategic military advantage. Over 1,700 men from both sides perished on the second battle for the hill, mere days before the armistice was signed. The battle for Pork Chop Hill is an inspiring tale of bravery from the soldiers defending the outpost. However, it's also a grim reminder of the value given to propaganda over human lives. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In April of 1979, people from the Soviet city of Sverdlovsk began falling strangely ill with inexplicable symptoms. Soviet intelligence is believed to have covered-up the true number of casualties. When the Kremlin sent scientists and military officials to investigate the zone, they concluded it was contaminated meat from the local cattle. But it was not. The USSR hid the truth from its population and the world. Eventually, word got out. What truly happened, whistleblowers said, was an accident at a clandestine biological weapons laboratory that liberated deadly anthrax spores that contaminated Sverdlovsk's air. It was an omission that cost the Soviet military the secrecy of its top-secret biological warfare projects. And at the height of the Cold War, during the aggressive Regan administration, the USSR could not afford the luxury of having its secret military programs exposed. Thus, the accident was buried deep in propaganda. After the accident occurred, Soviet officials took over the zone and closed the city. The military has been patrolling the area until this very day.... Many suspect that Russia still continues to test deadly pathogens and other hazardous materials at the site. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to https://www.keeps.com/darkdocs to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment. The mission was daunting: rescue approximately sixty American prisoners of war from the Son Tay prison near Hanoi, North Vietnam. A special task force of the USAF trained for several weeks for the raid. It was the first major military operation to be conducted under the direct control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Rank and service branch wouldn't matter. Only the best of the best with extensive combat experience would be selected. After thousands of hours of training, the mission was pulled-off with near flawless execution. There was just one problem... when the rescuers arrived, no one was there.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The Battle of Hürtgen Forest, known in Germany as Schlacht in Hürtgenwald, is the most extended single Battle the US Army has ever fought. It was composed of a series of ambushes, skirmishes, and offensives in the Hürtgen Forest on the Belgian-German border between September 19 and December 16 of 1944. The US's goal was to keep the Germans busy from reinforcing the units fighting in the Battle of Aachen. Additionally, American troops were tasked with capturing Schmidt and Monschau, paving the way for venturing into the heartland. American author Ernest Hemingway, a reporter for a magazine at the time, and friend of Col. Lanham, an American officer who took part in the clash, described the Battle as "Passchendaele with tree bursts." As a WW1 veteran himself, he recalled the grim encounter of 1917 in which British and Canadian forces suffered more than 300,000 casualties in gaining a little more than a five-mile salient. In Hürtgen Forest, the Americans suffered nearly the same fate. Surrounded by overgrown darkness and attacked by the cold weather, they paid with blood every inch of ground they took from the last German defenders of the Reich. Many Allied soldiers believed the Battle was useless because it had no clear strategic purpose from the very beginning. It was a failure that cost more than 30,000 unnecessary lives in the US. The admirable German resistance shown during the fierce encounters was a prelude of what was to come with every future Battle the Americans would face as they approached Berlin. American GIs referred to the three months of continuous combat as the Green Hell that almost broke US troops' morale on the Western Front. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs September 1st, 1983, was a tense day for the Soviet regime. A military experiment was about to begin in USSR territory. The army was conducting ground, air, and sea operations to ensure its total secrecy. Everything seemed on track along the Soviet border when a mysterious foreign aircraft was spotted near Sakhalin Island, north of Japan. After futile attempts to establish contact with the unknown aircraft, Maj, Gennadiy Osipovich, aboard his SU-15 fighter, was assigned to take it down. Recent reports of US recon planes scouting the zone put the USSR under alarm. It was not about to allow the secret military project to be compromised. When Major. Gennadiy Osipovich approached the unidentified aircraft to fire warning shots, no response came from the plane. Instead, it suddenly began to climb, slowing its speed, as if it wanted to avoid contact and flee. After a moment of hesitation, fearing that the enemy airplane would escape with valuable intel, Maj. Osipovich was given permission to open fire and take it down no matter the cost. With an audacious maneuver, he fired two AA-3 air-to-air missiles. One of them exploded behind the target, damaging a crucial control line. The second one hit the aircraft in the fuselage. Maj. Osipovich radioed Command that the enemy recon plane was destroyed, and he safely returned to base. The sky was clear, and the USSR's secrets were safe. But to Major. Osipovich's disgrace, neither he nor the Russian Command knew that they had just taken down a civilian aircraft carrying more than 250 innocent people inside. The consequences of this action would put the world on the brink of nuclear war once again. The Russians would claim it was a set-up and a deliberate political provocation, while the US would condemn it as a cruel act of barbarism. Intelligence gathered later demonstrated more to the story than a simple unidentified aircraft flying across Russian territory… The Korean Air Lines Flight 007 Incident would be considered one of the final denouements of Cold War fear before the USSR finally crumbled in 1991…

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to https://www.keeps.com/darkdocs to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment. The Allied invasion of Vichy French North Africa in 1942, known as Operation Torch, was the first mass involvement of U.S. troops in the European-North African Theatre and the first major airborne assault carried out by the U.S. This was a complex and daring operation. It intended to draw Axis forces away from the Eastern Front. The goal was to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union, adding additional political tension. The American troops were led by the warship USS Ranger, as well as four escort carriers. Morocco's defenses included French destroyers, submarines, and a rather old battleship that eventually sank. The French equipment was being manned by Vichy French forces that collaborated politically with the Germans but strained to stay militarily neutral in the face of Nazi occupation and Allied encroachment. In a surprising and quite ironic turn of events, they also had more than a hundred American built planes, such as Douglas DB-7s, Martin 167 Baltimore light bombers, and Curtiss H-75A fighters, that had been supplied to the fallen French republic. In this operation, American planes would be fighting American planes. The British initially felt that the American landing in northern Europe was premature and would eventually lead to disaster at that stage of the war. However, the invasion of Vichy French North Africa accomplished much for the Allies. The operation allowed American and British forces to seize the offensive after three arduous years of German and Italian troops dictating events' tempo. It changed the course of the war. This iconic battle of World War 2 turned out to be more important than it initially was thought.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs WWII was near its end. Germany had just surrendered in Europe. Berlin was encircled and in ruin. Nonetheless, the once-proud Empire of the Rising Sun, now battered and overwhelmed by the U.S. in Asia and the Pacific Ocean, still posed a threat to the Allied forces. America was still unsure of using its secret nuclear superweapon created in the Manhattan Project. The Battle for Okinawa, one of the bloodiest battles in USMC's history, loomed on the horizon while the U.S. was about to liberate the Philippines of Japanese occupation. It was a scorching summer day of May 1945 in the Pacific when a U.S. Air Force fighter formation was on a strike mission against a Japanese military convoy. When the objectives were identified, a squadron of P-47 Thunderbolts swooped down on the convoy. One of these fighters broke formation and went straight towards the Japanese in a veteran maneuver. Furiously, the lone P-47 rained down hell upon the military convoy, pouring his .50 caliber rounds into the trucks in a dangerous low-level pass that exposed it to enemy fire. With pinpoint accuracy, the aircraft hit all of the vehicles in a single run. Leaving a trail of fire and destruction behind, the pilot of the P-47 performed a celebratory victory roll, exposing himself once again to enemy fire. Over the intercom, a U.S. pilot shouted (QUOTE): "Look at that crazy Mexican," when he noticed the performance. It was none other than Lt. Reynaldo Pérez Gallardo, one of the 300 impulsive and brave volunteer Mexican pilots of the Legendary "Escuadrón 201", the Aztec Eagles who went to war against the Empire of Japan during WWII.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The young lieutenant noticed that the gun's hits did more damage than expected, as dark clouds of smoke continued to emerge from the aircraft. Although scattered through the region, the German AA guns still posed a threat to the American bomber formations in Yugoslavia. The bombing of the objectives was successful, but the cost to pay was the loss of some B-24 bombers that caught the fire of the Anti-Aircraft guns. One of those unfortunate B-24's was commanded by Lt. Thomas Oliver and his crew. He growled as he felt the ruggedness of the aircraft's controls and a sudden convulsion of the B-24. The third engine was now gone. The crew was not returning to Italy airborne anymore. It was time to retrieve, he thought. He hit the crew alarm button and yelled through the intercom: "Bailout, everybody! Bailout!" AA fire intensified as well as the smoke floating around the ship. The crew began to exit the B-24 without hesitation. Lt. Oliver let go of the wheel in a furious dash and ran for the escape hatch. Next thing he was parachuting to the unknown, watching how his warhorse, his B-24, slammed the ground and exploded in bursts of flames and debris. He was nervous about what was going to happen next. He had just landed in enemy territory, where everything could go sideways with militias that patrolled the area fighting for both the Allies and the Axis during World War II. It was a coin flip that could end his life anytime. Fortunate for him, he landed on top of a farm where a generous Serbian family offered him shelter. But not all of his men would receive the same fate. He had to gather them up in the unknown territory. Like him, other 500 airmen had found themselves parachuting into a combat zone where they did not know their faiths. They all thought their fate was sealed. They had lost hope. But little they knew that the US Air Force, through the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor of the CIA and Special Forces, was preparing an ambitious classified operation to save all the men lost behind enemy lines. Operation Halyard was formed, and it had one purpose only: No man left behind.

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! Imagine crawling your way through a seemingly never-ending series of foreign underground tunnels, armed only with a flashlight, a knife, and a small pistol. For the Vietnam War tunnel rats, these missions formed part of their day-to-day lives. Hundreds of fearless American and Australian soldiers were chosen by the Army specifically for this task. They were selected not only due to their short stature and svelte physiques but also due to their intrepidness and attention to detail. Gathering enemy intelligence and disarming bombs inside these underground structures came with plenty of risks. The booby traps the North Vietnamese Army used against them have gone down in history as some of the most ingenious yet terrifying methods of defense...

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The Vietnam War was a testing ground for American military technology. But one particular operation received significant funds... and was kept a very big secret. From 1968 to 1973, the military spent nearly $1 billion a year on a modern, computer-powered initiative to win the war. As most secret operations do, the plan went by many names, including Practice Nine, Muscle Shoals, Illinois City and Dye Marker. Today it's known as Operation Igloo White. For almost five years, camouflaged electronic sensors, which were supposed to look like artificial vegetation, were dropped along the nearly 10,000 miles that comprised the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These secret electronic monitors detected and transmitted enemy movements along the Trail to aircraft that patrolled the area. The pilots would then relay the data to air bases in Thailand. Targeted strikes, however, wouldn't occur then and there. Instead, the data was fed into two supercomputers in a 200,000-square-foot facility to generate predictions about where along the Ho Chi Minh Trail the Viet Cong would appear next. It was the first real-time, computer-driven surveillance operation program set up for combat. And it was hoped that it would be the U.S. military's own version of "The Minority Report"...

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs It was not an easy task to hunt down Kriegsmarine U-boats. The grey wolves of the Atlantic knew precisely when to attack and when to hide from its prey. It was even harder to destroy U-boat pens scattered in the French coasts and the Northern Sea. From the beginning of the war in 1939 through the end of 1942, Allied forces had only neutralized 150 U-boats, roughly three per month. In contrast, the Germans had a success rate of sinking 20 ships of roughly 180,000 tons per month. The British were desperate for a solution. They could not withstand losing any more ships and essential supplies at the hands of the stealthy U-boat hunters. Conventional bombs had little effect against the massive concrete structures of the Kriegsmarine submarine pens. The RAF made futile bombing raids that always had the same outcome. A U-boat pen's roof could withstand the impact of 7,000 pounds bombs, more than any Allied aircraft could carry at that time. As ideas ran short of putting an end to the German threat at sea, a peculiar animated film from Walt Disney's company inspired the Royal Navy to begin working on a bomb that could penetrate the thickness of German bunkers. The Britons decided to baptize this warhead with the source of their inspiration. They called it the Disney Bomb …

American historian Samuel Eliot Morison once said: "If Tinian in the Pacific was the perfect amphibious operation on a small scale, Operation Dragoon was the nearly faultless one on a large scale." Operation Dragoon, initially known as Anvil, was a successful Allied operation that occurred in southern France in August 1944. It was initially going to be executed simultaneously with the landings of Normandy in June 1944, but logistical problems ensured it was not possible. Unlike other operations of that year, such as Overlord and Market Garden, historians have relegated Dragoon to darkness, as if these second D-Day landings had less importance for military historiography. To do so is a mistake because the operation itself revealed how the relations between the US and the British changed as the years passed by. Dragoon showed the political and military differences each country had during the penultimate year of the war, especially regarding the topic of the advance into the heart of Germany, which was a problem that also caused controversy among US Generals on their approach to Berlin. These problems persisted in postwar analysis about the operation, with many historians postulating that if Dragoon had taken a different turn, with a landing in the Balkans instead of France - the Cold War that followed could have started with Eastern Europe on the other side of the Iron Curtain…

When officials from the Manhattan Project and the United States Army Air Forces were looking for a base for a planned atomic bomb attack on Japan, they decided to look amongst the Mariana Island group. Eventually, they settled on Tinian, an island in the Pacific coincidently shaped just like Manhattan. Tinian, once under the control of Spain and Japan, was the place where the atomic bombs were assembled and from where the B-29 Superfortress bombers departed towards Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The island was positioned strategically close to mainland Japan, as the round trip was only 3,000 miles long. Thanks to the diligent work of the Navy’s Seabees Construction Battalions, it also had multiple runways. It became the base of the 509th Composite Group, responsible for delivering the atomic bombs Little Boy and Fat Man. But before Tinian could be used as an atomic staging area, the parts to assemble the devices had to get there first. The task was left to the USS Indianapolis, a heavy-cruiser sent on a top-secret mission to deliver the enriched uranium and other parts that would belong to Little Boy. It would be a mission fraught with peril, as Japanese submarines still stalked the surrounding seas...

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In 1920, Germans and the world alike would have found it extremely unlikely to see any positive German-Russian relationships, especially of military cooperation, forming after the Treaty of Versailles the year before. But the truth is that in the snowy hills of Russia, covered by the imposing Ural Mountains, the Germans established various military facilities to raise an army on enemy soil that would end up being the most effective armed forces in the history of mankind to this day. In exchange, the ineffective and outdated Russian Army would be trained by German experts. The Germans would teach the Russians the design secrets of their most advanced prototypes, such as tanks, planes, as well as advanced infantry tactics. It was a treaty of mutual interests that set the foundation of World War 2. Every day, Germans and Russians worked closely together for over a decade, conducting military operations and testing prototypes in Western Russia. Their operations were kept secret from Western powers throughout the 1920s. The cooperation would remain hidden until Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the most ambitious military offensive the world had ever seen. The Invasion of Russia was the culmination of on-going distrust, despite the military entanglements, among the German National-Socialists and Russian Communists. They were two foes that, for decades, learned each other's weaknesses and strengths, and the two ideologies were ready to go to war under one law: the survival of the fittest... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Coming next year - Dark Space - subscribe now: https://bit.ly/dark5space Dark Space is our newest channel and will feature the mysterious and little told stories of US, Soviet, and global space exploration from the dawn of the space race to today... all in the cinematic short documentary format we love to create. Subscribe today, and feel free to reach out with your own suggestions for new stories that you want us to bring to life. Thanks as always for your support. As the Apollo 11 mission began its descent toward the lunar surface, astronaut Neil Armstrong’s heart pumped at a mere 75 beats per minute... just in line with the average American sitting on their couch back home. The astonishing calm wouldn’t last, however... Shortly before touching down, the Lunar Module filled with alarms as the crew overshot their designated landing point, and the craft began to run out of fuel. Armstrong would have to take over manual control, with the fate of the mission and the hopes of millions in his hands. The adrenaline would push Armstrong’s heart rate to 150. And then, with the hard part of the way, Armstrong could relax slightly. About to become the first man to step onto another world, his heart beat at 125 beats per minute. The story of Apollo 11, as seen through the heart rates of its astronauts, is incredibly fascinating and provides an untold behind the scenes glimpse of the mission to put the first man on the Moon...

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries Pictured: Little did the Germans know what secret awaited them inside the ship... Operation Chariot has been considered the most significant raid in British military history. The amphibious attack had little chance of success. Still, the British Commandos assigned to the mission were confident in their abilities. The objective was to destroy the heavily defended dry dock of St. Nazaire in Northern France. 600 commandos, accompanied by a modified WWI destroyer, that resembled a German vessel, made their way to the dock with a secret meticulously hidden from German eyes. 215 raiders would be captured, and the mission seemed like a failure... But little did the Germans know that HMS Campbeltown was stuffed with tons of explosives, timed to go off only several hours later…

Pictured: The waist blister turret of prototype bomber XB-17, which was not adopted in the final design of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Armed to the teeth, journalists remarked that it looked like a "Flying Fortress." The Boeing Model 299 was a prototype for the B-17 Flying Fortress, a bomber widely used by the U.S Army Air Corps during World War II. The plane was an astonishing gamble built entirely at the company's expense. While the Army Air Corps had requested proposals for a mere twin-engine bomber, Boeing came to them with a total of four, blasting 750 horsepower each. And the plane was massive - the largest land-based airplane built at that time. As soon as it was revealed to the press, a journalist nicknamed it "The Flying Fortress," thanks to the distinct gun mount on the nose and the defensive machine guns placed along the fuselage. The bomber outperformed other prototypes that competed against it for the government contract. Air Corps officials were thrilled with it, despite its hefty production price. It was practically a fact that Model 299 would be the winning proposal. However, this extraordinary prototype was destroyed during an evaluation flight, which resulted in the loss of the test flight pilot and a Boeing employee. Because of the incident, Model 299 was disqualified from the competition. The fate of Boeing and the plans for what would become one of the most famous airplanes in the world nearly stalled with it.

Coming next year - Dark Space - subscribe now: https://bit.ly/dark5space Dark Space is our newest channel and will feature the mysterious and little told stories of US, Soviet, and global space exploration from the dawn of the space race to today... all in the cinematic short documentary format we love to create. Subscribe today, and feel free to reach out with your own suggestions for new stories that you want us to bring to life. Thanks as always for your support. “You hear that? That whistling sound? Boy, that sure is weird music.” That’s what Apollo 10 astronaut Eugene Cernan asked his two crewmates as they heard some eerie music-like sounds emanating from the far side of the Moon. Launched in May 1969, the Apollo 10 was to serve as a dress rehearsal for the actual moon landing mission. Its primary purpose was to test all the components and procedures that would later be used on Apollo 11. Not much was publicly known about the mission, other than that it went fairly smoothly. But mystifying material on the mission was released decades later. The captured video and sound include shaky footage of the vehicles, static-filled cutaways, and a whistling incident, described by the astronauts as extremely unsettling. Decades later, the cause of the strange sounds is still unclear...

With tensions growing between the Soviet Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the 1950s, Allied commanders were desperate to find a way to counter the Soviets, who seemingly outmatched NATO in conventional military power along the Iron Curtain. For a short time, the U.S. believed it was prepared to defend Europe with the placement of nuclear-armed B-29s in England. But when the Soviets detonated their own atomic bomb in 1949, the calculus changed dramatically. NATO needed more firepower, and it needed it fast. In 1950, Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray came out swinging and argued for [QUOTE] “a fundamental and immediate change in emphasis based on the realization that strategic bombing will not hold Western Europe or defeat Russia.” The U.S. aimed to push the battle lines forward and prepared for an aggressive counteroffensive to strike the Soviets in Eastern Europe should the Soviets make any moves towards the West. The deployment of tactical nukes was suddenly on the table - the only question was how to deliver the weapons. The F-84 fighter jet was initially chosen for this task, but it would soon be replaced with something even faster: North American’s F-100 Super Sabre - the U.S. first fighter capable of supersonic speeds. They would be placed on Quick Reaction Alert, or as the pilots and crew called it: “Victor Alert.” In the event that their mission was activated, it would be a one-way trip...

This specific poplar tree was a problem for the United Nations Command. Standing at 80-feet tall, it obstructed the view of a checkpoint at the mouth of the Bridge of No Return, the most volatile area of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. American soldiers, accompanied by South Korean civilians armed with axes and equipment for trimming the tree, set out of the Joint Security Area to execute the deed. They had no idea what they were about to unleash. What followed was bizarre. North Korean guards, armed with poles and axes, arrived at the area near the tree and attacked the group of soldiers and civilians before they could defend themselves. None of the 15 men that ventured into the DMZ thought that the world would be set ablaze, at the brink of a Nuclear Apocalypse, over a poplar tree in Korea’s border.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs As the Vietnam War reached a crossroads, the U.S. army had important decisions to make if they wanted to tip the scale back to their side. All options were on the table - both conventional and unconventional. And among the most unusual plots was Operation Popeye, launched in an attempt to weaken the Ho Chi Minh trail, the Viet Cong’s most vital mechanism supply flow tool. To accomplish this, the U.S. would turn the weather into a weapon of war. Operation Popeye utilized cloud seeding technology - a type of weather modification that artificially creates rain or snow. With it, the U.S. military extended at least five monsoon seasons, causing detrimental effects to the unknowing Vietnamese citizens and soldiers. The mission spanned five years and cost taxpayers over 15 million dollars. Despite multiple hearings in Congress, military officers, even President Nixon himself, denied it existed at all. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 3,000+ documentaries! In World War 2, the air battle was a complicated game. There were plenty of factors that helped determine its outcome: sufficient ammunition, superior horsepower, close teamwork, and sometimes just sheer luck. On Tuesday, January 11, 1944, the U.S Air Force 401st Bomb Group was attacked by a mass of Luftwaffe fighters while on their way back from a strike on a German Me 110 manufacturing plant. After emerging from the enemy fire, the pilots could not believe their eyes. They spotted a single P-51 Mustang chasing off nearly 30 marauding German airplanes for 30 minutes as they attempted to destroy the Allied bombers. Everyone wondered who the mysterious P-51 Mustang pilot was. He had taken-on the German Luftwaffe by himself and saved the 401st Bomb Group from disaster. Soon after analyzing the bomber group's battle footage, the world discovered the hero's identity. His name was James Howard, the only American P-51 Mustang fighter pilot in the World War 2 European Theater to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He was also the only U.S. pilot to ace both the European and the Pacific skies. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to https://www.keeps.com/darkdocs to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment. (Technically the "Army Air Corps") ... They thought they had won the exercise, and they thought victory was in their grasp. The Navy, as usual, was still superior to the Air Force when it came to defending the coasts of the country. At least, this is what the Navy sailors thought as they contemplated the rainy sky from the deck. The Air Force bombers had failed to find their ship. The exercise would be over in less than 10 minutes, and there was no way they could possibly find them. They were wrong. But as the sailors celebrated an anticipated victory, dark shadows emerged from the grayish clouds. Spotting their prey at the very last instant, B-17 and B-18 bombers, led by emerging Air Force legend, Curtis LeMay, flew straight to the USS Utah and bombed it from an altitude of 400 feet with water bombs supplied by the Navy itself. That day, August 13, 1937, during Joint Air Exercise Number 4, the Navy got a taste of what was to come from the Air Corps, as a new rivalry between these two branches of the United States Armed Forces was about to begin. In the middle of this grudge was the best pilot America had to offer: Curtis LeMay, the man who would humble the Navy again at the Wargames of 1938. The sailors would eventually be defeated, not once, or twice, but three times, by the courageous pilot. And this was a humiliation the Navy could not tolerate. They would try to hide it.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On December 7th, 1941, Japanese pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi was flying his Mitsubishi Zero over the Pacific Ocean. The 22-year-old was escorting the bomber jets of the second wave of attack on Pearl Harbor, which targeted the Army airbase of Bellows Field. On their way back to the aircraft carrier, the Japanese group was met by a squadron of American P-36 Hawks. Although the Mitsubishi Zeros were a far superior aircraft, they no longer had the element of surprise on their side. Nishikaichi was hit immediately after taking down a Hawk. The fuel tank of the aircraft started leaking profoundly through a bullet hole. The carrier was over 200 miles away, and the plane wasn’t going to make it. Nishikaichi had to perform an emergency landing on whichever island was closest to him. The Japanese fighter pilot thought he had crash-landed on a deserted Hawaiian island, but he was wrong. He was about to incite a violent rebellion… one which has remained in relative obscurity until recently. It was a frightening incident of an enemy soldier running amok on American soil and an event that would contribute to the eventual incarceration of thousands of Japanese-Americans living in the United States... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs At the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were in the midst of an arms race to develop advanced and experimental weaponry. An emphasis was placed on missile-mounted nuclear devices. A key to this strategy was ensuring that these missiles had an adequate range to strike their targets. Finding strategically optimal locations would be essential, and creating bases that could hide nuclear weapons became a priority. During that period, both countries erected secret military facilities across the globe to get closer to their enemy. Project Iceworm was a U.S. codename for constructing one of those covert military bases in Thule, Greenland. It was one of many Cold War-era classified operations that remained a secret until recently. The top-secret nuclear missile launch site was constructed in the middle of a frozen wasteland. It was named Camp Century, and it began operating in 1960. However, unstable ice conditions soon began to crush everything built underground… including the nuclear reactor that powered it... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On January 1st, 1945, the Allied Air Forces welcomed the New Year with an unexpected, low-level attack from the Luftwaffe. Named Operation Baseplate, or Operation Bodenplatte, the German attack launched 850 fighters and bombers against 17 Allied airfields in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. The goal of Baseplate was to achieve air superiority by taking advantage of sleeping and hungover Allied soldiers. The fighters sought to destroy or critically damage as many runways, hangars, and aircraft as possible. This operation was initially planned for mid-December 1944. But bad weather delayed it several times until January 1st, 1945. Secrecy for Operation Baseplate was so tight that not all German officers were informed of the plan. This terrible organization ultimately led to one of the most remarkable self-inflicted blunders of World War 2 when the Germans mistakenly shot down fighters from over 25% of their air units. Of the event, General der Jagdflieger, Adolf Galland, would say, [QUOTE] "We sacrificed our last substance." - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In the U.S Coast Guard's over 200-year-old history, only one of its members has ever been awarded the Medal of Honor. Signalman First Class Douglas Munro earned the decoration posthumously in September 1942 at Guadalcanal, one of the most arduous and dangerous campaigns in the Pacific Theatre during World War 2. Munro's role was to serve as a signalman and coxswain leading Marines ashore, but when asked to go above and beyond during a landing at Lunga Points, Munro reportedly responded [QUOTE], "Hell, yes!" Munro was instructed to retrieve besieged Marines trapped on the beach by a fierce Japanese assault. Without hesitation, he piloted his landing craft into a defensive position and manned a .30 caliber machine gun to lay down suppressing fire as other boats extracted the stranded Marines. And when one of the landing crafts got stuck on a sandbar, Munro swung his own ship directly in the line of fire as a shield between the Marines and the Japanese forces as they stormed the beach... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The first 1000 people to click the link will get a FREE Skillshare Premium membership: https://skl.sh/darkdocs0720. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for creative and curious people. Explore new skills, develop existing interests, and get lost in creativity. It's the night of February 10th, 1970, and Viet Cong soldiers are hiding deep within the Hau Niga Province in South Vietnam. Suddenly, funeral music and shrill whines are heard blasting from the U.S. Army's Fire Support Base Chamberlain. These sounds weren't really the sounds of a Vietnamese soldier moaning from the beyond. However, it was meant to pass as such. The audio was fabricated by U.S. forces as part of a psychological warfare strategy called Operation Wandering Soul. The objective was to terrorize the enemies and force them to flee from their position. Some American soldiers agree it's likely the Viet Cong saw right through the ruse. However, it still managed to demoralize and terrify not only the enemy but also U.S. forces. Wandering Soul is one fascinating example of the psychological operations the United States implemented during the Vietnam War. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs During the Vietnam War, the container ship USS Mayaguez was seized by the Communist Party of Kampuchea’s troops, better known as the Khmer Rouge. The crew wasn’t hurt, and there was no apparent reason for the seizing of the ship. But the Ford administration wasn’t willing to allow international embarrassment at the hands of a country that they considered an insignificant enemy. This was no ordinary rescue mission; freeing the USS Mayaguez became an issue of national prestige. After a one day battle on the island of Koh Tang, the Khmer Rouge freed the ship and the crew of the Mayaguez. But this came at a tremendous human cost. Although the rescue mission was considered an act of triumph in the United States, there were 41 casualties. It would be the last battle of the Vietnam War, and three of the rescuers would be the final names inscribed on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs During the Korean War, the North American F-86 Sabre was the only jet that could match the MiG-15 in performance. While the Sabre was technologically superior to its Soviet counterpart, the MiG-15 still often outmaneuvered and outgunned the U.S fighter. American engineers believe that if they had the opportunity to test and analyze the MiG, they might be able to enhance the Sabre's ability to combat it. With that mindset, the U.S approved "Operation Moolah," which offered 100,000 U.S. dollars (nearly $1 million today) to the enemy pilot who defected from the Communists forces and provided the U.S. with a MiG-15 in good condition. President Eisenhower saw the campaign as unethical but still went forward with placing the plan in newspaper headlines. Operation Moolah was mostly unsuccessful for multiple reasons, including its lack of appeal to pilots in Communist countries, who were more interested in being offered jobs than money. However, the reward was eventually cashed in by a pilot who defected after the Korean Armistice Agreement. He didn't even know about Operation Moolah or the cash prize that awaited him. He was just looking for a better life in the West, and in return, he provided the U.S with a MiG-15 in perfect shape... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 2,000+ documentaries! Join with your Dark Docs link and search for "Vietnam War." In the early 1970s, U.S. intelligence first picked up evidence of a reckless and incredibly skillful Vietnamese pilot by monitoring enemy radios. His name was Colonel Tomb, and he was considered the best pilot of the North Vietnamese Airforce. Some said he had downed as many as 14 American aircraft and had earned ace status. Stories about this legendary pilot spread far and wide during the war. This notoriety prompted General William Momyer to make downing Tomb a high priority for the Air Force. He sent several missions out to hunt for the pilot, but none of them were successful. Then, in May 1972, Colonel Tomb and his MiG-17, with the number 3020, were supposedly taken down in one of the war's most memorable dogfights. The story has been retold many times, but this intriguing figure in airpower history may have never existed at all... Tomb wasn't just a legend. He was a myth. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs On December 5, 1945, fourteen experienced pilots took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The men, aboard five U.S. Navy Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, were participating in a combat and navigation training exercise. After flying into a heavy cloud cover, the Lieutenant in charge of the operation reported that his compasses were malfunctioning. He warned the other pilots that he was disoriented, but they kept flying further away from shore and over the Atlantic. Suddenly, no further radio transmissions were received back at base. The group of bombers, collectively known as Flight 19, were never heard of again. A PBM Mariner flying boat sent out to search for the squadron also went missing. What happened to all six aircraft has led to wide speculation. The most famous theory is that Flight 19 disappeared within the Bermuda Triangle, an area in the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of airplanes are believed to have been lost. The fact remains that decades later, no trace has been found of Flight 19 or of the PBM Mariner crew after their disappearance. Without evidence of the wreckage or the crewmen's fate, it's impossible to know what actually happened to them… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The Battle of Chosin Reservoir marked a prominent moment in the Korean War. During the 17 days of fierce battle amidst freezing weather, 30,000 United Nations Command troops were surrounded by 120,000 People's Volunteer Army soldiers from China. These men were under direct orders from Mao Zedong to destroy the United Nations' forces... The U.S. troops found themselves in the middle of the harshest winter recorded during the war. They were out of supplies, and their guns had frozen. Desperate for artillery, they placed their hope for survival on an artillery airdrop. But to their surprise, the one such drop contained nothing but Tootsie Rolls. The Chinese had the U.S. X Corps trapped, or so they thought. However, the U.S. would ultimately pull off a daring breakout to accomplish the "greatest evacuation movement by sea in U.S. military history." The battle has since become even more legendary thanks to tales about how the Tootsie Rolls actually saved the U.S. soldiers... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Visit the Aviation Unmanned Vehicle Museum: https://auvm.net/ Learn more about the AUVM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeGVGjLwTGI Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The so-called 1956 Battle of Palmdale was not a proud moment for the United States military. After a Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat drone went rogue, two F-89 Scorpion jets started a calamitous pursuit to destroy it. These state-of-the-art interceptors were armed with 208 rockets and carried cutting edge military targeting technology. Yet, even though their foe couldn’t fight back, the pilots of the jets couldn’t take the drone down. The Hellcat flew away from them without a scratch. In their attempt to destroy the drone, they did, however, leave a path of destruction through Palmdale, California. By sheer luck, no lives were lost during the incident, but it took 500 firefighters to deal with the aftermath of the chase... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought near the Philippines over several days with a number of different engagements. The combined conflict made it the largest naval battle of the Second World War, and by some estimates, the largest naval battle in history. More than 200,000 naval soldiers, auxiliary personnel, and officers were involved in the conflict between October 23d and 26th of 1944. The forces were mostly American and Australian on the Allied side against Imperial Japanese on the Axis side. The naval battle was to support the amphibious invasion of Leyte in an effort to force the Japanese from the Philippine Archipelago. Doing so would begin to isolate the Japanese Empire from much of the oil and raw materials fueling their war efforts. The battle is historically considered to have been divided into four separate fights: The Battle of Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle off Cape Engaño, and the Battle of Samar. Paramount among the battles was the engagement at Surigao Strait, where the US Seventh Fleet Support Force almost wholly destroyed Japan's "Southern Force." It would be the last battleship battle in history as the Japanese force, which included two battleships, attempted to run the gauntlet through a trap set by the Americans. The American force, including six battleships, awaited and managed to "cross the T" over the ragged Japanese line, completing the classic naval maneuver for the last time ever...

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 2,000+ documentaries! Search "Sinking a Destroyer" to find out which military branch is the best at sinking a warship. The stealth fighter jet F-117 Nighthawk was supposed to be invisible. Thanks to its sleek design and coating of radar-absorbent material, shooting down one of these American aircraft seemed an impossible feat. But in March of 1999, a few days into the NATO airstrikes over Yugoslavia, the Yugoair defenses located and brought down one of them down, making it the only F-117 lost to enemy action in its 26 years of operation. For an army that relied on mostly obsolete technology successfully brought down a highly advanced stealth aircraft, it was a stunningly strategic coup pulled off by one very lucky Serbian colonel…

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The freezing cold, the impenetrable fog, and impossibly strong winds made Attu, one of several islands in the westernmost point of Alaska, the least convenient place for war. And yet, these tiny and remote territories were the epicenter of one of the deadliest battles of World War II, where foreign invaders occupied American soil for the first time since 1812. The Battle of Attu, called “The Forgotten Battle” by veterans, is considered one of the most bizarre conflicts in the history of WW2. And although it was largely overshadowed by the Guadalcanal campaign that was fought simultaneously, its story is filled with intrigue, strategy, and one last desperate attempt by the Japanese to honor their country. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to https://www.keeps.com/darkdocs to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment. It’s the final days of Operation Desert Storm. The Second Armored Cavalry Regiment is unknowingly moving into a village occupied by the Tawakalna Division of the Iraqi Republican Guard. The U.S. unit is smaller and carries less equipment than those of their enemies. They’re unfamiliar with the ground and unaware of the Iraqi forces that are positioned to attack them. Everything seems to be set against the Regiment during the Battle of 73 Easting. But the Iraqi forces have taken the U.S. for granted. It takes the Regiment only 23 minutes to wipe them out in what is considered one of the greatest and last tank battles of the 20th century. The battle not only helped demonstrate the superiority of American military technology and strategy but also led leaders of the world to think that the U.S military is indestructible... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Officially labeled a rocket launcher, the M202 FLASH stood for Flame Assault Shoulder. It was intended to replace the World War II M1 and M2 flamethrowers that were used as standard incendiary devices by the military all the way to the 1960s. A prototype was tested in the Vietnam War, allowing soldiers to give feedback to improve the flaming rocket launcher. Its use was supposedly discontinued after the conflict, but it, or a variant of it, has allegedly been carried into combat in modern conflicts. The true nature of the weapon’s use today is mired in denials and secrecy... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs "Flak Bait" was a Martin B-26 Marauder airplane that genuinely lived up to its nickname. Throughout its career, the aircraft survived a total of 207 missions, including five where it served as a decoy to draw enemy flak fire. That's nearly twice as many total missions as most other plans flew during the war. It also notably took part in the Battle of the Bulge and D-Day at Normandy. On aggregate, Flak Bait holds the United States Air Forces record for the highest number of bombing missions conducted and survived during World War II. But the most impressive thing about the twin-engine bomber is the amount of flak it absorbed while still somehow staying in the sky. As it conducted flights across Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the aircraft was shot over 1,000 times. Twice, the plane managed to return to base with only one engine. Although it had almost every part of its airframe replaced at one point or another, Flak Bait soared back to the skies for mission after mission... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs As elite German paratroopers descended on the island fortress of Crete in World War 2, locals described them as resembling "umbrellas falling from the sky." It was an invading force arriving by air for the first time in history, and it signaled the beginning of the Battle of Crete in Germany’s Operation Mercury. Awaiting the German paratroopers were Australian, New Zealander, British troops, along with the local population armed and ready to fight. Decrypted Enigma intercepts from Luftwaffe wireless traffic meant that the defenders knew the Germans would be coming…

Get your free trial of MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkdocs. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers: a month-long trial, FREE. MagellanTV is a new kind of streaming service run by filmmakers with 2,000+ documentaries! Search for "Enigma Of Flight MH370" to find the episode about the fateful plane's mysterious disappearance. Following the daring and successful Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War 2, 16 American B-25 bombers continued on with perhaps the most dangerous portion of their flight. Having launched from the USS Hornet some 650 miles from the coast of Japan, the B-25s were on a one-way mission nearly out of fuel, and the aircraft flew towards China, as planned. That is, at least 15 of them did. One aircraft would fail to make it to China and would inexplicably land near Vladivostok, Russia over 650 miles away, despite supposedly being under strict orders to avoid Soviet territory. The crew of Plane #8, as it was designated, was detained despite a wartime alliance with the Soviet Union. The mystery surrounding this diversion persists amid rumors that Plane #8 had secret orders and was on a special mission of its own… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Pictured: SAS special forces who joined Delta Force in the coalition mission to track down Iraq's hidden SCUD launchers. As the military coalition aligned against Saddam Hussein’s forces launched airstrikes to begin the first Gulf War, Iraq responded with a sequence of SCUD missile attacks on Israel. While they achieved little in military terms, the old and inaccurate missiles provoked a political crisis and panic in Israel. The country was eager to retaliate against Hussein. Still, such an action would have caused an irreparable rift between the U.S. and the Arab countries coalesced in support of the American cause against Hussein. Instead, the U.S. redirected coalition military aircraft from their assigned targets to hunt for the SCUDs, destroying most of Iraq’s static missile installations. The Iraqis complicated the mission, however, by hiding mobile missiles in the vast desert. They proved nearly impossible to locate from the air. Israel, still enraged by the attacks, had to be placated by assurances that a special operations force sent by the United States was on the hunt for the remaining missiles. Delta Force was on the job. A secret team was deployed to the region while the United Kingdom provided additional Special Air Service squadrons to seek out and destroy the SCUDs, the launchers, and their manufacturing plants... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Operation PLUTO, which stands for Pipe Lines Under The Ocean, was a daring and top-secret British engineering plan designed as a collaboration between the British Armed forces, oil companies, and engineers. It sought to build an undersea network of oil pipelines between England and occupied France in preparation for the Allied Invasion of Normandy and the expected subsequent advance into Germany. The World War II mission was originally titled Pipe Line Underwater Transportation of Oil and created by Anglo-Iranian Oil Company chief engineer Arthur Hartley. The project was intended to provide the massive amount of fuel required by the Allies for their liberation of the European continent. Without this vital supply line, there would be little hope of fueling a mechanized advance against Germany’s fearsome Panzers. The idea was to avoid having to depend on vulnerable oil tankers that risked giving away the Allied invasion’s secret landing points. Hidden safely under the sea, the Germans would have no idea what was coming… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

In early 1968, as the Vietnam War raged on, a MiG-17 fighter jet was shot down over the A Shau Valley by U.S. aviator Ken Lee while piloting an OV-1 Mohawk. The MiG kill was only one of an estimated 131 shot down in air combat during the conflict. But what made this event so remarkable was the fact that Ken Lee was a U.S. Army Captain aboard a U.S. Army aircraft. It was the only instance of an air to air kill by the U.S. Army to date since World War II. However, despite the apparent notoriety of the event, the aerial assault violated protocol established under the Key West Agreement. Therefore, the U.S. Army and high-ranking officers went to great lengths to cover it up…

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs The Battle of Rapido River was an Allied attempt to break through the Italian Winter Line from January 20th to the 22nd of 1944 during World War 2. It represented one of the most devastating defeats for the United States during the war. As US soldiers crossed the Gari River by boat, they were cut off from any support and came under heavy attack from the German 15th Panzergrenadier Division on the opposing bank. Initially intended to lure away German forces away from the Allied amphibious landings at Anzio on the nearby coast south of Rome, two days of fighting completely crushed the Americans with no goals accomplished and deep controversy following... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs It was to be the largest airborne operation in history. As the Allies pushed into Germany seeking an end to World War 2 in Europe, Operation Varsity was launched to secure crossing over the Rive Rhine. More than 16,000 paratroopers and thousands of planes made it the most massive airborne operation in a single day over one location. Their speed and sheer numbers would shatter the defenders’ morale and prepare the way for a surface crossing across the river as part of Operation Plunder… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs It was the "Second Happy Time" or more ominously the "American Shooting Season"... At the beginning of 1942 during World War II, the German Navy ushered in a new phase of the Battle of the Atlantic with Operation Paukenschlag, or “Drumbeat.” Axis naval forces were given free rein to harass and destroy all Allied vessels, military or otherwise, along the East Coast of the United States. German U-boats did the heaviest lifting, ravaging mostly merchant ships early in the campaign. During this operation, the Axis powers sank a total of 3.1 million tons of Allied hardware, or 609 ships, while only losing 22 U-boats. Historians criticized the Allied response to the attacks, with Historian Michael Gannon describing it as "America's Second Pearl Harbor"... Yet, many reports at the time failed to mention this German attack due to U.S. efforts at the time to hide the truth from the public to prevent widespread panic... - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Pictured: A diver recovers some of what was thought to have been £132.6 million to £300 million of fake British bank notes that Germany intended to drop on Britain in order to crash their economy. Germany's war planners initially balked at the idea, calling it obscenely "grotesque" and ungentlemanly (even despite their later actions in the war!) As World War II began, Germany hatched one of its most devious and notorious plots to bring Britain to its knees. Instead of bombing the country with the power of explosives, Germany would bomb its enemy with money. Operation Bernhard began forging British banknotes of such quality that one Bank of England official called them “the most dangerous ever seen.” The intent was to collapse the British economy and sow chaos by showering its citizens with free money, falling from the sky. The unit in charge of replicating the money successfully duplicated the rag paper used by the British, engraving near-identical blocks. The Germans also cracked the algorithm that gave each banknote its alphanumeric serial code. It was only through the capture and interrogation of German intelligence leader Alfred Naujocks that the plot was eventually foiled… - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Having seized the initiative on the seas of the Pacific Theater of World War 2, the United States pressed its advantage by launching ground campaigns to capture the Solomon Islands. By August of 1942, the Americans made their first moves to dislodge the Japanese from the South Pacific in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After establishing an initial foothold with Marine landings, the United States quickly found itself on the defensive. It would be the first time they faced off against a major Japanese Army unit. Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson would lead the defense of Hill 123 at Lunga Ridge on Guadalcanal from September 12th to the 14th. Facing three Japanese soldiers for every American, Edson’s unit fought valiantly to defend the key strategic location overlooking Henderson Airfield. At nightfall, under absolute darkness, they stood their ground against incessant waves of Japanese soldiers sent by General Kawaguchi. Against all odds, the American troops defending the ridge shifted the landscape of the entire war, marking the beginning of Japan’s defeat in the South Pacific.

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Nine months after British and French forces rolled their tanks onto the Western Front in World War I, Germany readied a wholly new kind of counter-weapon. Driven by the shocking and surprise appearance of a new mechanized foe, German generals contracted Waffenfabrik Mauser AG to build the first anti-tank rifle of its kind in history. It was the only such weapon used during World War I. The Germans made sure to distribute as many as could be manufactured to its soldiers, producing around 15,800 of them, to the point that they became the terror of tanks on the Allied side. - As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs Pictured: Sergeant Reckless could carry 8 recoilless rifle projectiles, 192 pounds of weight, on her back....

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Defeated and depleted of military technology after World War I, Germany adopted the highly controversial “Plan Z” in 1939. Launched shortly before the start ...

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Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs At the core of Project Orion was the idea to place atomic bombs at the tail of a spaceship to blast it int...

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*All footage is from test and training exercises and does not depict nor imply actual harm* Subscribe to Dark Docs: https://bitly.com/DarkDocs In 1957 the U....

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No one knows for sure what is being heard when tuned into radio frequency 4625 kHz. Secret, coded messages sent across airwaves between governments and spies...

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