The Devil’s Brigade: The First Special Service Force
Personnel of the FSSF being briefed prior to setting out on a patrol, Anzio beachhead, Italy. The First Special Service Force (FSSF), also known as the “Devil’s Brigade” or as…
Wandering Warriors: The Rōnin of Japan
Scan from an original woodblock print by Shikazaki Ryuu circa 1890. Depicts the true tale of the revenge of the 47 Rōnin. During the feudal era of Japan (1185–1868 AD),…
The Viking Berserkers: Fierce Mercenary Warriors of the North
Modern depiction of a Viking Beserker. The Viking Berserkers were a group of warriors who have left a lasting impression on the world. They were known for their ferocious battle…
Knowlton’s Rangers: Setting the Stage for Modern Intelligence Operations
Painting by John Trumbull of the Battle of Bunker Hill. 184.2 x 274.5 cm Oil on canvas Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT Knowlton’s Rangers was a reconnaissance and espionage detachment of…
The Iga and Koga Clans: Japan’s Legendary Ninja Warriors
A ninja and Prince Hikaru Genji by Utagawa Kunisada. Ch. 12, Suma, from the series The Color Print Contest of a Modern Genji (Ima Genji nishiki-e awase). 1853. Cropped. The…
Behind Enemy Lines: The Unsung Heroes of OSS Detachment 101
Irrawaddy Ambush.Stuart Brown 2010 Oil on canvas Donated courtesy of Michael DeSombre. The painting depicts one of OSS Detachment 101’s many guerrilla operations staged to disrupt Japanese supply and reinforcement…
The Return of SMERSH: Russia Revives Stalin’s Notorious Spy-Hunting Unit
1943 SMERSH identity document cover. Russian (English): НКО (Народного Комиссариата Обороны (People’s Commissariat of Defense) Главного управления (Main Department) контрразведки (Counterintelligence) СМЕРШ (SMERSH) SMERSH, a counter-intelligence agency with a name…
Secret Warriors: The FBI’s Special Intelligence Service During World War II
Flag of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) played a significant role during World War II. The FBI was tasked with running surveillance…
Brigade 2506: CIA-Sponsored Cuban Exile Brigade
The SU-100 from which Fidel Castro reportedly shelled the freighter Houston during morning of 17 April 1961, Photo: Whoisjohngalt / CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED. “Victory has a thousand fathers; defeat…
The Bureau of Military Information: First Formal American Intelligence Agency
Col. George Henry Sharpe sits at far left with other members of his “Bureau of Military Information”, John C. Babcock, unidentified officer, and Lt. Col. John McEntee, February 1864. Photo…