1. Home
  2. Education
  3. 20th Century History

Most Recent Articles...

12/22/02 - Art Green: Combat Photographer at Sea
Coast Guard photographer Art Green captured some of the most enduring images of World War II.

12/8/02 - Architect of America's Air Force
Under General Henry H. Hap Arnold, America's air arm became the largest and most potent air force in history. But Arnold was also a visionary who cautioned, "the principles of yesterday no longer apply.... We must think in terms of tomorrow."

11/18/02 - Air Power Strategist Carl A. Spaatz
A doer and a problem-solver who got results without fanfare, ‘Tooey’ Spaatz was dedicated to creating the Air Force as a separate military service.

11/04/02 - Winter Tempest in Stalingrad
During World War II, the attempt to relieve Stalingrad fell short due to stubborn Soviet resistance and the Germans' indecision within the besieged city.

10/21/02 - The Greening of the Helicopter
It took wartime demand for rotary-wing flight to find practicality as an aerial ambulance and pickup truck.

10/07/02 - 'Chesty' Puller's Epic Stand
The 7th Marines' tenacious defense of the hills overlooking Henderson Field secured victory at Guadalcanal.

09/23/02 - Operation Pointblank
In October 1943, the U.S. Eighth Air Force's losses became critical, forcing a reappraisal of the American daylight bombing strategy.

09/09/02 - Journey of NC-4: First Across the Atlantic
In the spring of 1919, three Navy-Curtiss flying boats set out to beat the competition and be the first to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

08/27/02 - R.34: An Atlantic Airship Exploit
In 1919, the Air Ministry in London wanted to test whether a rigid airship could be used as a passenger carrier. On July 2, the new airship R.34 took off on a test mission over the Atlantic to demonstrate the airship's capability on long voyages.

08/10/02 - The Berlin Airlift
In 1948, the Soviets created a blockade to West Berlin. Though air travel remained open, it seemed impossible for anyone to airlift enough supplies for 2 million people over a long duration. Find out how the impossible was accomplished.

07/27/02 - Iwo Jima: Its Heroes and Flag
Little did young Navy Lieutenant j.g. Alan Wood know that the discarded flag he salvaged at Pearl Harbor would become a revered icon of American bravery and determination.

07/14/02 - Myths Surrounding the Midget Subs
Though they focused on an air attack, the Japanese also sent their new weapon, midget submarines, for a secret underwater strike on Pearl Harbor. How did they get there? Were they successful? Did they escape?

06/29/02 - Henry Ford
Henry Ford, the great industrialist, was busy celebrating his 81st birthday on a very warm July 30, 1944. Allied troops had landed in Normandy the previous month and, though they faced stiff German resistance, they were clearly winning.

06/11/02 - Berkeley Summer: Building the Bomb
A gathering of many of the world's greatest scientists in 1942, hosted by J. Robert Oppenheimer, laid the foundation for the development of the atomic bomb.

05/25/02 - Harvey Barnum: Medal of Honor Winner
In-country for just two weeks, artillery forward observer Harvey Barnum assumed command of Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, during a Viet Cong ambush in Vietnam.

05/08/02 - When America Needed Heroes
'Shorty' Wheless and 'Buzz' Wagner typified the kind of air warriors the American public was eager to recognize early on during World War II.

04/29/02 - Hawk with Shark's Teeth: Curtiss P-40
Thanks to its sleek looks and its brilliant use by the American Volunteer Group in China, the P-40 was one of World War II's most famous fighters--but far from the best.

04/12/02 - The Adventures of Wrong-Way Corrigan
When Douglas Corrigan took off on the foggy morning of July 17, 1938, he carried a U.S. map with the route from New York to California marked out. Twenty-eight hours later, he landed in Dublin and instantly became a national hero.

03/28/02 - Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland
Battling overwhelming odds in the air and his superiors on the ground, Germany's Adolf Galland became a legend.

03/10/02 - Alger Hiss: Spy?
Fifty years later people still ask the question about Alger Hiss: Was he or wasn't he a Communist spy?

02/23/02 - Taking Villa Verde Trail
The U.S. 32nd Infantry Division battled the Japanese for control of a ‘goat path in the clouds’ during the liberation of the Philippines in World War II.

02/11/02 - Glenn Miller
Half a century after his mysterious wartime disappearance, the big-band leader and composer who gave America "Moonlight Serenade," "String of Pearls," and "In the Mood" endures as the musical symbol of an entire generation.

01/28/02 - One-Man Stand at Holtzwihr
Audie Murphy earned the Medal of Honor and lasting fame during a fierce engagement near Colmar, France, and ended the war as America’s most decorated soldier.

1/15/02 - Pappy Boyington: The Final Interview
Legendary WWII fighter pilot, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington served in China as one of the Flying Tigers, led the famed Black Sheep Squadron, and suffered as a POW. From this interview, learn how Pappy viewed his experiences.

More Features...

2003 Features

2001 Features

2000 Features

Holocaust Features

Explore 20th Century History

About.com Special Features

A Smarter Future

Tips that will help finance your education, excel in the classroom, and advance your career. More >

How to Ace the GRE

Being well prepared is the first step; here are more essential suggestions. More >

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. 20th Century History

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.