Obscure truth and heartfelt stories of the Second World War.
The 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Air Force, entirely female, flew wooden biplanes (Polikarpov Po-2) to harass Nazi forces. They idled their engines to glide silently onto targets, earning their nickname from the wind whistling through the bracing wires.
Known as "The White Mouse" by the Gestapo, Nancy Wake was a top SOE operative in France. She once killed an SS sentry with her bare hands to prevent him from raising the alarm during a raid.
To hide the invasion of Sicily, British Intelligence used a dead body dressed as an officer carrying fake invasion plans to Sardinia and Greece, successfully fooling Hitler.
Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffes famous "NUTS!" reply to the German surrender ultimatum at Bastogne was actually his second choice of words, but it remains the most iconic response in military history.
A Polish cavalry officer who volunteered to get captured by the Nazis, Pilecki intentionally infiltrated Auschwitz to gather intelligence and organize resistance from within, before later escaping.
The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops used inflatable tanks, sound trucks, and fake radio transmissions to create a "Ghost Army" that successfully deceived German commanders about Allied movements in Europe.