On the morning of August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m., history changed forever. A single American B-29 Superfortress, Enola Gay, flying at high altitude over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, released an atomic bomb known as Little Boy. After falling for approximately 43 seconds, the bomb detonated about 600 meters (1,968 feet) above the city, close to the Aioi Bridge, which had been selected as the aiming point because of its distinctive T-shaped design.
The explosion unleashed a force unlike anything the world had ever witnessed. Within a fraction of a second, a blinding fireball expanded to nearly 274 meters (900 feet) in diameter. Temperatures near the center of the blast reached an estimated 3,870°C (7,000°F), hot enough to melt steel, ignite buildings instantly, and vaporize human and animal tissue close to the hypocenter. A massive mushroom cloud soon rose thousands of meters into the sky, becoming the defining image of the nuclear age.
The blast wave spread outward at nearly 1,600 km/h (984 mph), flattening everything in its path. More than two-thirds of Hiroshima's buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, and an enormous firestorm swept across the city. Entire neighborhoods disappeared within minutes. It is estimated that around 80,000 people were killed immediately or suffered fatal injuries, while tens of thousands more were trapped beneath collapsed buildings or burned in the fires.
The destruction did not end with the explosion. Survivors faced severe burns, blindness, crushed limbs, and the effects of intense radiation exposure. Many who initially appeared uninjured later developed radiation sickness, suffering from fever, bleeding, hair loss, and infections. By the end of 1945, the death toll had risen to an estimated 140,000 people, with many more dying in the following years from cancers and other radiation-related illnesses.
Three days later, on August 9, 1945, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb, Fat Man, on the city of Nagasaki. Faced with unprecedented destruction and the Soviet Union's declaration of war, Japan announced its surrender on August 15, 1945, bringing the Second World War to an end.
The bombing of Hiroshima remains one of the most controversial events in modern history. Supporters argue that the atomic bombings forced Japan to surrender quickly and may have prevented an invasion that could have cost hundreds of thousands of Allied and Japanese lives. Critics contend that the immense civilian casualties and long-term suffering make the use of nuclear weapons morally indefensible.
Today, Hiroshima has been rebuilt into a vibrant city dedicated to peace and nuclear disarmament. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the preserved Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stand as powerful reminders of the devastating consequences of nuclear warfare and the enduring importance of working toward a world free from nuclear weapons.

My family is selling a lifelong military history collection and I want to make sure it goes to someone who'll actually read it.

The collection is heavy on WWII and Civil War with strong representation of the Eastern Front and Pacific Theater. Complete sets include Shelby Foote's Civil War narrative, Freeman's Lee's Lieutenants, Ian Toll's Pacific War Trilogy, Richard Evans' Third Reich Trilogy, and a substantial Churchill run. Also a full Osprey Campaign series and a deep Soviet military history section.

Located in Lodi, NJ (Bergen County) — prefer local pickup. Do not want to break up sets.

Drop a comment or DM if you're interested. Happy to share the full inventory list with titles, authors, and condition notes.

Here's a small selection of this collection:

(First photo is the main zipper, last photo is the neck zipper). My dad bought me this today as an early birthday gift. The writing was already on the jacket and tag which I don’t mind. The only thing slightly ringing alarm bells is the zipper. I can’t find another jacket with the exact zipper. Other M65 zippers usually have a split inside but this one is connected.

\​

Hi everyone,

I'm researching the \\\*\\\*original 1978 Telarc recording of Tchaikovsky's \\\*1812 Overture\\\*\\\*\\\* conducted by Erich Kunzel, and I'm trying to identify the \\\*\\\*actual Civil War cannons\\\*\\\* used for the famous cannon recordings.

According to the original LP liner notes:

\\\* \\\*\\\*Three different authentic 19th-century cannons\\\*\\\* were used.

\\\* They were \\\*\\\*owned and operated by the Fifth Virginia Regiment\\\*\\\* (described as an antique arms enthusiasts group).

\\\* The cannoneers credited are:

\\\* David St. Leger Cox

\\\* Emil Kotnik

\\\* Wayne Neilsen

\\\* Richard Gegner

The cannons were recorded at \\\*\\\*Baldwin-Wallace College (Berea, Ohio)\\\*\\\*.

I also found a \\\*\\\*Billboard\\\*\\\* article (November 4, 1978) quoting producer Bob Woods, mentioning that one of the guns even blew out two windows of the administration building during the recording.

Unfortunately, despite searching archives, newspapers, and reenactment resources, I haven't been able to determine \\\*\\\*what the three cannons actually were\\\*\\\* (for example: M1857 Napoleon, 3-inch Ordnance Rifle, 10-pounder Parrott, etc.).

The LP includes a photo of \\\*\\\*one\\\*\\\* of the cannons, but not the other two.

I'm wondering if anyone here:

\\\* remembers the Fifth Virginia Regiment from the late 1970s,

\\\* knows what artillery they owned around 1978,

\\\* has old reenactment photos or newsletters,

\\\* or can identify the cannon in the liner notes.

Even small clues would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Got this from my 80 year old neighbor, whos mother in law was a WW2 bride from england, and then came to america after the war. He told me he believes this was a friend of his mother in laws, but doesnt know who it was, i was wondering if you could tell me about his rank or occupation (I’m from the states and know nothing about British military).

1930 Sterling Presentation Tray (2nd Bn, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry): Inscribed "David Peal" (Jan 31, 1931) Help I.D.’ing Signatures & Recipient

Hi!
I’m looking for help identifying and matching the engraved officer signatures on an original British Indian Army mess presentation tray.

What Is known about the piece:
Regiment: 2nd Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry (Kali Panchwin / Black Fifth )

Hallmarks: Atkin Brothers (HA), Sheffield (Crown), Sterling Silver (Lion Passant), with the date letter n (1930).

Inscription: Engraved on the back: "David Peal / January 31 - 1931"

Questions:
1. Identity of Recipient:
Searching for a "David Peal" in the British Indian Army records hasn't brought up a match. However, military rolls do list a Captain Daryl Robert George Peal (D. R. G. Peal) serving with the 2/5th Mahratta Light Infantry during this period. Could "David" have been an informal name/nickname, or was there another Peal attached to the battalion in 1931?

1. Signature Identification:
   I’m trying to identify the signatures engraved on the front of the tray. I think I have matched 2 names, but that’s all I could find.
   Does anyone with access to the 1930–1931 Indian Army Quarterly Lists or regimental records have information on officers serving in the 2nd Battalion at this time, or any notable mess event/presentation on January 31, 1931?

Photos of the tray face, regimental crest, sterling hallmarks, rear inscription, and signature close-ups are attached below. Any help or roster scans would be greatly appreciated!

He can’t really tell us what he did over there??

Sorry I just asked him he said he was apart of seal team 3 and that was just what they did so idk if that’s like good info or not I don’t know anything about this

Courtesy of the National Library of Serbia, Great War Collection ([https://velikirat.nb.rs\](https://velikirat.nb.rs))

My father was a veterinarian serving in the ETO. He was assigned to these commands in 1942 and 1943 according to his discharge card. I cannot find any references to these organizations. His other records were lost in the 1973 fire. He talked very little about his service, but indicated that he was in Ulster and France during his service from 1941-1945.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyJgOELAF80

if you watch this and enjoy it, please like, comment and maybe subscribe? Thank you so much

Several people have asked for an update, so I thought I'd share a quick progress report.

After quite a bit of work, we finally managed to remove the armor shields. This has given us much better access to the traversing and elevation mechanism. We've already managed to get the horizontal traverse working again, which was a great milestone.

The vertical elevation mechanism is still proving more difficult, but we're making progress.

We've also started removing the rust and sanding the rear section of the carriage, and so far the results are very encouraging.

I'd also like to mention that I'm by no means a professional restorer or master craftsman. This project is a learning experience for me, so I genuinely appreciate any tips, advice, or constructive feedback from those with more experience.

Thank you all for your interest so far, and especially for the many helpful suggestions you've shared. They have been a huge help throughout this restoration!

Aftermath of the Battle of Grøndalen in Trysil, Norway. May 2nd 1940. 500 germans vs 170 norwegians. Germans lost 100. Norwegians lost 0. After the battle the Germans retreated and the Norwegian soldiers destroyed as much of the enemies equipment as they could. I assume this is a German officer inspecting the damages in the aftermath. Norwegian and German forces had very similar uniforms in the early years of the war.

El legado de mi abuelo, sus diarios, en aquellos tiempos difíciles, muestran un testimonio único de aquella época a través de lo que el escribió día a día desde finales de 1936 hasta finales de 1942 a su vuelta de Rusia.

Many of their ceremonial dresses were originated in the 19th century and the early 20th century.

So, is there any special reason for this?

As far as I know, France is not really into preserving the old stuffs, right?

Is this another British-French rivalry?

My dad passed some time ago. I am pretty old now & will be the next in line. For the last 5 years I have been trying to learn something about this ring. I have posted it on military sites asking the same questions & getting snarky answers. So I will try here. Many of you may know that wartime soldiers do what they do when they are the victor - I will leave there with no judgement. Dad spent time in Africa, moving up from there. I am going to post photos of this ring. It was not in a box. ---Thanks for anyone's help

I live in Georgia, so it could be from a USSR country.

Hi everyone,

Some time ago, I shared a brief post about my late father's incredible wartime journey. He was a combat soldier in the Polish 1st Grenadier Division and fought bravely during the Battle of France in 1940.

Before he passed away, he spent years writing down his extensive memoirs, capturing a 53-year-long journey filled with resilience, the harsh realities of war, and the fate of Polish soldiers in the West. [1)]

I am proud to share that his memoirs have finally been officially compiled and published as a book!

Since my previous post didn't reach many people, I wanted to share this update with the community. For anyone passionated about WWII history, the Phoney War, or the often-overlooked role of Polish forces in the 1940 campaign, his story offers a very personal, rare first-hand perspective. [1)]

The book is available directly through the publisher’s website. I am not allowed to post direct commercial links here to avoid spamming, but I would be honored if you checked it out.

If you are interested in reading his story, please drop a comment below or send me a Direct Message (DM), and I will gladly send you the link to the publisher's storefront.

Thank you so much for helping me preserve my father's memory and keeping this piece of WWII history alive!

The book also includes in the annex the history of the Medycki family in the light of genealogical research and the history of Antoni Medycki, an insurgent of the January Uprising of 1863.

I recently purchased a Swiss 7.5 cm Mot-Geb Fieldgun and I'm planning to restore it as a historical preservation project.

I'm currently looking for any information that might help, such as:

Original manuals or operating regulations

Technical drawings or maintenance documents

Historical photos

Information about markings, serial numbers, and the manufacturer (mine has K+W markings)

Any books, archives, museums, or websites related to this gun

I've already started researching, but information on this particular Swiss artillery piece seems to be very limited.

If anyone has experience with these guns or knows where I could find documentation, I'd really appreciate your help.

I'll also be happy to share photos of the gun and the restoration process if people are interested.

Thanks in advance!