Forgotten Wars

Peter Ortiz is almost unknown outside the Marine Corps. Even within the Corps he doesn’t have the recognition he deserves, although his exploits in World War II were almost beyond belief. Already a decorated veteran of the French Foreign Legion and a Hollywood technical advisor, when World War 2 came, he joined the Marines and parachuted into Nazi occupied France. Fighting alongside the Maquis of the French Resistance, he became a huge thorn in the side of Hitler’s armies, and one of the most hunted men in occupied Europe. #militaryhistory #war #historynerd #worldwar2 #america #ww2

In 1970 the small Arab nation of Jordan was on the verge of becoming a failed state, its monarchy threatened by the growing strength of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. As the two sides maneuvered for power, a civil war was coming that would birth modern international terrorism, and change the history of both the Palestinians and the region forever. #War #militaryhistory #middleeast #israelpalestine #historynerd

A South American country is being ruled by a despised dictator, dabbling in Voodoo and allied to Cocaine Cartels, until America launches a daring operation to remove him. Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro? No, it’s Panama’s Manuel Noriega! Noriega was very much a creation of the US and its Cold War struggle with the Soviet Union. A brutal thug, he had been supported by the CIA as a useful asset against Communism. But now he had turned on his former masters. Cocaine was flooding into the US through Panama, their civilians and soldiers were being threatened and harassed, while he did deal with America’s enemies. A reckoning was now coming for the sins of the past. #history #militaryhistory #america #Panama

Its 1944 and Hungarian leader Admiral Horthy is regretting making a Devil's bargain with Hitler's Germany to regain lost lands at the cost of siding with the Axis. As the Red Army advances into Eastern Europe he tries to escape the fatal hold of Germany on his country, but he has not reckoned with Hitlers favourite commando, the most dangerous man in Europe, Otto Skorzeny. #history #historynerd #war #militaryhistory #ww2

During World War 2 Iran was invaded by Britain and the Soviet Union, an act that is often covered in just a sentence or two in most histories of the war. Yet it would arguably be the turning point of Iran’s modern history, setting up the domino's for the Iranian Revolution, the fall of the Shah and the rise of an aggressive theocracy. #war #history #militaryhistory #iran #worldwar2

 On the morning of Oct. 25, 1813, the inhabitants of the Pacific island of Nuku Hiva awoke to a startling sight, a fleet of strange ships sailed across the cobalt blue sea and landed at their island. It was an American fleet, trying to escape the British during the war of 1812. So began the most bizarre US military campaign in history, a riproaring yarn involving fights with cannibals, mutinying sailors and a soon to be scandalous amount of fornication with local women. #war #militaryhistory #history #america

Dark times have fallen on the Republic, after the disastrous Teruel offensive the Republican zone is now split in two. The triumph of the Nationalists seems inevitable, but as the Munich Crisis begins the Republicans plot one last great offensive to turn the tide. The Battle of the Ebro will decided the fate of Spain and bring about the triumph of Franco. #war #worldwar2 #spain #history #historynerd

The Republic is still recovering from the meat grinders of Brunete and Belchite, while it faces the grim prospect of Franco overrunning what was left of its northern enclave. Desperate for a success to silence the doubters, the Communists will take the biggest gamble of the whole war. After the Battle of Teurel, nothing will ever be the same again. #war #militaryhistory #historynerd #history #worldwar2 #spain