In history class, many students learn about World War II, but after the lectures are over, it’s normal for them to forget all they learned. Instead, different media outlets are mostly responsible for what we know and comprehend about the war.
Whether it was the acclaimed movie Saving Private Ryan or the well-known video game Call of Duty, there is a good probability that you have seen anything about World War II outside of your history classes.
But there are certain odd facts and stories that people just don’t talk about.
1. It Was in 1974 That the Last Japanese Soldier Surrendered
Soldiers frequently continue to fight for a cause after their nation has fallen. This is merely the result of fighting a conflict that spans several continents and nations.
But the scenario gets strange when the last combatant soldier gives up some thirty years after the battle concludes. Teruo Nakamura, a native of Taiwan who joined the Japanese army at the onset of the war, experienced this.
He assumed the conflict was still going on when his group fled into an Indonesian forest. Up until his discovery in December 1974, he was able to survive on his own by scavenging for any food he could find.
2. During WWII, Strange Weapons Were Used, Such as the German Cannon, Which Could Fire Over the Sea
There are many pretty intriguing weapons from World War II. One of the most ambitious projects was the V-3 cannon, a huge weapon that could launch missiles into England from Germany across the ocean.
The V-3 would be a stationary cannon instead of the rocket, able to fire projectiles up to 100 miles over the ocean from continental Europe into the United Kingdom. Thankfully, the bombing raids that destroyed it before it could be completed prevented the gun from ever being constructed.
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3. A Bear Served in the Military in Poland
1942 saw the evacuation of a company of Polish soldiers from the Soviet Union, who thereafter traveled to Iran. Along the way, they became friends with a brown bear from Syria named Wojtek. He had formally joined the group as a private.
The boys brought the bear to Italy during the years 1943 and 1944. It quickly rose to fame among the troops due to its capacity to carry heavy munitions. Wojtek eventually received his release during the war, and he lived happily in the Edinburgh Zoo until his passing in 1963.
4. Gandhi Attempted to Send Hitler a Message of Peace
Even though most people aren’t aware that Mahatma Gandhi was alive during World War II, he was one of the greatest peacemakers in history. Gandhi was so dedicated to bringing about peace that he made an attempt to write Hitler a letter, addressing him as a “dear friend” and pleading with him to put an end to the war. Whether the communications made it to Hitler is uncertain.
5. A Stressed-Out German Commander Left His Station and Went to a Spa
One of Hitler’s first backers, Heinrich Himmler went on to lead the SS as its leader and take control of the Army force Vistula, which consisted of 500,000 soldiers tasked with guarding Berlin.
Himmler, who had daily naps and massages and only worked a few hours a day, found this task to be incredibly challenging. Himmler eventually lost control of Army Group Vistula and resigned.
He sought refuge at the Hohenlychen Sanatorium resort and even made an effort to mediate a settlement with the Allied soldiers that were moving forward.
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