War

Did Japanese WW2 Soldiers Suffer From Psychological Effects Of Their War Crimes?

August 11, 2021 Leave a Comment

Immediately after the war, a large number of medical clinics were set up in Japan to treat wounded Japanese soldiers.

Of approximately 30,000 patients seen in these clinics, around 10,000 of them suffered from mental illnesses, such as “war neurosis.”

The Japanese government did their best to suppress any knowledge of said psychological trauma (indeed a 1938 Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) statement declared how Japanese soldiers did not suffer war neurosis unlike Western soldiers).

For the IJA, “war neurosis” was something that detracted from the “masculinity” of the IJA, and it was utilized and associated with “hysteria,” which was often used as a blanket diagnosis for women in the West.

How Easily Would The U.S. Military Take Omaha Beach Today?

August 9, 2021 Leave a Comment

The most important difference between 1944 and today would be in the realm of guided munitions.

I once heard that a single F-15 packs as much firepower as an entire squadron of World War II–era bombers when you take into account explosive weight and the percentage of ordnance you can get on target. (Keep in mind, the F-15 is a fighter/bomber, not a dedicated bomber. If we start talking about the B-52, things get even crazier.)

Why Do Snipers Need A Spotter?

July 12, 2021 Leave a Comment

Normally, the most experienced sniper is the spotter and is responsible for identifying targets and directing the shooter’s rounds onto the target.

The spotter identifies the target, the distance, and tells the shooter what adjustments for elevation or wind he should make.

How Do Heat Seeking Missiles Work?

June 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

(photo by expertinfantry)

Have you ever been so hungry that you can smell food even when you’re a room away?

Your nose picks up on the passive signal that is the heavenly scent your favourite lasagna is wafting from the kitchen, and you promptly get off your lazy bum to go chase after it. Even when you don’t see the physical food just yet, but you can pinpoint where it is just by following the trace.

That’s technically how seeker missiles work.

How Do You Disarm A Landmine After Stepping On It?

December 9, 2020 Leave a Comment

You mean after you hear that soft “click” that mine manufacturers built in out of courtesy so that a soldier knows he’ll die soon and can say his last prayer, or, even better, be saved by his mates?

Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians commonly refer to such landmines as HSE mines – Hollywood Special Effect mines.

If you were to construct an anti-personnel (AP) mine, would you build it in a way that allows a soldier who stepped on it to get away unharmed? Probably not. At least that’s how weapon developers approach that question. And why wouldn’t they? Their job is to create a device that stops the enemy from penetrating an area (or at least to make it very time-consuming). The more casualties the deployment of the device produces, the more it will slow down or stop the enemy. Obviously, this is best achieved with a mine that instantly injures or kills a soldier rather than with one that allows him to survive unharmed.