World War II - Atlas Obscura
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World War II

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propaganda

Why Wartime England Thought Carrots Could Give You Night Vision

The belief that carrots improve your eyesight dates back to World War II propaganda.
October 25, 2017
Wicklow, Ireland

Glencree German War Cemetery

Ireland's only German military cemetery holds the remains of a spy who was moved there under the cover of darkness.
noeldonnellon Added by noeldonnellon
Washington, D.C.

St. Elizabeths Hospital

Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Edinburgh, Scotland

Cramond Ghost Island

Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.
Rory Steabler Added by Rory Steabler
Omaha, Nebraska

Site of a Japanese Balloon Bomb Explosion

These experimental weapons brought World War II to Nebraska as well as 26 other U.S. states.
Added by manharta
Sainte-Mère-Église, France

Private John Steele Monument

An effigy of a trapped paratrooper dangles from a Normandy church to commemorate one remarkable D-Day event.
Gemfyre Added by Gemfyre
Arlington, Virginia

Arlington Cemetery's Headstone-Eating Trees

The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
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pants week

How Books Designed for Soldiers’ Pockets Changed Publishing Forever

Prior to WWII, Americans didn't think much of softcover books.
September 22, 2017
Boston, Massachusetts

Fenway Victory Gardens

One of the last remaining World War II Victory Gardens in the U.S. is quietly growing across from Fenway Park.
Added by printern
McCall, Idaho

B-23 'Dragon Bomber' Wreckage

The secluded site of a 1943 plane crash and amazing rescue is only accessible by hiking through the woods.
tylercole Added by tylercole
Hunstanton, England

Wreck of the Steam Trawler Sheraton

All that remains of the fishing-vessel-turned-warship is its weathered hull.
Dr Alan P Newman Added by Dr Alan P Newman
Chaga Mushroom
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Ritual & Medicinal

Chaga Mushroom

This coffee additive and killer of trees has a reputation as a medical marvel.
Gastro Obscura
rachelrummel Added by rachelrummel
Shit on a Shingle
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Prepared Foods

Shit on a Shingle

This is what happens when soldiers pick a new name for meat on bread.
Gastro Obscura
rachelrummel Added by rachelrummel
Berlin, Germany

Stolpersteine Holocaust Memorials

Tiny memorials honor individual victims of the Holocaust.
Added by wandertooth
Leuven, Belgium

'Snow Whites' of Leuven

The Belgian library displays burned books that were salvaged from the fires of both world wars.
Added by duncanchappell
Gillingham, England

The PS Medway Queen

The "Heroine of Dunkirk" rescued over 7,000 Allied troops during the historic World War II evacuation.
Dr Alan P Newman Added by Dr Alan P Newman
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list

7 Overlooked Memorials to the Heroes Who Fought Nazis

These women and men faced terrible danger and deserve to be remembered.
September 01, 2017
Washington, D.C.

Kilroy Was Here

There’s a hidden military meme engraved on the World War II Memorial.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter