Shadow and Subterfuge Series
The Historical Archives
In my research and travels for my books, I've encountered many little known pieces of history. As I write articles about them, I'll present them here and in my Briefings Newsletter. You can sign-up to receive it by email below.
Photographs are very powerful things. People look at them and imagine stories to explain them. One of the jobs of a historian is to seek out the truth behind them. In this article, I uncover the stories and truth behind the "Crying Boy of WWII."
On my first trip to Germany in 2010, I encountered a strange street sign in Hamburg. I'd never seen a street sign named after a "gang," so I had to investigate. My guide didn't know the story, but I uncovered a fascinating tale of Helmuth and his two buddies, all Hitler Youth, who started publishing flyers with news they gleaned from listening to BBC. Read about Helmuth Hubener's Gang and check out the 2025 movie about the Gang - "Truth and Treason."
Most Americans believe that the congressional vote to declare war on Japan in 1941 was unanimous. However, it was not. One member of Congress had the courage to say "No!" Both the story of the vote and the life of this dissenter are interesting stories. Jeanette Rankin, from Montana, chose to stand for her principals even if it would be political suicide. Check out: "One Against War."
Nothing prepared me for watching "Jud Suss," which I saw at a special exhibition in Berlin. For the first time, I could clearly glimpse what caused the holocaust. Could the director of such a movie be guilty of "crimes against humanity?" I had to find out. Read about "Jud Suss," the most widely banned movie in the world. And, if you search carefully enough you can watch it over the Web.
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