Some Weird Facts About World War II

The first German service man of the war was killed by the Japanese. The soldier was killed in China in 1937

The first American serviceman killed during the war was killed by the Russians. He was killed fighting for the Finnish during the Winter War (1939-1940). Some argue that the first Americans killed were by the Japanese who were attacked in China though.

Everyone knows that some of the last fighting men in Berlin were SS troops who knew death was certain upon surrender. What everyone doesn't know is that the last fighting troops in Berlin were.....French and Norwegian. Around 350 men of the SS Charlemagne as well as the surviving members of the SS Norland division were fighting in the basement of the Reichstag as long as possible. Eventually the 12.8cm guns from the nearby Flak tower fired on the Reichstag collapsing part of the building and killing some of the SS men. From this though, the surviving members were able to escape and disappear into the city. Although fewer then 50 French SS members were ever found it is believed that many ditched their uniforms for regular Wehrmacht ones. Of the ones that were found they were turned over to the French army and executed. When the French General asked the solders what they were doing in a foreign uniform, one soldier quipped back why are you in one? (the general was wearing an American uniform at the time)

On the 14th of April 1945, U-1206 eventually sank due to the toilet on the sub malfunctioning.

The last Japanese soldier to surrender was Hiro Onoda who finally surrendered in 1974. He only surrendered after receiving a direct order from the Japanese government

During the Winter War the Soviets attempted to use paratroopers without parachutes. The idea was the plane would slow down to 100mph and the soldiers were to jump from 100 feet off the ground. The Soviets believed they would land safely in the large snow covered fields in northern Finland. The idea was scrapped when testing "volunteers" took roughly 30% casualties between fatalities and other injuries.

The Holocaust memorial in Berlin in coated with a special anti-graffiti chemical. The company that produced this chemical for the memorial was the same company that produced Zyklon B during the war.

Hitler's nephew (William Patrick Hitler) served with the U.S. Navy during World War II.

U.S. medics in the Pacific learned that coconut milk could be used as a substituent for plasma in a pinch which saved countless lives.

The U.S. army possessed more boats in World War II than the U.S. Navy

the last Japanese soldier of WWII was stranded on an island for 30 years alone He also refused to believe that the war had ended 30 years prior and would only surrender to his original CO, who was still alive.
Originally posted by http://imgur.com/gallery/eIj41