War Military Women

Dr. Ernst Gräfenberg was among the most sought-after gynecologists in pre-World War II Germany. The creator of the first IUD, known as the Gräfenberg ring, he was posthumously credited with identifying the eponymous "Gräfenberg spot" or G-spot. He was also a Jew in Nazi Germany, and by 1938 he had been stripped of his practice, his possessions, and his freedom and was languishing in a Nazi prison.

Imagine being 15 years old, facing the bloodiest battle ever to take place on US soil: the Battle of Gettysburg. In July 1863, this is exactly what happened to Tillie Pierce, a normal teenager who became an unlikely heroine of the Civil War (1861-1865). Tillie and other women and girls like her found themselves trapped during this critical three-day battle in Southern Pennsylvania.

Slavery in the United States has left deep, unhealed wounds in American society. It was a dark period in American history that saw the emergence of a number of heroes. One of these was a small woman, about five feet tall, who was a former slave. Her name was Harriet Tubman, and she changed the world. After escaping from a life of slavery that left her with permanent scars including a lifelong disability, she dedicated herself to freeing other slaves and working tirelessly for equality for oppressed people.

Between 1941 and 1945, Wynne Brooks waited for her young soldier husband, Mickey, to return to her. In all the time he was away she wrote to him - first daily, then weekly, never knowing his whereabouts. In 1945, at the end of the war, her letters were returned, their messages of comfort and love unread, bearing the War Office stamp "No Trace".

"I believe that it is as much a right and duty for women to do something with their lives as for men and we are not going to be satisfied with such frivolous parts as you give us." - Louisa May Alcott, Rose in Bloom Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) was one of the best authors of her day, but even though she's remembered primarily for being a late 19th century novelist, she was also a progressive Transcendentalist.

It's possible that the world would have remembered Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1882) if only because she was the wife of one of America's greatest presidents, and was present for his shocking assassination. But Mary was one of the most unique women to ever be first lady, and she was in the White House during the country's most trying time. Yet history hasn't exactly been kind.

Anne Frank is one of the most famous individuals of the 20th century for the worst possible reason. Joseph Stalin is often quoted as saying one death is a tragedy and a million is a statistic, and while plenty of people might argue with the sentiment expressed, there's no question that Anne Frank in many ways became the face of the Holocaust.

The Ashley Berg File tells the story of four young women, having joined the navy for reasons as disparate as their backgrounds, who forge a life-long camaraderie to endure and overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles encountered as recruits in US Navy Boot Camp and A-School in 1987. To stand any chance of graduating, let alone achieving their hopes and dreams, the four must find the strength in each-other, while forging it in themselves, as they come face to face with the realities of being a female in the US military…knowing their stories will never be "on record".

From the acclaimed military history author, this action-packed World War II history describes the Allies' brutal naval engagements and daring harbor raids to destroy the backbone of Hitler's surface fleet. The sea had become a mass grave by 1941 as Hitler's four capital warships -- Scharnhorst...

The true story of the fierce band of women who battled Washington - and Hanoi - to bring their husbands home from the jungles of Vietnam.

Bringing to light the quiet heroism of female code breakers of WWII, learn about these exceptional women who saved lives and changed the tide of the greatest war in human history.

Today, only 8 percent of the officers in the marines are women. We consider that an amazing accomplishment, even though it might not seem sufficient. But there’s no denying it--the Marine Corps, the last all-male fortification of the US military, has finally accepted that which they couldn’t deny any longer: Women can enlist, train, and combat with exceptional results.

From award-winning journalist and children’s book author Mary Cronk Farrell comes the inspiring and fascinating story of the woman who gave a human face to the Vietnam War. Close-Up on War tells the story of French-born Catherine Leroy, one of the war’s few woman photographers, who documented some of the fiercest fighting in the 20-year conflict. Although she had no formal photographic training and had never before traveled more than a few hundred miles from Paris, Leroy left home at age 21 to travel to Vietnam and document the faces of war.

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

Nikki was a few days away from graduating from the police academy. Through arduous work, her naval training, perseverance, and the skills poured into her by Papa and Mama Armstrong, Nikki was number two in her class academically.

In the majority of cases, a pop or rock fan who is asked about a particular celebrity will answer in unambiguous terms.

Deborah Sampson longs to break free. To be much more than a girl is allowed to be. Caught up in her country’s fight for independence, 18-year-old Deborah declares her own independence. She soon enlists in George Washington’s Continental Army, signing on as Robert Shurtliff. A young lady can’t battle the British—a man can! But being a soldier is hard, dangerous work. Can she keep her identity a secret? Can she prove herself in combat? Will she win her battle to choose her own path?

Partly out of dire circumstances and partly from a cultural worldview, it was the Soviet Union who first pressed female pilots into direct combat when Hitler invaded Russia. Ahead of Stalingrad, Stalin publicly declared that “women should be given the right to fly and fight for their country.” As a result, more than 800,000 women served in the Soviet military during the war years.

The World Wars of the 20th century caused massive upheavals all over the world. Often overlooked by history are the extraordinary true-life stories of the brave women from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand who enlisted in the Allied forces in their thousands to serve as nurses behind the front lines, at great danger to themselves.

The Light Above the Trees is the raw, powerful, and deeply inspiring story of La-Nicea Ward—a woman, a mother, a veteran, and a survivor. Born in Opelousas, Louisiana, La-Nicea survived childhood abuse, teenage motherhood, domestic violence, and military trauma. Yet, through the darkest moments, she found the strength to rise—again and again. From basic training to building a 4,000 sq. ft. home for her family, she defied the odds and rewrote her legacy.