Axis attacks and proposed attacks on the North American portion of the United States during WWII are often forgotten. This episode explains all of these little-known attacks:

• Japan:
• Occupied parts of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska for about one year
• Planned bombings of the Western United States via armed seaplanes

• Sent 9000 bomb-filled balloons over to the United States to start forest fires/knock down power lines

• Germany:

• Created prototype long-distance bombers to bombard New York from Great Britain
• Created long-range intercontinental rockets to bombard the US East Coast
• Deployed saboteurs in New York City via German submarines in the Atlantic

• Almost attacked the Panama Canal after taking control of a Colombian airline

• Italy:

• Planned to send midget submarines and naval special forces into the Hudson River

For more information, read:

Military History Magazine (June 2000): Aerial Attack on Oregon

Military History Magazine (August 2002): Perspectives

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,77031,00.html

http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/wwii/guard-us/index.htm#contents

Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation