Countless books and documentaries have covered World War II, and it’s a staple of history classes around the world. But while students often learn about major events like Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the Holocaust, many unsettling and lesser-known stories remain in the shadows. These overlooked moments reveal a darker, more complex side of the war that’s rarely discussed in classrooms.
Here are five disturbing and rarely talked about facts from World War II that you probably didn’t learn in school.
Ni'ihau Incident
Airman First Class Shigenori Nishikaichi was a Japanese pilot who participated in the second wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor , taking off from the aircraft carrier Hiryū . Prior to the secretive assault, all pilots were told that, in the event of trouble , they were to fly 30 minutes to the Hawaiian island of Ni'ihau and await pickup by a submarine.
While he'd been tasked with combat air patrols over Pearl Harbor, Nishikaichi never made it to the US naval base. His Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" ran low on fuel and he was forced to crash land on Ni'ihau. He believed, like the rest of the Japanese, that the island was uninhabited. This, however, was not the case.
Ranch hand Hawila "Howard" Kaleohano came upon the scene and, aware of the strained tensions between the United States and Japan, seized the pilot's pistol and papers, after which he was taken for medical treatment. A translator was brought in to bridge the language barrier between Nishikaichi and Ni'ihau's inhabitants, with the latter unaware of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Yoshio Harada and his wife, Irene, were of Japanese descent and spoke to the young pilot. While they were informed of the attack, they chose to keep this information to themselves. It wasn't until a radio report that night that they learned of what happened and placed Nishikaichi on house arrest.
What followed was chaos and terror as the Japanese pilot tried to escape the island. Harada had stolen back Nishikaichi's pistol, which was used to shoot Kaleohano. The ranch hand's house was also set ablaze, and hostages were taken. One of them was shot three times , but miraculously survived and took out the airman first class. Harada wound up taking his own life.
Today known as the Ni'ihau Incident, this little-known event was one of the most unsettling moments of WWII.
One of the shortest soldiers captured one of the tallest
Before Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939, Jakob Nacken had already gained fame as a circus performer. Standing at an incredible seven feet, three inches tall, the "Giant from the Rhineland" toured internationally before becoming the tallest soldier to serve in the German Wehrmacht during World War II .
On the other end of the height spectrum was Canadian Corporal Eldon Bob Roberts, who measured just five feet, three inches tall—making him one of the shortest soldiers of the war.
Their paths crossed on September 26, 1944, a few months after Roberts arrived in Normandy during the D-Day landings . While stationed in Calais, Roberts and his unit captured a German gun crew. Among the 250 prisoners of war was none other than Nacken. A photograph of their meeting capturing the towering German giant standing beside the much shorter Canadian soldier quickly became one of the most memorable—and humorous—images of World War II.
Pilots had astonishing mortality rates
This fact might be the most well-known and expected on our list of unsettling truths, but it still deserves a spot.
While airplanes were used in combat during World War I , their role became much bigger two decades later. Being a pilot during this time was incredibly dangerous. Aviators had to face their fears head-on, engage enemy forces, and had no guarantee they would return safely.
The numbers show just how deadly aviation was in World War II:
- New Supermarine Spitfire pilots in the Battle of Britain had an average life expectancy of only four weeks.
- Approximately 71 percent of bomber crew members were either killed or went missing in action.
- More than 13,000 American pilots died during training in the U.S. before they even had the chance to face an enemy.
George H.W. Bush narrowly missed certain death
George H.W. Bush was born into privilege as the son of banker and politician Prescott Bush, but he felt a deep sense of duty to serve during World War II. Upon turning 18 , he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and quickly became one of the youngest pilots in its history after being commissioned as an ensign in the Naval Reserve.
Flying a Grumman TBF Avenger, Bush took part in his first combat mission against the Japanese at Wake Island in 1944 while stationed aboard the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) in the Pacific Theater. In August of that year, his torpedo bomber was shot down during an attack on Chichijima. Narrowly escaping death , he was later rescued by the USS Finback (SS-230).
Tragically, some of his fellow airmen weren’t as fortunate. They were captured, executed, and even cannibalized by their captors—a horrifying episode of WWII.
Despite this traumatic experience, Bush continued to serve in the Pacific, flying missions over the Philippines and preparing for the planned invasion of Japan . However, Japan's surrender following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ultimately made the invasion unnecessary.
A 12-year-old enlisted in the US Navy
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, plenty of young men were eager to enlist in the US military. Among them was Calvin Graham, who, at just 12 years old, wasn't about to let the US Navy's age limit prevent him from serving his country.
One loophole for enlistment was to have a guardian's permission. Not wanting his family to know his intentions, Graham forged his mother's signature on the necessary papers and snatched a notary stamp from a hotel. He then told his family he was going to visit relatives, at which point he traveled to Houston, Texas. While a dentist noted his young age , the pre-teen convinced the man to not reveal his true identity.
After undergoing training as an anti-aircraft gunner, Graham was assigned to the USS Dakota (BB-57). His first engagement was the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942, after which he participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal . He sustained severe injuries during the fight, but put his own well-being aside to ensure the safety of his fellow sailors.
It was newsreel footage that ultimately blew Graham's cover. His mother recognized his face and contacted the Navy, leading to his dishonorable discharge.
Why not necessarily an unsettling moment of WWII, as many young men lied about their age to enlist, the truly upsetting part is that Graham's life entered what many would call a downward spiral after he left the Navy. He failed to return to school and found himself a divorcee and father by the time he was 17. He later joined the US Marine Corps, but was forced to leave the service after breaking his back .
More from us: The Tragic Last Stand of the HMS Hood Against Germany's Prized Battleship Bismarck
In 1978, after writing a letter to then-US President Jimmy Carter, Graham's dishonorable discharge was changed to honorable.