History is full of surprises and we usually hear about famous leaders & warriors—but there are countless lesser-known individuals whose actions changed the course of events in numerous ways. These are the stories of ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations and rose to the occasion. Here are eleven unlikely heroes who changed the course of history, thanks to their courage & quick thinking. Sometimes, it’s the most unexpected people who make the biggest impact.
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The Brother Who Defied the Nazis
Hermann Goering was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany while Albert Goering, his younger brother, was nothing of the sort. He hated Nazi ideology and he used his family name to save many Jews & dissidents by forging documents and arranging safe passages. Albert even went as far as to directly intervene to free people from concentration camps.
The Student Who Stood Up to the Nazis
Sophie Scholl was another young person who dared to oppose the Nazi regime during World War II, along with her brother Hans and friends. She formed the White Rose movement & shared leaflets that criticized the Nazis—and called for resistance. They knew the risks but wanted to speak out. Sadly, the Gestapo caught Sophie and executed her at just 21 years old, although her bravery was important in changing the tide during the war.
The Soldier Who Wouldn’t Carry a Gun
Desmond Doss was a U.S. Army medic during World War II and he refused to carry a weapon because of his personal beliefs, even though some people called him a coward. Yet he showed extraordinary courage on the battlefield and, at the Battle of Okinawa, Doss risked his life numerous times. Doss saved 75 wounded soldiers and he later received the Medal of Honor for his bravery, becoming the first conscientious objector to get the award.
The Limping Lady Who Spied on the Nazis
Virginia Hall’s story is one of the most inspiring tales from history. Despite having a prosthetic leg, she worked undercover in occupied France during World War II and organized resistance efforts & helped downed pilots escape. She also passed along important intelligence to the Allies—so much so that the Gestapo considered her extremely dangerous, nicknaming her the “Limping Lady.” Thankfully, she avoided capture and kept up her work as a spy to help defeat the Nazis.
A Hero of Two Towers
Rick Rescorl was the head of security for Morgan Stanley in the World Trade Center and before 9/11, he was convinced terrorists would target the towers, so he created strict evacuation drills. Many employees thought his measures were rather excessive until Rescorl’s predictions came true. On September 11, 2001, after the first tower was hit, he ignored official advice to stay put and began evacuating his company’s 2,700 employees. Rescorla went back inside to help others and was last seen on the 10th floor before the building collapsed.
The Diplomat Who Defied Orders
Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania during World War II who took an incredible risk to save lives—against direct orders from his government, he issued thousands of transit visas to Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. He worked tirelessly to handwrite visas, sometimes even through his train window as he was forced to leave. In doing so, Sugihara helped around 6,000 Jews to escape & he sacrificed his career to do what he felt was right.
The Doctor Who Faked an Epidemic
But that’s not all—also during World War II, Polish doctor Eugene Lazowski discovered a way to protect his community by injecting people with a harmless bacterium. This germ mimicked typhus in tests and he created the appearance of an epidemic that scared German forces. They quarantined the area and avoided deporting residents to labor camps, meaning that Lazowski saved around 8,000 people from near-certain death.
Halting the My Lai Massacre
In 1968, during the Vietnam War, Army helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson Jr. came across a horrifying scene—the My Lai massacre. He was determined to stop the killings and he landed his helicopter between the troops & the villagers. Then, he ordered his crew to open fire on their fellow soldiers if they continued the attack and his brave actions saved countless lives. Unfortunately, he was criticized for years after until he was eventually recognized for his heroism.
The First Lady Who Stepped In
President Woodrow Wilson suffered a severe stroke in 1919 and this put First Lady Edith Wilson in an unexpected position—she began managing his affairs & screening communications. She also decided which issues needed his attention and for over a year, she essentially ran the executive branch. This happened without official authority or public knowledge and her intervention kept the government working during such a tense time.
Volunteering for Auschwitz
Witold Pilecki, a Polish army officer, accepted a mission that most people couldn’t imagine—he volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz and deliberately got himself arrested. His goal was to gather intelligence & organize resistance within the camp, which he did for nearly three years. Pilecki documented the horrific conditions and smuggled out reports to the Allies, with his accounts being some of the first to warn the world about the atrocities of the Holocaust.
The White Mouse of the Resistance
Nancy Wake was a fearless agent who worked with the French Resistance during World War II to help downed pilots escape and coordinate guerrilla warfare against German forces. She became known as the “White Mouse” for her ability to escape capture. Wake once cycled over 300 miles through enemy territory to deliver important messages and her work managed to significantly disrupt Nazi operations in occupied France.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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