Search Results: WWII

The Red Army of the USSR began the Second World War (1939-45) with a series of shocking defeats, but from late 1942, it rallied and held on to key cities like the capital Moscow, Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), and Stalingrad (Volgograd). Then...

The origins of the Second World War (1939-45) may be traced back to the harsh peace settlement of the First World War (1914-18) and the economic crisis of the 1930s, while more immediate causes were the aggressive invasions of their neighbours...

The consequences of the Second World War (1939-45) were many and varied. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and military-dominated Japan were all defeated. Many occupied countries were liberated and regained their freedom while others were obliged...

The desert campaigns in North Africa during the Second World War (1939-45) provided soldiers on all sides with a set of particular challenges. Scorching day temperatures, freezing night temperatures, sand and flies getting everywhere, the...

This gallery of photographs tells the dramatic story of the Second World War (1939-45). The selection aims to reflect the global nature of the conflict and reveal many of its different aspects, from major battles to the daily life of soldiers...

This map illustrates the North Africa Campaign of World War II, spanning from 1940 to 1943 - a series of operations and battles for control of the strategic region between the Allied forces (primarily the British Commonwealth) and the Axis...

A map illustrating the growing instability in Europe in the lead-up to World War II, capturing the aggressive territorial expansion of Nazi Germany and the failure of appeasement. Between 1935 and 1939, a series of bold geopolitical moves...

The Allied D-Day landings (D-Day is a military term used to designate the day on which a combat operation is scheduled to begin), which took place on June 6, 1944, marked the largest seaborne invasion in history and a pivotal moment in the...

This infographic illustrates the Dowding System, Britain’s groundbreaking air defense network that played a critical role in winning the Battle of Britain during World War II. Designed by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding (1882–1970), it was...

A British Board of Trade poster encouraging people to make-do and mend old clothes rather than buy new ones, thus saving on resources. Clothes were one of many restricted items during rationing in wartime Britain. (Imperial War Museums)