World War II (1939–1945)

World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The war involved the many of the world's countries. Two opposing military alliances were formed: the Allies and the Axis.

While Japan was already at war with China in 1937,  the Second World War began on September 1, 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Germany conquered much of Europe, eventually forming the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Approximately six million European Jews were killed by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany and this event would become known as the Holocaust.

 

Within this Collection

A World War, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Veterans and family members recall the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor in detail.
A World War, Part 7
Episode 7

Video

This segment focuses on how the Japanese took control of the Pacific waters. The Philippines had been promised their independence. Within hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese turned...
A World War, Part 8
Episode 8

Video

The damage done to the American ships at Pearl Harbor is discussed. The devastation was hard to accept. The one thing the Japanese had missed was the tank farm where all of the fuel was stored. It was...
A World War, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Veterans share their recollections of the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked. They were at war again.
A World War, Part 3
Episode 3

Video

Japan needed resources and could only get them from other countries. The United States continued to try to prevent this. Japan sent an envoy to try to negotiate some sort of compromise, but the...
A World War, Part 2
Episode 2

Video

"The American soldiers arrived, and the tanks came in and ran over those big, high fences like they were matchboxes." Veterans provide their remembrances of the end of the war in Europe and the...
A World War, Part 1
Episode 1

Video

German soldiers were surrendering so fast, they just would surrender a whole unit and we couldn't handle them all. The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) was announcing "Today in Europe, the war is...
Liberation, Part 3
Episode 3

Video

Veterans reflect on being captured and taken prisoner or killed by the Germans. It was bitter cold, but the Americans knew better than to complain. There was never any food and there was nothing to...
Liberation, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Veterans who arrived to rescue people in the camps describe what they saw; human skeletons barely alive, and some not able to walk. Some were fed too much, too soon, and died from overeating. Bodies...
Liberation, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

The Siegfried Line ran along the entire border of Germany from north to south. There was barbed wire, and there were land mines, and Dragon's Teeth, which were concrete blocks, that no tank could pass...