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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.

 

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 Reflections of Columbia, Part 6 6

Video

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  • 5
Reflections of Columbia, Part 6
Episode 6
The addition of Columbia’s new Army training ground, Camp Jackson, would have a significant impact on the city. The U.S. was being drawn into World War Two, and many of the Army’s soldiers would come...
 G-Man: Life After FBI | Carolina Stories 7

Video

G-Man: Life After FBI | Carolina Stories
Episode 7
Melvin Purvis smoothly moved on from the FBI, making endorsements for various everyday items, like safety razors, cars, and cereal. The Junior G-Man Club for children, and the Park Brothers’ Melvin...
 Pearl Harbor | South Carolina's Greatest Generation 2

Video

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Pearl Harbor | South Carolina's Greatest Generation
Episode 2
On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by air, by the Japanese. Nine South Carolinians were killed along with 1,168 of their shipmates on board the Battleship Arizona. The nation was now at...
 Women In WWII | South Carolina's Greatest Generation 3

Video

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Women In WWII | South Carolina's Greatest Generation
Episode 3
Sixteen million men and women joined the armed services. Women went to work in industry to support the war effort. Women received training to prepare them for jobs that were needed by the military...
 Victory | South Carolina's Greatest Generation 9

Video

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Victory | South Carolina's Greatest Generation
Episode 9
Thirty three days after the death of President Roosevelt, Germany surrenders. The allies celebrate their victory over the Nazis. In 1945, after the two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and...
Fort Moultrie | History Of SC Slide Collection

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Fort Moultrie | History Of SC Slide Collection
Episode 1
This aerial view of Fort Moultrie was taken in 1980 after the fort had become a National Park and was restored to show the evolution of Atlantic coast defense fortifications from the Revolutionary War...
 Return To Normandy | South Carolinians In WW II 1

Video

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Return To Normandy | South Carolinians In WW II
Episode 1
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, many veterans make the journey to France to remember the battle that took place. For the remaining veterans still alive, this...
 A New Front, Part 9 9

Video

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A New Front, Part 9
Episode 9
B-24 gunner Lou Fowler's story continues.
 A New Front, Part 8 8

Video

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A New Front, Part 8
Episode 8
After the victory in Italy, the next large-scale campaign would be “Operation Overlord”: a massive allied mobilization by the Americans and the British, to drive the Germans out of France. American...
 A New Front, Part 6 6

Video

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A New Front, Part 6
Episode 6
With the majority of men off fighting the war overseas, women on the home-front had to step up to take on jobs that men would usually do. Most war machines and weapons, such as tanks, airplanes, and...
 A New Front, Part 5 5

Video

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A New Front, Part 5
Episode 5
Also known as the Battle of Anzio, Operation Shingle was an allied amphibious campaign, under command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, and Major General John P. Lucas. S.C. veterans remember the...
 A New Front, Part 4 4

Video

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A New Front, Part 4
Episode 4
With the number of casualties growing in the Italian campaign, the demand for doctors, nurses, and combat medics increased. Several veterans discuss their experiences enlisting, and what life and...
 A New Front, Part 3 3

Video

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A New Front, Part 3
Episode 3
Veterans of the 82nd Airborne, along with the Army’s 504th Regiment, recall their experiences fighting in the mountains of Italy. The terrain and the weather made the fight against the Germans all...
 A New Front, Part 2 2

Video

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A New Front, Part 2
Episode 2
Lou Fowler, a gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber, recalls bailing out from his aircraft, which had suffered heavy damage from German anti-aircraft fire. After landing, he is captured by a German patrol...
 A New Front, Part 1 1

Video

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A New Front, Part 1
Episode 1
To prepare for the allied invasion of France, American troops boarded ships headed for Great Britain. Many soldiers feared that they would not survive the trip to England, because of the German U...