World War II

1939-1945. World War II was a global war that involved 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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A New Front, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

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
Episode 4

Video

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
Episode 3

Video

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
Episode 2

Video

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
Episode 1

Video

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...
A Time To Fight, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

At the beginning of the war, South Carolinians prepared to fight in either Europe, or the Pacific. For many, their first taste of combat would be in North Africa. In this video segment, S.C. veterans...
A Time to Fight, Part 7
Episode 7

Video

The Tuskegee Airmen were African-American pilots during WWII. Before the war, the Army thought African-Americans could only be used as laborers. African-Americans faced all sorts of prejudice and...
A Time To Fight, Part 8
Episode 8

Video

The Army sent the 82nd Airborne, along with General George Patton’s armored divisions, to take the island of Sicily, off the coast of Italy. British forces also assisted the Americans in the Sicily...
A Time To Fight, Part 9
Episode 9

Video

The two most widely used bomber aircraft used by the U.S. in World War II were the Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress,” and the Consolidated B-24 “Liberator.” During bombing runs, the two biggest fears...