U.S. in 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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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 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 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 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 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...
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...
A Path to Victory, Part 7
Episode 7

Video

Headed into in area in northern France, in which they thought they could rest, the 106th infantry division, 424th infantry, expected to have time to clean their weapons, take showers and have some...
Liberation, Part 2
Episode 2

Video

Veterans share their recollections of the Battle of the Bulge and the siege of Bastogne. It was the cold winter in 50 years, and they were not dressed for the cold. The sky was blackened with shells...
A Path to Victory, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

The Allies were finishing up the liberation of France and they were hoping the war would be over by the end of the year. Montgomery was the Allied commander of that section and he was looking for a...