World War II
It was the biggest and deadliest war in history, spanning six grueling years and involving countries in nearly every part of the world. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, World War II pitted the Allied forces (led by the United States, Great Britain and the U.S.S.R.) against the Axis powers (Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy). Explore the battles, key players and atrocities from the war and its impact on geopolitics and humankind today.
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The majority of the world's countries eventually formed two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
By the time the first Japanese bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, tensions between Japan and the United States had been mounting for the better part of a decade, making war seem inevitable.
The Allied invasion of Normandy was among the largest military operations ever staged.
The Holocaust was the persecution and murder of millions of Jews, Roma, political dissidents, homosexuals and others by the Nazi regime.
The Hidden Army of Women That Helped Defeat Hitler
Flashback: The Hidden Army of Women That Helped Defeat Hitler
This 1944 American propaganda film imagine’s Hitler’s surrender and explains the Füher’s greatest mistake – his underestimation of American women. This episode of Flashback shows how female wartime workers were an indispensable part of America’s victory, even before the war was officially won.
3 Key Battles
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The majority of the world's countries eventually formed two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
On June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 American, British and Canadian troops executed the largest amphibious landing in history. Five veterans share their stories from that day.
America's Terrifying Battle to Control the Seas
The story of how America’s battle to control the seas against the terrifying German U-boats in the Atlantic and Japan’s fearsome Navy in the Pacific ultimately turns the tide of the war. See more in this clip from Season 1, Episode 5, "The War at Sea."
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Jack McDowell Recalls his Experiences as a Marine in World War II
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Jack McDowell recalls his experience as a Marine, from his time in boot camp at Montford Point, to the occupation of Tokyo, and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor Changed Everything
Japan escalates their war in China, drawing increasing US sanctions and widespread outrage. Driven by resource shortages and military ideology, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in a move that will reshape the course of World War II. See more in this clip from Season 1, Episode 4, "Pearl Harbor."
