WORLD WAR TWO

Calvin Graham was just 12 when he enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II.

Calvin Graham, the Tragic Teen Hero of World War II

Calvin Graham was just 12 years old when he enlisted in the Navy. By 13, he was a veteran. By 14, he was married.

Josephine Baker Will Be the First Black Woman Buried in Paris’s Panthéon

Paris’s Panthéon houses graves for just five women. Josephine Baker—star, spy, and civil rights activist—is about to become the sixth.

U.S. soldiers in an M24 Chaffee light tank driving through Bologna, Italy, in 1945.

6 Misconceptions About World War II

Did kamikaze pilots really volunteer? Did the U.S. really declare war against the Axis powers directly after Pearl Harbor? We're debunking some of the most common misconceptions about World War II.

In the 1940s, Women Wore Wedding Dresses Made Out of Their Husband's WWII Parachutes

The romantic gesture was a tribute to the heroism of their husbands-to-be who served in World War II.

Beef was in short supply during World War II.

When World War II Rationing Created a Black Market for Meat

'Make it stretch' and 'share the meat' campaigns didn't work on beef-obsessed consumers, who turned to illicit lamb chops to satisfy their hunger.

Collectie Anne Frank Stichting Amsterdam, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Watch Rare Footage of Anne Frank Before Her Family Was Forced Into Hiding

This video from 1941 shows Anne Frank less than a year before her family was forced into hiding to avoid Nazi persecution.

"Lucky" Luciano (third from left) during his trial in August 1936.

Operation Underworld: When the U.S. Government Teamed Up With the Mafia to Fight Fascists During World War II

“Lucky” Luciano and Meyer Lansky took New York’s underworld undercover during World War II—and Luciano did it all from prison.

Col. Benjamin O. Davis (left), commanding officer of the 332nd Fighter Group, and Edward C. Gleed, group operations officer, stand in front of a plane in Ramitelli, Italy, in March 1945.

10 Inspiring Facts About the Tuskegee Airmen

The first African American pilots to serve in the United States military, the Tuskegee Airmen helped the Allies win World War II and put the U.S. armed forces on the road to integration.

Doris Miller saved a number of lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Doris Miller, the Naval Cook Who Became a Hero of Pearl Harbor

Doris Miller was stationed on the USS 'West Virginia' when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Despite being prohibited from gunnery training due to his race, Miller ended up saving an untold number of lives.

Eugene Bullard, the World's First Black Fighter Pilot

Eugene Bullard survived some of the deadliest battles in history and became the world's first Black fighter pilot—all before the age of 30.

The official campaign portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

11 Presidential Facts About Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Most people know that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only U.S. President who served more than two terms. Here are some other FDR facts you may not have learned in your history classes.

A pasta vendor in Naples during the late 19th or early 20th century.

Anti-Pasta: When Italian Futurists Tried to Ban Pasta in Italy

Futurist leaders considered pasta an “absurd Italian gastronomic religion” that went against the grain of fascism (literally).

A young beaver with all four feet firmly on the ground.

Watch: In 1948, Idaho Officials Sent 76 Beavers Parachuting Into Idaho’s Wilderness

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a parachuting beaver!” —Something you probably thought you’d never say.

Frieda Belinfante (left) and Henriëtte Hilda Bosmans, her then-partner.

When Europe's First Female Orchestra Conductor Foiled the Nazis While Defying Gender Expectations

Frieda Belinfante realized she wasn’t destined to be a part of the orchestra—she was meant to lead it. But the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands during World War II put her career on hold.

A fallen statue of Lenin next to the Mogoşoaia Palace.

What Happens to the Racist Statues and Monuments That Are Removed? Many Find Their Way to Germany’s Citadel Museum

At the Citadel Museum in Germany, monuments to oppressive figures and regimes are displayed in a different context than what was originally intended.

How 'Rumor Clinics' Fought Fake News 80 Years Ago

As the United States plunged into the second World War, newspapers fought fake news amid fears of Nazi propaganda efforts.

American servicemen and women in Paris celebrate on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.

12 Facts About the End of World War II

Savage battles, atomic detonations, and shark attacks were just some of the events leading up to the end of World War II in August 1945. Here's a look back on the 75th anniversary of V-J Day.

"Bat bombs" were just one of the unusual weapons developed during the Second World War.

10 Strange Weapons Invented During World War II

Bat bombs, exploding rats, wind cannons, and a smelly spray were just some of the bizarre weapons invented during World War II.

In Bordeaux, France, a Former Nazi Submarine Base Has Been Transformed Into a Digital Art Gallery

The Bassins de Lumières in France uses the concrete walls of the former Nazi bunker as canvases for projected paintings.

President George Bush consults with senior staff in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

A Brief History of the White House Bunker

Pearl Harbor prompted the White House to build a bomb shelter, and 9/11 might have prompted the construction of another.

Orson Welles seemingly met most of the 20th century's most famous figures, from Marilyn Monroe to Adolf Hitler.

When Orson Welles Met Adolf Hitler

In a talk show appearance in 1970, the famous filmmaker recalled how he found himself at a dinner party with the leader of the "minority party of nuts" known as the Nazis.

Alessandra Mussolini, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini.

What the Descendants of 8 Controversial Historical Figures Are Doing Today

You can learn a lot about your family through genealogy, and you can’t hide from your past! (Especially if you’re on the cover of 'Playboy.')

To Avoid Grocery Shopping, Quarantined Americans Are Reviving Wartime-Era Victory Gardens

Victory gardens were originally a way to supplement food supplies during World Wars I and II. Now, Americans are bringing them back in response to COVID-19 concerns.

A digital model of the World War II bunker found in Scotland.

A Secret World War II Bunker Was Just Discovered in Scotland

The underground bunker housed Britain’s last line of defense, a unit known as “Churchill’s secret army.”

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