From January 1943 to June 1945, writer Kurt Vonnegut served in the US Army. His experiences with the 106th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge and then later as a prisoner of war in Dresden imprinted his life and provided traumatic (and sometimes comedic) material for his novel Slaughterhouse-Five and other works.

In advance of a discussion on Slaughterhouse-Five, Assistant Director for Curatorial Services Kimberly Guise posed some questions to Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library Curator Chris Lafave.

Dr. Rothacker Smith looked death in the eye several times during World War II. In these moments during his wartime service, during captivity as a German POW and beyond, his faith carried him through and indeed directed much of his life, as did the proud tradition of the Buffalo Soldier which he upheld.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill's defeat in the British General Election of 1945 changed the course of the Potsdam Conference.

The Red Army's liberation of Majdanek in July 1944 was one of the most significant moments in the history of World War II and the Holocaust.

One of World War I's greatest battles, the siege of Przemyśl, set the stage for the brutal fighting—and genocide—that scarred Eastern Europe in World War II.

The African American 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its heroic stand in France in December 1944, and a Medal of Honor in 1980 posthumously awarded to Major Charles Thomas.

The African American Black Panthers of the 761st Tank Battalion completed their distinguished combat record by breaching Germany's Siegfried Line and crossing the Rhine in 1945.

As Allied troops gained ground in Europe, members of the Women’s Army Corps [WAC] were there to serve. Bringing vital communication skills, they jumped into seats at switchboards still warm from the enemy operators who had just vacated their posts. In July 1945, the WAC telephone operators were selected to manage the "Victory switchboard" at the Potsdam Conference.

Daniel Haulman, PhD, one of the world's leading authorities on the all African American Tuskegee Airmen, joins us for an interview on their service, challenges, and legacy.