75th Anniversary of the End of World War II
Explore articles, web series, podcast episodes, live webinars and more from the Museum for the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The Soldier Voting Act and Absentee Ballots in World War II
Absentee ballots gave American citizens in uniform a voice in their nation’s government during World War II.
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Article TypeAlternative Service: Conscientious Objectors and Civilian Public Service in World War II
During World War II, a new program gave young men who refused to wear a uniform other ways to serve their country.
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John Noack, 306th Bomb Group
B-17 pilot John Noack describes the bravery of his top turret gunner and flight engineer, Kenneth Fox, who even after being severely wounded during the mission to Schweinfurt on October 14, 1943, refused to abandon his post in the plane’s top turret.
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Private Joseph Pantillion Martínez: Medal of Honor Series
The first Medal of Honor awarded to a Hispanic American in World War II was also the first awarded for actions on the North American continent since 1898.
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Private First Class Desmond Thomas Doss, US Army: Medal of Honor Series
On October 12, 1945, US Army medic Desmond Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
European Theater of Operations
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Fascination and Hatred: The Roma in European Culture, Part One
There is insufficient attention paid to the long history of the Roma within European culture.
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Soldier in a Tinderbox: Ferris LeBlanc, World War II, and the Up Stairs Lounge Fire
Private First Class Ferris LeBlanc served his country honorably during World War II. But the credit due to him was denied thanks to the tragic circumstances of his death in the Up Stairs Lounge fire in 1973.
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"Even the Dead Won't Be Safe": Walter Benjamin's Final Journey
In late September 1940, the German-Jewish intellectual, Walter Benjamin, embarked on a dangerous and ultimately ill-fated journey across the Pyrenees to escape the Nazis.
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Military Intelligence Service (MIS): Using Their Words
International Translation Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals and their role in bringing about peace. Roughly 6,000 Japanese Americans served as translators and interpreters with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) in the Pacific, using the language of their parents and grandparents to shorten the war and save lives.
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Sergeant Jose Mendoza Lopez, US Army: Medal of Honor Series
Mexican-born Jose Lopez earned America’s highest military honor for his heroic one- man stand during the Battle of the Bulge.
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Folding Up the Combined Chiefs of Staff
When World War II ended, British and American leaders were unsure how to continue their nation’s grand alliance.
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William Holloman III
Pursuing his passion for flight, William Holloman II enlisted in the only unit that would let him fly—the Tuskegee Airmen. He joined as a fighter pilot with the famous “Red Tails” of the 332nd Fighter Group.
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Going For Broke Part Two: The 442nd Regimental Combat Team
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated Japanese American unit, is remembered today for its brave actions in World War II. Despite the odds, the 442nd’s actions distinguished them as the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the US military.
Pacific Theater of Operations
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Military Intelligence Service (MIS): Using Their Words
International Translation Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals and their role in bringing about peace. Roughly 6,000 Japanese Americans served as translators and interpreters with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) in the Pacific, using the language of their parents and grandparents to shorten the war and save lives.
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Joseph LaNier II
From rural Mississippi to Iwo Jima, Joseph LaNier confronted racism in society and service.
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Combat in Twilight: Rod Serling's World War II
Rod Serling, the creative genius behind The Twilight Zone and other memorable film and television productions, was both haunted and inspired by his experiences as a US Army paratrooper during World War II.
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"To Sustain, Not Destroy": Operation Swift Mercy and POW Supply
At the end of the war, more than 12,000 American POWs were scattered in camps across the Pacific in desperate shape. From August 30-September 20, 1945, in Operation Swift Mercy, B-17s and B-29s flew 1,000 missions and dropped 4,500 tons of supplies to American troops no longer prisoner, but still trapped.
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Private First Class Jacklyn H. Lucas: Medal of Honor Series
In the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.
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The Homeward Bound Pennant
To celebrate the end of the war and the journey back to the United States, US Navy ships often flew long pennants to commemorate their time overseas.
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Full Circle: The Japanese Surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945
Every aspect of the Japanese surrender on board the USS Missouri was carefully choreographed, with one eye on the past and another on the future.
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Benevolence in Tokyo Bay: The USS Benevolence (AH-13)
The USS Benevolence was one of three hospital ships in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. The ship served as a haven and first stop in rehabilitation for thousands of Allied POWs.
