Marine Killed in Battle of Tarawa Laid to Rest 80 Years Later
The invasion of Tarawa marked the first major action by American forces in the Central Pacific. Waves of Marines were badly mauled as they struggled to cross reefs and assault the beach.
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Article TypeThe Nuremberg Race Laws
The Nuremberg Laws transformed the definition of Jewish identity from religious to racial, stripping rights and paving the way for the Holocaust.
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Colonel Charity Adams: 6888th Commanding Officer
Charity Adams overcame both wartime challenges and racial discrimination to become the first Black woman officer in the Women's Army Corps and commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
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The Women's Army Corps (WAC)
Despite facing resistance and discrimination, more than 150,000 women served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II, performing vital noncombat roles and paving the way for women's permanent inclusion in the US military.
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Operation Nordwind: The Battle after the Bulge
In the midst of the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans launched Operation Nordwind, a lesser-known but significant offensive in Alsace in January 1945.
Battle of the Bulge
On December 16, 1944, the German army launched a massive offensive in the Ardennes Forest. The Battle of the Bulge would be the largest engagement ever fought by the US Army—and ultimately hasten the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.
European Theater of Operations
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Operation Nordwind: The Battle after the Bulge
In the midst of the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans launched Operation Nordwind, a lesser-known but significant offensive in Alsace in January 1945.
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Hitler's Declaration of War on the United States
Days after Pearl Harbor, Nazi Germany declared war on America. But why did Hitler choose to draw the United States directly into the European conflict?
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Operation Queen: The Battle before the Bulge
If the American forces could break through the Hürtgen Forest, there was a chance they could reach the Rhine near Cologne, threatening the German industrial region along the Ruhr River and possibly even force a crossing.
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Allied Tactical Airpower in the Summer, Fall of 1944
From the hedgerows of Normandy across the rivers of northern France and into the dense forests of the Hürtgen and the Ardennes, Royal Air Force (RAF) and US Army Air Forces (USAAF) aircraft cleared the way for the advance of the Allied ground armies.
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Appeasement and 'Peace for Our Time'
Concessions in diplomatic negotiations were nothing new, but after Munich, appeasement took on a new meaning.
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The Axis Powers of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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Operation Dragoon: Invasion of Southern France
Originally designated Operation Anvil and intended to support the hammer blow of the Normandy landings two months earlier, the renamed Operation Dragoon fulfilled an American desire for a lodgment in southern France that shifted forces from the strategic cul-de-sac of Italy.
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James Allen Ward: The Pilot Who Risked It All to Save His Crew
A young New Zealander airman receives a Victoria Cross for his daring feats.
Pacific Theater of Operations
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Marine Killed in Battle of Tarawa Laid to Rest 80 Years Later
The invasion of Tarawa marked the first major action by American forces in the Central Pacific. Waves of Marines were badly mauled as they struggled to cross reefs and assault the beach.
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Eleanor Roosevelt's My Day Column after Pearl Harbor Attack
In her December 8, 1941, My Day column, Eleanor Roosevelt reflects on the moment she learned of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and other locations, describing the nation’s shift from uncertainty to resolve.
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The Battle of Leyte Gulf
In October 1944, the largest naval battle ever fought raged in the Pacific. The Battle of Leyte Gulf ended in American victory—but the outcome could have been very different.
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MacArthur Returns to the Philippines
General Douglas MacArthur vowed to return to the Philippines in 1942—and more than two years later, he delivered on his promise.
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Wreck of 'Ghost Ship of the Pacific' Found off California Coast
The USS Stewart, a Clemson-class destroyer, earned the nickname after having the unique distinction of serving under both the American and Imperial Japanese navies during World War II.
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Oscar Perdomo: The Last Undisputed ‘Ace in a Day’
While becoming an "ace" pilot requires a number of finely honed skills and exceptional aeronautical ability, it is even harder to achieve this status in only one day.
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Typhoon Cobra: Halsey Versus Mother Nature
With Japan on the strategic defensive and her combat power waning, another fleet moving against the island nation also felt the wrath of Mother Nature.
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Marine Killed on Guadalcanal Laid to Rest in New Orleans
The remains of Private Randolph Ray Edwards were identified and accounted for more than 80 years after his death.
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Home Front
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Victory Gardens: Food for the Fight
Victory gardens became (and remain) an iconic image of life on the Home Front during World War II.
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Korematsu v. United States: 80 Years Later
Even 80 years later, Korematsu v. United States still serves as a reminder of the need to protect civil liberties even during times of insecurity.
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PT-305: A New Orleans Hometown Hero
As 1943 turned to 1944, PT-305 departed New Orleans, and she would not be back for more than six decades.
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The Allies of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
This legislation was the culmination of efforts by American citizens, activists, and politicians across the political spectrum to insulate the United States from foreign conflicts and prevent the country from being drawn into another global war.
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The 'Lost Olympics' of 1940 and 1944
The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) plans for the 1940 Summer Games took many unexpected turns as the world drifted toward global war.
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When Higgins Boats Invaded New Orleans' Lakefront
On July 23, 1944, a celebration marked a milestone in production for Higgins Industries, which had just finished its 10,000th boat for delivery to the US Navy.
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Lend-Lease to the Eastern Front
Despite being overlooked in many circles, American “Lend-Lease” support sent to the USSR not only tipped the scales in Eastern Europe but enabled the victory on the Russian Front.
Medal of Honor Recipients of World War II
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The Depths of Courage: Howard Gilmore and the USS Growler
Commander Howard Gilmore’s story is certainly one of extraordinary valor, dedication, and sacrifice.
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Jefferson DeBlanc and the Air Battle for Guadalcanal
When Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc entered Guadalcanal, the United States had been fighting a defensive campaign against Japanese attempts to retake Henderson Airfield and dominate the surrounding seas.
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Rudolph B. Davila's Medal of Honor
Second Lieutenant Rudolph B. Davila, of Spanish-Filipino descent, received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions near Artena, Italy, during World War II.
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Manuel Pérez Jr.’s Medal of Honor
After parachuting on Tagaytay Ridge, Manuel Pérez participated in the horrendous fighting with the Japanese in the Philippines' capital city of Manila, the scene of some of the bloodiest urban combat of the war.
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A 'Gallant Stand' at Monte Battaglia: Manuel V. Mendoza’s Medal of Honor
For what he did on October 4, 1944, Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza garnered a special place in the history of Nazi Germany’s defeat.
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Johnnie David Hutchins's Medal of Honor
The loss of Johnnie David Hutchins was devastating to his family, but his moment of bravery almost certainly saved other parents and siblings from experiencing that same loss in the fall of 1943.
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John Joseph Parle's Medal of Honor
Navy Ensign John Joseph Parle risked his own life to save a ship and ensure a successful Allied amphibious invasion of Sicily in 1943.
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Robert Craig’s Medal of Honor
For his heroic service as an infantry officer during the Allied invasion of Sicily, Second Lieutenant Robert Craig was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on July 11, 1943.
