The American assault on Fortress Brest, led by the 2nd, 8th, and 29th Divisions under General Troy Middleton, marked one of World War II’s most ferociously contested battles.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince and other timeless works of literature, was also a daring French aviator who lost his life in action during World War II.

German troops invading France in the spring of 1940 committed widespread atrocities, especially against Black African colonial troops. One of the worst massacres took place at the town of Chasselay on June 20.

German Sixth Army, destroyed in the Battle of Stalingrad, was destroyed a second time in August 1944 by a Soviet offensive into Romania—with important help from the US Air Force.

The Berlin Airlift: From the position of the cockpit, WWII pilots Chuck Childs and Gail Halvorsen commit themselves to one of the greatest examples of humanitarian aid.

The US 79th Infantry Division led the way in assaulting Cherbourg’s Fort du Roule on June 25, 1944, and two Americans would receive Medals of Honor for their heroic conduct.

Thousands of men and women wrote memoirs detailing their experiences in World War II. Here are four lesser known examples that merit a second look.

When World War II ended in Europe, American soldiers feverishly began calculating how soon they might go home based on a newly instituted point system.

Manning 155mm howitzers, African American gunners sacrificed themselves to defend fleeing infantry. Eleven of them were murdered by the Waffen SS, and then forgotten by the US Army.

Operation Dragoon was the successful Allied invasion of southern France that also highlighted the intense Allied disagreements over strategy.

The 784th Tank Battalion's motto was "It Will Be Done." This African American unit imposed its will on the enemy in combat in 1945.

The 100th Infantry Battalion, comprised largely of second generation Nisei, bravely fought in Europe and became one of America's most highly decorated units of World War II.