In WWII’s aftermath, July 4 also became Independence Day for the Philippines in 1946.

In July 1946, the fourth and fifth atomic bombs to explode tore into a fleet of 84 ships anchored at Bikini Atoll in the name of science.

Jack Brukman’s journey through war: from the physical onset on Saipan to the continuous mental onslaught at home.

The “Angels of Bataan and Corregidor,” 77 American military nurses taken prisoner in the Philippines, provided lifesaving care to the civilian POWs in the Santo Tomas and Los Banos Internment Camps where they were held from 1942-1945.

A sailor had a simple request—he just wanted to relax with a few beers after months at sea.

On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, that ultimately laid the foundation for the forced removal and subsequent incarceration of over 125,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry, two thirds of whom were American citizens.

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.

A look past the pages of a written letter home.

Commander Davis demonstrated steadfast leadership during a kamikaze attack off of Luzon, Philippines.

By the winter of 1945, millions of American military personnel were on the move, but they were not alone. More than 60,000 women wed by American servicemen during World War II hoped to leave their old homes behind and rejoin their husbands for a new life in the United States. However, for these “War Brides” restrictive American immigration policies posed a major challenge.

The valiant defense of Wake Island by US Marines, sailors, soldiers, and civilians became a potent rallying point for Americans in the dark days after Pearl Harbor.

Historian Richard Frank explores the influence of China and the Soviet Union in the Japanese decision to attack American territories in December 1941.