About the Series
For 80 years, World War II has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. The HISTORY Channel's World War II with Tom Hanks is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century. Told over 20 hours and guided by Hanks, whose lifelong passion for this history has shaped some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era, the series captures the full arc of the war—from the rise of fascism in Europe to the fall of Berlin, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima, and the uneasy peace that follows. Each episode uncovers new dimensions of the conflict: the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today. World War II with Tom Hanks is the definitive retelling of that story for a new generation: a sweeping, deeply human portrait of how the modern world was forged in the fires of global war.
The National WWII Museum was proud to support HISTORY's work on this series through historical research, educational outreach, and archival footage, as well as on-site interviews with WWII veterans that will be featured as part of the network’s “Save Our History” initiative.
Episodes
For 80 years, World War II has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. World War II with Tom Hanks is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century.
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The Beginning
Learn MoreIn September 1939, Germany invades Poland, setting the stage for the most destructive war in history.
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Blitz
Learn MoreAfter toppling the Netherlands and Belgium, Nazi Germany pushes further west. The Allies scramble to support France as Churchill is forced to defend Britain from the skies and FDR rushes to mobilize wartime production.
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Barbarossa
Learn MoreThe story of Operation Barbarossa, Adolf Hitler’s massive surprise invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the largest and costliest land offensive in human history.
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Pearl Harbor
Learn MoreJapan escalates its war in China, drawing increasing US sanctions and widespread outrage. Driven by resource shortages and military ideology, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in a move that will reshape the course of World War II.
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The War at Sea
Learn MoreThe story of how America’s battle to control the seas against the terrifying German U-boats in the Atlantic and Japan’s fearsome navy in the Pacific ultimately turns the tide of the war.
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Guadalcanal
Learn MoreAfter the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces sweep across Southeast Asia. On Guadalcanal, US Marines are given the bloody task of stopping their relentless advance.
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Darkness Falls
Learn MoreAs Hitler’s reach extends beyond Germany and darkness descends on Europe, his hateful rhetoric leads to anti-Jewish persecution and, ultimately, genocide.
Unlock More WWII History
Dive deeper into the real stories of the war that changed the world with exclusive content from The National WWII Museum. Sign up for our companion email series to receive weekly updates related to each new episode.
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The Road to Pearl Harbor: The Long Fuse
Major events are often rooted deeply in the past—the “long fuse” that leads to explosions.
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The Battle of Peleliu: The Forgotten Hell
Underscoring its ferocity, future commandant of the Marine Corps General Clifton Cates argued that “the fight for Peleliu was one of the most vicious and stubbornly defended battles of the war.”
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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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Why D-Day?
If the US and its western Allies wanted to win this war as rapidly as possible, they couldn’t sit around and wait: not for a naval blockade, or for strategic bombing to work, or for the Soviets.
Oral Histories from the WWII Generation
The National WWII Museum's collection includes thousands of hours of interviews with WWII veterans, Home Front workers, Holocaust survivors, and other members of the WWII generation, offering firsthand memories of the war that changed the world.
Educational Resources
The National WWII Museum is a dynamic educational resource that engages and inspires students and teachers. Explore original content, curricula, programming, and more that take history beyond the pages of textbooks.
See America's National WWII Museum
Our institution explores the full story of the American experience in World War II through immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and an expansive collection of artifacts and personal accounts. Plan your visit to the top-rated attraction in New Orleans and be inspired by the stories of those who came together to secure Allied victory.
