WORLD WAR TWO

A pasta vendor in Naples during the late 19th or early 20th century.

Anti-Pasta: When Italian Futurists Tried to Ban Pasta in Italy

Futurist leaders considered pasta an “absurd Italian gastronomic religion” that went against the grain of fascism (literally).

A young beaver with all four feet firmly on the ground.

Watch: In 1948, Idaho Officials Sent 76 Beavers Parachuting Into Idaho’s Wilderness

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a parachuting beaver!” —Something you probably thought you’d never say.

Frieda Belinfante (left) and Henriëtte Hilda Bosmans, her then-partner.

When Europe's First Female Orchestra Conductor Foiled the Nazis While Defying Gender Expectations

Frieda Belinfante realized she wasn’t destined to be a part of the orchestra—she was meant to lead it. But the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands during World War II put her career on hold.

A fallen statue of Lenin next to the Mogoşoaia Palace.

What Happens to the Racist Statues and Monuments That Are Removed? Many Find Their Way to Germany’s Citadel Museum

At the Citadel Museum in Germany, monuments to oppressive figures and regimes are displayed in a different context than what was originally intended.

How 'Rumor Clinics' Fought Fake News 80 Years Ago

As the United States plunged into the second World War, newspapers fought fake news amid fears of Nazi propaganda efforts.

American servicemen and women in Paris celebrate on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.

12 Facts About the End of World War II

Savage battles, atomic detonations, and shark attacks were just some of the events leading up to the end of World War II in August 1945. Here's a look back on the 75th anniversary of V-J Day.

"Bat bombs" were just one of the unusual weapons developed during the Second World War.

10 Strange Weapons Invented During World War II

Bat bombs, exploding rats, wind cannons, and a smelly spray were just some of the bizarre weapons invented during World War II.

In Bordeaux, France, a Former Nazi Submarine Base Has Been Transformed Into a Digital Art Gallery

The Bassins de Lumières in France uses the concrete walls of the former Nazi bunker as canvases for projected paintings.

President George Bush consults with senior staff in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

A Brief History of the White House Bunker

Pearl Harbor prompted the White House to build a bomb shelter, and 9/11 might have prompted the construction of another.

Orson Welles seemingly met most of the 20th century's most famous figures, from Marilyn Monroe to Adolf Hitler.

When Orson Welles Met Adolf Hitler

In a talk show appearance in 1970, the famous filmmaker recalled how he found himself at a dinner party with the leader of the "minority party of nuts" known as the Nazis.

Alessandra Mussolini, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini.

What the Descendants of 8 Controversial Historical Figures Are Doing Today

You can learn a lot about your family through genealogy, and you can’t hide from your past! (Especially if you’re on the cover of 'Playboy.')

To Avoid Grocery Shopping, Quarantined Americans Are Reviving Wartime-Era Victory Gardens

Victory gardens were originally a way to supplement food supplies during World Wars I and II. Now, Americans are bringing them back in response to COVID-19 concerns.

Sander van Ginkel, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

6 Times the Olympics Have Been Postponed or Canceled

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak, but it's not the first time the Summer or Winter Games have been nixed because of world events.

A digital model of the World War II bunker found in Scotland.

A Secret World War II Bunker Was Just Discovered in Scotland

The underground bunker housed Britain’s last line of defense, a unit known as “Churchill’s secret army.”

The Teenage Girl Gang That Seduced and Killed Nazis

In the 1940s, sisters Freddie and Truus Oversteegen used their unassuming profile as teenagers to ambush and kill Nazis in the Netherlands.

Art Historian Says 10 Works in the Louvre’s Collection Were Looted by Nazis

The artworks were seized by the Nazis after a Jewish lawyer fled his Parisian home in the early 1940s.

Benedict Cumberbatch in Sam Mendes's 1917 (2019).

The 25 Greatest War Movies of All Time

It makes sense that master filmmakers keep returning to old wars to tell new stories, as war movies have all the elements needed for a compelling tale. From medieval epics to modern thrillers, here are 25 of the best of them.

A WWII Navy Submarine, Lost for 75 Years, Has Been Discovered Off the Coast of Japan

The location of lost Navy submarine the USS Grayback had been unknown for decades due to a translation error. After missing for 75 years, it's finally been discovered.

American troops landing on Omaha beach at Normandy on D-Day.

Florida Man Discovers Original D-Day Audiotapes in His Basement

Bruce Campbell never expected to find some of World War II’s most important radio broadcasts buried in his cluttered basement.

A Lost Japanese Village Has Been Uncovered in the British Columbia Wilderness

Game pieces, sake bottles, and hundreds of ceramic pieces have been unearthed at the archaeological site.

Thomas Franklin Vaughns, 99-Year-Old Former Mechanic for the Tuskegee Airmen, Just Received Five Army Medals

Thomas Franklin Vaughns served his country twice, and has spent the rest of his life serving America’s youth.

The American destroyer USS Shaw explodes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

10 Things You Might Not Have Known About Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor's contributions to world history didn’t begin—or end—on December 7, 1941. From epic rock concerts to astronaut visits, the storied lagoon has seen quite a lot.

World War II’s First Telegram Will Be Auctioned Off Later This Month

A week before Germany invaded Poland, Hitler organized and then called off a series of border skirmishes. This telegram shows that one Nazi didn’t get the memo.

Alan Turing, WWII Codebreaker Who Was Persecuted for Being Gay, Is the New Face of England's £50 Note

Alan Turing, the World War II codebreaker whose life was spotlighted in the film 'The Imitation Game,' is being honored with a prominent spot on the Bank of England's £50 banknote.

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