Second World War

Postwar Germany: The Profits of Peace

Keith Lowe on the dilemmas faced by a victorious but financially ruined Britain in its dealings with postwar Germany.

Hitler Youth and Italian Fascists

Italian Fascist scouts meet a member of the Hitler Youth in Padua, October 1940: a picture explained by Roger Hudson.

Hitler as War Leader, 1939-1941

Carole Chapman argues that Britain’s refusal to play the role assigned to her by the Führer had a vital impact on Hitler’s strategy.

Winston as Warlord: A Critical Appreciation

Richard Wilkinson charts the highs and lows of Winston Churchill in 1940-45.

1941: Sunday Lessons

Greg Carleton explains how disastrous defeats for the Soviet Union and the US in 1941 were transformed into positive national narratives by the two emerging superpowers.

Medmenham: Spying from the Sky

Taylor Downing tells the story of the Central Interpretation Unit at Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, where the RAF’s aerial photo interpreters played a critical role in Britain’s wartime struggle.

Vichy: France's Shield or Hitler's Sword?

Lindsay Pollick reviews changing interpretations.

Death of Nancy 'White Mouse' Wake

The Australian secret agent known as the 'White Mouse', and once the Gestapo's most wanted person, died August 7th 2011, aged 98.

Eichmann in the Dock Again

The 50th anniversary of the trial and execution of the Final Solution’s master bureaucrat has inspired a number of books, exhibitions and films. How to they contribute to our understanding?