Settler Life in Imperial Japan’s Colonies
Imperial Japan’s vast Asian empire became home to more than a million female settlers. Their voices are now being heard.
Second World War
The Female Impersonators of Stalag Luft III
In the POW camps of the Second World War, soldiers found release – from the conditions and from the all-male company – in female impersonation.
New Light on Leros
Oral history breathes fresh life into a deadly battle of the Second World War.
The Tragedy of Force Z
The sinking by Japanese aircraft of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in December 1941 and the subsequent loss of Singapore was a grievous blow to British morale. But have historians misunderstood what really happened?
The Map: Rome, 1942
The War Office’s map of cultural treasures in Rome, 1942.
The Rise and Ruin of Heligoland
The key to Germany’s imperial ambition, the North Sea island of Heligoland was transformed into a fortress. By the end of the Second World War, the dream lay in ruins.
Executive Order 9066
The decree that led to the internment of Japanese-Americans was passed on 19 February 1942.
Pain behind the Pleasure: the Italian Social Republic
Salò was Mussolini’s German-backed experiment in ‘real Fascism’ and fine living. Italians find it hard to come to terms with its legacy.
Pearl Harbor and Japanese-Americans
Following the attack of 7 December 1941, many Japanese-Americans were guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of the US government.
The Sinking of Japan
An island nation with few resources, Japan was in a precarious enough position when it declared war on the United States in December 1941. That its powerful navy failed to learn the lessons of previous conflicts made matters even worse.