LibGuides: US History: World War II

Research Tips

See the "Native Americans" page for Navajo Code Talkers
See the "Women" and "African American" pages for the military experiences of these specific populations

General WWII websites

A People at War (NARA)
This exhibit highlights the contributions of the thousands of Americans, both military and civilian, who served their country during World War II. Documents from the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis form the core of the exhibit.
Aleutian Islands (US Army)
Aleutian Islands (US Navy)
Atomic Bomb Museum
It is in the spirit of the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that we offer this web site as an educational resource for secondary and higher education students, teachers and others with an interest in the historical record of the atomic bombings.
Australian artists
British Home Front 1939-1945 (British National Archives)
British National Archives
The National Archives is home to millions of documents, files and images that cover 1,000 years of history. Find out how we can help your research, through guides, tutorials, and podcasts.

Canadian War Museum This link opens in a new window

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
Liverpool Blitz May 1941
This website reveals the Second World War memories of the people of Liverpool. The stories are set over 24-hours during the May Blitz of 1941. While the particular day presented is fictional, all of the events happened over the course of the bombing campaign, many during those seven horrific days in May.
Military History films (American Experience - PBS)
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
American History Museum (Smithsonian); interactive site

World Digital Library This link opens in a new window
The World Digital Library (WDL) makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world.

World War II in Photos (The Atlantic)
Guide to World War II Materials
The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide and diverse selection of materials relating to this period. This guide gathers in one place links to World War II related resources throughout the Library of Congress Web site.
More Hitler art albums discovered
Two original albums of photographs of paintings and furniture looted by the Nazis were recently discovered. The albums have been in private hands since the end of World War II and will be donated to the US National Archives in Washington, D.C. These albums were created by a special Nazi task force engaged in the theft of cultural treasures in occupied countries. In the
closing days of World War II, US soldiers entered Adolf Hitler's home in the Bavarian Alps

Propaganda

World War II Propaganda Posters
Nazi and East German Propaganda Guide Page (Calvin College)
Posters from World War II
Poster Art from WWII (National Archives)
U.S. Produced WWII Posters
Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
World War II Poster Collection (Northwestern University)
The Government and Geographic Information and Data Services Department at Northwestern University Library has a comprehensive collection of over 300 posters issued by U.S. Federal agencies from the onset of war through 1945.
WWII: Propaganda (LIFE Magazine)
WW II Propaganda National Archives Atlanta
The Powers of Persuasion

Multimedia

Books in the collection

Trapped : youth in the Nazi ghettos : primary sources from the Holocaust
Call Number: 940.53 BYE
ISBN: 9780766032729
Publication Date: 2010
Examines the lives of Jewish children and teens in the ghettos during the Holocaust, including the formation of the ghettos, the miserable conditions, hard labor, and the deportations to camps
Pearl Harbor : a primary source history
Call Number: 940.54 GOR
ISBN: 9781433900471
Publication Date: 2009
Presents an overview of events leading up to World War II, focusing on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and features primary source materials that provide insights into the experiences of people who witnessed or were otherwise affected by the attack, with photographs of related artifacts and time lines.

D-Day Documented by Newsreel Cameras

Footage of the historic D-Day invasion from the United News. The best known D-Day is June 6, 1944 the day on which the Invasion of Normandy began. This video clip is courtesy of The History Channel.

Killer Balloons of World War II

See and hear how the Japanese had a secret weapon in development during WWII that was designed to carry bombs to the US mainland. The Japanese secret weapon was the balloon bomb. Learn more at History.com.

World War II Planes (National Geographic)

archival footage

Einstein in WWII

History takes a closer look at one of the greatest minds the world has ever seen. Find out what you have always wanted to know about Albert Einstein.