World War 2

Untangling Fact and Fiction in the Story of a Nazi-Era Brothel

Kitty Schmidt's Berlin brothel has been the subject of lurid speculation that its owner was forced by the Nazis to spy on her clients for evidence of subversion and disloyalty. A new book tries to untangle the more complicated history of commercial sex in the Weimar and Nazi eras, but struggles against the pervasiveness of myth. 

The Army Warned Troops in 1945 of the Danger of Fascism. That Warning Rings True Today

by Alan J. Singer

As the military prepared for the occupation of conquered Axis nations, it realized that without awareness of the content and goals of fascism, it could emerge at home as "Americanism." 

Jared McBride Sheds Light on the Darker Parts of Ukraine's History

by James Thornton Harris

The issue of Ukrainian collaboration with Nazi genocide has been a propaganda point in the war with Russia. Historian Jared McBride talks about the complexities of ethnic violence and the complications of archival research in Russia and eastern Europe. 

The Forgotten History of Japanese Internment in Hawaii

by Olivia Tasevski

Although Hawaii is associated with the United States being victimized by foreign attack, the history of internment of Japanese Americans on the islands should also remind us of the U.S. government's human rights abuses. 

Cash Reparations to Japanese Internees Helped Rebuild Autonomy and Dignity

by Morgan Ome

Many recent proposals for African American reparations prescribe particular uses for compensation, such as securing housing. But the lesson of the $20,000 payments made to Japanese-American internees and their descendants is that restoring dignity and autonomy means letting recipients decide how to spend any payment for themselves. 

Was "Passive Resistance" to the Nazis Enough?

Burkhard Bilger's memoir "Fatherland" examines how his family dealt with the reality that his grandfather had been a Nazi party chief in his Alsace hometown—but not, apparently, a very effective one. 

Paul Watanabe, Historian and Manzanar Survivor, Makes Sure History Isn't Forgotten

The UMass-Boston professor brings students each spring to the California desert to visit the site where his own family was interned for more than four years. 

In Germany, Soviet Memorials Raise Painful Memories, But are Protected

Germany stands alone among European nations in protecting many Soviet-era monuments in the former East Germany. Honoring victims of Nazis has long been a reason, but this has been complicated by German support for Ukraine after its invasion by Russia. 

Travel Was a Driver of Eleanor Roosevelt's Leadership

by Shannon McKenna Schmidt

Eleanor Roosevelt's leadership on behalf of the New Deal and the national war effort were always enhanced by her enthusiasm for travel, which culminated in a 25,000 mile journey to the Pacific theater in August, 1943. 

A Small Village's History During the Third Reich Raises Big Questions about Complicity

by Julia Boyd

A new history of the personal experiences of the residents of a small Bavarian village show that, while Nazism was driven by ideologues, it was able to maintain power because the personal risks of nonsupport convinced many to put their moral objections aside.

When World War II Pacifists "Conquered the Future"

by Eric Laursen

Daniel Akst profiles the pacifists who opposed American involvement in the Second World War and their influence on the civil rights and peace movements that followed. 

Review: Fluorescent Foxes and Other Outrageous Projects of WWII Espionage

Stanley Lovell, believed to the the inspiration for "Q" in the James Bond stories, was the mastermind of the most outrageous efforts at psychological warfare and deception for the precursor agency to the CIA – including painting foxes with radium to resemble kitsune, shinto harbingers of doom. 

Can Japan-Korea Relations Resolve Historical Disputes?

The government of South Korea has dropped its demand for Japanese companies to pay victims of forced labor during World War II. Many Koreans have called the concession a national humiliation, and some surviving victims say they won't accept compensation from Korean sources. 

Review: The Unfinished Business of "Double V"

by Eric Foner

Eric Foner considers recent books on racism in the military in World War II and in Vietnam. 

America Fought Its Own Battle Over Books Before it Fought the Nazis

by Brianna Labuskes

The Armed Services Editions paperback books were wildly popular among World War II servicemembers. But they became symbols of American freedom to read in the war against fascism only after a bitter domestic battle about the works and topics that would be permitted. 

Creating the First Complete List of Names of Interned Japanese Americans

Duncan Ryuken Williams of the University of Southern California led a research team for three years assembling a documentary record that could restore the individuality of 125,000 victims of internment. 

Dutch Villagers Find Hunt for Nazi Treasure Less and Less Charming With Passage of Time

The recent declassification of a map drawn by a German soldier in 1945 has brought treasure hunters to Ommeren. The 751 residents have mixed feelings. 

Zachary Shore: the Struggle Between Vengeance and Virtue in WWII

Zachary Shore discusses the contrasting decisions to drop atomic bombs on Japan and rebuild Germany. 

The Real Story of "Casablanca" Was the Refugees

At its 80th anniversary, it's appropriate to honor the classic film by focusing on the waves of Europeans fleeing Nazi persecution and working to fight back. 

The Pope at War: Pius XII and the Vatican's Secret Archives

by James Thornton Harris

David Kertzer's book argues that defenders of Pope Pius XII's actions during the Holocaust mistake his defense of the prerogatives of the Catholic Church for a defense of the victims of Nazi persecution and genocide.