Learn about WWII History

Explore the critical events related to the war and the personal stories of those who lived through that challenging time.

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Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat

Operation Mincemeat was an effective diversion capable of drawing the Axis forces away from Sicily, the place where the ...

#Story

The bombings of Messina and Palermo
The bombings of Messina and Palermo

The Anglo-American bombing of the cities of Sicily was an important part of Operation Husky. The damage caused in some c...

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Salvatore Aldisio
Salvatore Aldisio

Salvatore Aldisio was a leading Sicilian Catholic politician, who during the war was among the founders of the Christian...

#Biography

Charles Poletti
Charles Poletti

A lawyer and politician lent to the war, Aldo Charles Poletti managed the Allied military government in occupied Italy, ...

#Biography

Frank E. Toscani
Frank E. Toscani

Frank Eugene Toscani was Allied governor of Licata between July and August 1943, and handled the emergency that followed...

#Biography

Hans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube

Despite the loss of a hand, Hans-Valentin Hube fought across Europe at the head of his motorised troops, managing the We...

#Biography

Oliver Leese
Oliver Leese

Oliver William Hargreaves Leese was an officer who was very close to the British General, Bernard Montgomery. Leese foug...

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Weilerbach and Rhineland Campaign
Weilerbach and Rhineland Campaign

At the end of the Battle of the Bulge, the war was unfortunately not yet over. The melting snow caused the rivers to swe...

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General Patton’s counterattack on Bastogne
General Patton’s counterattack on Bastogne

On 26 December 1944, General Patton successfully broke open the Bastogne encirclement with his counterattack, in only fi...

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Hyman Josefson
Hyman Josefson

Hyman A. Josefson was a first generation American, born in 1909 in Middletown, New York. He was the youngest son of Roma...

#Biography

Warner W. Holzinger
Warner W. Holzinger

Born 31 March 1916 in Rosenthal, Silesia and naturalised in the USA, Warner William Holzinger was to become the first US...

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The Royal Air Force over Luxembourg
The Royal Air Force over Luxembourg

Whilst there were no British ground troops in Luxembourg during the Second World War. The Royal Air Force (RAF) had been...

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Harry M. Kemp
Harry M. Kemp

Captain Harry M. KEMP was born in 1919 and was a native Pennsylvanian (area of Scranton, PA). In January 1937, he lied a...

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The September 1944 liberation in Luxembourg
The September 1944 liberation in Luxembourg

News spread of the liberation of Paris amongst Luxembourgers. With the success of the Allied breakout from Normandy and ...

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The Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg
The Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg

With the rapid liberation of Luxembourg in September 1944 and the Allied advance towards the borders of the Third Reich,...

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Marguerite Linden-Meier
Marguerite Linden-Meier

Marguerite Linden (maiden name Meier, born in 1921), lived in Bivels, near Vianden, on the Our river. She was suddenly p...

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Resistance in Luxembourg
Resistance in Luxembourg

After the German military occupation of Luxembourg began, small groups of resistance fighters were born all over the cou...

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Traute Lafrenz
Traute Lafrenz

​​Traute Lafrenz, an early opponent of the Nazi Regime, was a close friend of Hans Scholl and his family. She helped to ...

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​​Zofia Haltof-Mikołajewska​
​​Zofia Haltof-Mikołajewska​

​​Zofia Haltof-Mikołajewska was a member of the Polish resistance and served as a liason officer and nurse with the Home...

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Jadwiga Podrygałło
Jadwiga Podrygałło

​​Jadwiga Podrygałło took part in the defense of Warsaw in 1939. After the occupation she joined the resistance movement...

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Aleksandra Mianowska
Aleksandra Mianowska

​​Aleksandra was an outstanding Polish theater actress. During the war she was in the resistance movement. She helped Po...

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Marga Grunberg
Marga Grunberg

Marga Grunberg was a 17-year old Jewish refugee from Germany. In the Netherlands she joined the resistance and distribut...

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​​Hannie Schaft​
​​Hannie Schaft​

Out of a great sense of justice, red-haired Jo Schaft went to study law in Amsterdam in 1938. During the occupation, Jo ...

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Fernanda Kapteijn
Fernanda Kapteijn

Fernanda Kapteijn was a teenager from Utrecht and a bicycle courier for the resistance. Women like Kapteijn were essenti...

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