Photographs

Anti aircraft fire near St. Isaac’s Cathedral against a German air raid during the Siege of Leningrad, 1941. The blockade and encirclement of Leningrad was one of the longest and most horrific sieges in history, lasting 872 days between September 8th 1941 and January 27th 1944, when the weakened Axis …

One of the very few surviving images (and the only one of decent quality) of the “Romanian Goliath”, a Romanian version of the German Goliath tracked mine. This version had no armor, but was much larger, six time heavier, and better equipped to handle trenches and difficult terrain. It was …

Sandbags are cleared off the facade of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, as Germany occupied the city unopposed on June 14th 1940. The sandbags were used by Parisians to protect Notre Dame against bombardments. Paris and its invaluable cultural and architectural heritage was saved twice from destruction during World War …

Panzer III tanks leaving the production plant in October 1942, alongside stacked piles of tracks. Book suggestion ⤵️ 📖 Achtung-Panzer!: The Development of Armoured Forces, Their Tactics and Operational Potential (Heinz Guderian, 1937)

Jan Baalsrud was a commando in the Norwegian resistance trained by the British in World War Two. In 1941 Baalsrud participated in Operation Martin, which was a clandestine action aiming to organize secret resistance groups in Tromso, in German occupied Norway, and to destroy a German airfield control tower. When …

British propaganda image during the Battle of Britain, 1940, showing children and an older girl (maybe their teacher) protecting themselves from German air raids in a dug out trench, acting as an improvised bomb shelter. Book suggestion ⤵️ 📖 The Blitz: The British Under Attack (Juliet Gardiner, 2010)

A Japanese Kawanishi H8K2 “Emily” Flying Boat shot down by a PB4Y-1 heavy bomber (consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft used by the US Navy) on July 2nd, 1944, in the Central Pacific. The Japanese Kawanishi H8K (and the improved H8K2) was a large four engined aircraft designed to land and operate …

The bombing of Dresden (13-15 February 1945) has been a highly controversial topic of debate over the years. Trying to force Germany into submission, the British and the Americans bombed a civilian city with little strategic importance, killing around 25.000 civilians in the process. During and after the war propaganda …

Swedish boy runs ahead of his mother towards the parade in which his father is marching. June 19th, 1941, Stockholm. Sweden maintained neutrality throughout World War II, although it did make a few concessions, initially to Germany, and then to the Western Allies. Sweden sold large quantities of iron ore …

Actresses Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth serving food to soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen in Hollywood, California. November 17th, 1942. The Hollywood Canteen was open between October 3rd 1942 and November 22nd 1945. It provided food, dancing and entertainment for soldiers and servicemen, who were usually on their way overseas. …