After 82 days of fighting, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander said Japanese resistance had been defeated on the island of Okinawa.
Tag: World War II (1939-45)
Portugal Honors a Diplomat Who Saved Jews From the Nazis
Aristides de Sousa Mendes provided Jews and others in Nazi-occupied France with visas allowing them to flee the country, actions that brought him severe reprisals during his lifetime.
Vera Lynn, Singer Whose Wartime Ballads Uplifted U.K., Dies at 103
Known as the “Forces’ Sweetheart,” Ms. Lynn performed sentimental songs that captured the affection of troops abroad and Britons at home.
How a BMW and a Truck Full of Leather Shoes Helped Me Get to America
After World War II, I spent three years in a displaced persons camp, trading everything I could until I saved enough money to start over in the United States.
Its Defenses Undone by a Virus, France Seeks Lessons From a Lost War
A book about France’s defeat in World War II has taken on a curious resonance as the country gazes across the border at Germany and asks why it has weathered the pandemic better.
Coronavirus Depletes the Keepers of Europe’s Memory
The pandemic has hastened the departure of witnesses to the wrenching conflicts of the last century, allowing rising political forces to recast history.
How Crowdsourcing Aided a Push to Preserve the Histories of Nazi Victims
With people around the globe sheltering at home amid the pandemic, an archive of records documenting Nazi atrocities asked for help indexing them. Thousands joined the effort.
When the Mexican Air Force Went to War Alongside America
In 1945, the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron helped the U.S. Army Air Forces defeat Japan — significantly changing relations between the two allies after the war.
Cécile Rol-Tanguy, French Resistance Fighter, Dies at 101
Passing through Nazi checkpoints in disguise, she carried machine guns and hand grenades to members of the underground.
1945: Britain and U.S. Propose Meeting With Russia
Following victory in Europe, diplomats in Moscow suggested to Stalin that the “Big Three” powers meet in London.