Pictures of World War II

After the German city of Dresden bombed London, much of it was destroyed in retaliation.

This Russian city was the scene of one of the war's bloodiest battles.

London suffered the Blitz and was subjected to heavy German bombing.

This legendary general was celebrated as an American Hero in the 1970 movie Patton.

Mussolini was Italy's dictator and a German ally.

This iconic image shows the atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima that destroyed the city and killed tens of thousands. The fallout from the attack was felt for decades.

Japanese kamakazes sacrificed their lives to advance their cause.

Fighting in the Pacific War was deadly, but Americans stood their ground.

Women stepped up to the plate to fill jobs vacated by drafted soldiers and support the war effort in munitions companies and elsewhere.

Iconic Rosie the Riveter represented the women who went to work in factories during the war.

In 1940, Germany marched on the City of Light and took it over with their successful Panzer attacks. This image shows American troops marching along theAvenue des Champs-Élysées following the Liberation of Paris four years later.

This image shows Hitler surveying his victory. Fortunately, his time as victor was short lived.

Life in the Warsaw Ghetto was brutal. Eventually, survivors would lead an heroic uprising against their Nazi persecutors.

Often placed alongside Hitler as one of the most hated men of the 20th century, Stalin was actually an ally of the U.S. and Britain during the war.

Germany's U-boats nearly cost Great Britain the war.

The Enigma code-cracking machine aided the allies, enabling them to end the war more quickly and save lives.

FDR and Churchill pose for a photo. Their legendary leadership is still talked about with admiration today.

Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor drew the U.S. into the war.

USO dances gave soldiers some reprieve from the fighting when they were on leave.

Not even the dry desert lands of North Africa were spared the conflagrations of World War II.

Japanese prison camps constructed all over the Pacific were notorious for their brutality and the human suffering they caused.

The Nuremberg trials prosecuted high German officials for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many were unrepentant even when convicted and sentenced to death.

Fighting by air came into its own during WWII. The pilots who flew these craft had to develop nerves of steel to fly them into battle in the Pacific and in the English Channel.

The Nanking Massacre committed by the Japanese against the Chinese is regarded as one of the most severe atrocities of the war.

Germany deliberately targeted many of Poland's most illustrious buildings for destruction in their campaign against their neighbors.

Some of Hollywood's best-loved figures made a point to get into the war and entertain the troops. This image shows Bob Hope performing in the Solomon Islands.

U.S. flyboys helped turn the tide of the war.

This image reflects the misery to which millions were subjected during the war.

This world-famous kiss expressed the joy of millions.

This iconic picture shows U.S. Marines hoisting the American flag high.