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World War II


World War II (1939-1945) was a global conflict involving most of the world's nations. It was characterized by widespread military engagements across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The war can be traced back to the rise of aggressive expansionist powers, including Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler, fascist Italy led by Benito Mussolini, and militarist Japan under Emperor Hirohito.

The war officially began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany. The conflict quickly escalated as Germany conquered much of Western Europe and Japan expanded in the Pacific. The Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, fought against the Allied Powers, including the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, United States, and others.

Key events and theaters of the war included the Holocaust, in which millions of Jews and others were systematically murdered by the Nazis, the Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point on the Eastern Front, and the D-Day landings in Normandy, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

The war concluded in 1945 with the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. The conflict had devastating consequences, resulting in an estimated 50 million fatalities, widespread destruction, and significant social, political, and economic changes worldwide. The war also led to the establishment of the United Nations, an international organization aimed at promoting peace and cooperation among nations to prevent such a global conflict from happening again.

Our World War II Gift Ideas

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Operation Underworld: How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win World War II
World War II: The Definitive Visual History from Blitzkrieg to the Atom Bomb
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World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   William Robert BARRETTE (6 October 1927, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA - 15 December 1995, Webster, Massachusetts, USA)
(William Joseph BARRETTE & Ida FORGET)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Albert J BASINET (12 April 1921, , Connecticut, USA - 16 June 1997, Putnam, Connecticut, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Raymond BAVIER (4 September 1924, Hartford, Connecticut, USA - 12 October 2014, )
(Clifford BAVIER & Katherine Sofia SILVERNAIL)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  John Alexander BEARS (11 November 1914, Millinocket, Maine, USA - 21 September 1976, Wilna, New York, USA (Carthage))
(Elias BEARS & Jennie Rutherford HILSON)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Charles Aaron BEATTIE (27 July 1924, Sanford, Maine, USA (Springvale) - 6 August 2008, Sanford, Maine, USA (Springvale))
(Edward Bruce BEATTIE & Thirza Ilvinia TIBBETTS (TEBBETTS))
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Francis Raymond BEAUCHAMP (20 March 1916, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA - 29 December 1980, Boulder, Colorado, USA)
(Albert Joseph FAIRFIELD BEAUCHAMP & Elmina Loretta BOLDUC)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Valmore George BEAUCHAMP (12 November 1919, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA - 6 May 1981, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA)
(Albert Joseph FAIRFIELD BEAUCHAMP & Elmina Loretta BOLDUC)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Daniel Clifton BEEBE (3 January 1928, Manchester, Connecticut, USA (South Manchester) - 12 December 1988, Rockville, Connecticut, USA)
(Harold Clifton BEEBE & Tryphena Ophelia AHL)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Kenneth Ahl BEEBE (26 July 1917, Manchester, Connecticut, USA (South Manchester) - 7 April 1999, Middletown, Connecticut, USA)
(Harold Clifton BEEBE & Tryphena Ophelia AHL)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  George Leonard BELAIR (31 January 1915, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA - 8 May 2005, , Minnesota, USA)
(John August BELAIR & Zoe M GAGNE)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Kenneth Joseph BELLVILLE (16 June 1924, St Albans, Vermont, USA - 18 March 2015, Brattleboro, Vermont, USA (West Brattleboro))
(Henry Oscar BELLVILLE & Mary Jane RIVET)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  William Giacomo BENEDETTI (5 November 1921, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA - 25 March 2018, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA)
(Lodovico Carlo BENEDETTI & Mary Lucy GRAZIOLA (GRAZIOLS))
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Henry W BERGNER (7 April 1917, Webster, Massachusetts, USA - 14 May 1982, Webster, Massachusetts, USA)
(Frederick John BERGNER & Augusta W FRITZSCHE)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  George C BERNARD (March 17, 1921, Parkin Cross County Arkansas, USA - March 15, 1970, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA)
(Rodner Cassie BERNARD & Aline Lou WILCOX)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Raymond BERNARD (8 December 1921, , Connecticut, USA - 25 June 2003, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA)
(Edward Joseph BERNARD & Nellie Agnes LAMOUREUX)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles Outterson BERNIER (19 July 1921, San Antonio, Texas, USA - 9 July 2012, Canyon Lake, Texas, USA)
(Outterson George BERNIER & Gertrude Elizabeth BUCKLEY)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Albert BERRY (17 January 1906, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 15 August 1976, )
(George Aaron BERRY & Mary Agnes MCMAHON (MCMAHAN))
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Urban Gerald BERTRAND (28 August 1916, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 5 January 2004, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville))
(Rosario BERTRAND & Leona GIROUX)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Dana Moulton BEVERLY (30 October 1917, Wakefield, Massachusetts, USA - August 1983, Parker, La Paz, Arizona, USA)
(Ralph Edwin BEVERLY & Eleanor Wentworth MOULTON)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Walter BIALOBLOCKI (8 January 1916, Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA - 10 December 1982, Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA)
(Stanley Andstazy BIALOBLOCKI & Aleksandra PRZEKOP BIALOBLOCKI)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Edgar N BIBEAU (4 January 1918, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 9 October 1996, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA)
(Joseph Magliore BIBEAU & Roselda T LIVERNOIS)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Roland A BIBEAU (7 November 1920, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 6 January 2003, West Brookfield, Massachusetts, USA)
(Joseph Magliore BIBEAU & Roselda T LIVERNOIS)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles BIEGENWALT (20 January 1919, , Connecticut, USA - 30 January 1945, Manila, Philippines)
(Charles Sebastian BEIGENWALT & Marie Florence Valentine ETHIER)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Elliott Allen BILLINGS (22 November 1912, Portland, Maine, USA (Deering) - 7 November 2011, Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA (North, East, West) (Teaticket) (Woods Hole) (Hatchville))
(Frank Stone BILLINGS & Marian A HARRINGTON)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Leonard Arthur BLAIR (17 November 1917, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 6 May 2006, Hudson, Massachusetts, USA (Feltonville))
(Edward Charles BLAIR (BLAIS) & Rose Alma LIVERNOIS)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  James BLAKEMAN (5 May 1923, Morgan City, Louisiana, USA - 4 October 2013, Richmond, Fort Bend, Texas, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  William Thomas BLALOCK (02/21/1926, Webb City, Oklahoma, USA - 08/27/2017, Broomfield, Colorado, USA)
(John Harris BLALOCK & Onie Lee JENKINS)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Donald Albert BLESSING (17 April 1925, Shelton, Connecticut, USA (Huntington) - 2 September 2009, Longmont, Colorado, USA)
(Albert A BLESSING & Helena Louise FRATSCHER)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Howard Edward BLESSING (3 September 1919, Meriden, Connecticut, USA - 8 April 2009 , Meriden, Connecticut, USA)
(William Henry BLESSING & Agnes J SCHROEDER)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Raymond Willard BLESSING (27 February 1916, Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA - 20 November 1989, Hartford, Connecticut, USA)
(Carl Heinrich "Charles Henry" BLESSING & Marie Berchtold PELTON)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Wayne Emmet BOBIER (5 August 1925, South Sioux City, Nebraska, USA - 2009, )
(George Washington BOBIER & Nettie Lilla STRONG)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Anthony Richard BOCHENKO (20 February 1911, Knyszyn, Poland - 10 September 1979, Webster, Massachusetts, USA)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Charles C "Charlie" BOCK (24 November 1925, Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA - 22 August 2019, Truckee, California, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Carl Philip BOENING (5 February 1922, St Paul, Minnesota, USA - 20 November 1986, Ballwin, St Louis, Missouri, USA)
(Carl Henry BOENING & Delia Marie HOULE)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Robert BOESENBERG (14 February 1927, Oak Park, Illiniois, USA - 15 May 2015, Sonora, California, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Harold Douglas BOISSEAU (24 March 1923, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA (Wyben) - 9 February 2007, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA (Wyben))
(Joseph William BOISSEAU & Edith May SMART)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Harold W BOSHAW (24 December 1926 , Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, USA - 5 January 2007 , St. Louise, Michigan, USA)
(Mervyn Earl BOSHAW & Flora Eliza TATROE)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Charles-A BOURDELAIS (13 September 1892, Saint-Cuthbert, Québec, Canada - 30 December 1943, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville))
(Louis BOURDELAIS & Carmelais PAQUETTE)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Jean Rock BOURDELAIS (26 March 1926, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville) - 12 December 1993, Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA (Globe) (Lensdale) (Saundersdale) (Shuttleville))
(Gustave-Fortunat BOURDELAIS & Marie Jeanne GARCEAU)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Milburn BOWLIN (10/20/1922, Hawkins Co, Tennessee, USA - 3/26/2006, Washington Co, Tennessee, USA)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Gregory "Pappy" BOYINGTON (4 December 1912, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA - 11 January 1988, Fresno, California, USA)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Kenneth Eugene BRACY (October 1, 1926, North Yarmouth, Maine, USA - February 23, 1991, North Yarmouth, Maine, USA)
(Myron Ellery BRACY & Winifred Faye GROSS)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Raymond Augustus BRACY (June 28, 1918, - January 12, 1994, Yarmouth, Maine, USA)
(Myron Ellery BRACY & Winifred Faye GROSS)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Gordon Salisbury BRANDES (11 December 1925, Webster, Massachusetts, USA - 28 December 1985, Topsfield, Massachusetts, USA)
(Henry Robert BRANDES & Helen Louise FEIGE)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Harold William BRANDES (22 November 1922, Webster, Massachusetts, USA - 23 June 2004, Holden, Massachusetts, USA)
(Henry Robert BRANDES & Helen Louise FEIGE)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Clarence Bader BROUILETTE (3 July 1910, Easthampton, Massachusetts, USA - 26 August 1988, Biddeford, Maine, USA (Biddeford Pool))
(Albert Bertram BROUILETTE & Edith Leona BADER)
World War II Soldier  photo of ancestor   Richmond Douglas BROUILETTE (BRULETT) (1 January 1924, Easthampton, Massachusetts, USA - 12 April 2005, Farmville, Virginia, USA)
(Albert Bertram BROUILETTE & Edith Leona BADER)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Armand Lucien BROUSSEAU (12/11/1924, , Rhode Island, USA - 12/27/1981, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA)
(Albert BROUSSEAU & Evélina BROUSSEAU)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Francis Leo BROUSSEAU (10/28/1918, Windham, Connecticut, USA (Willimantic) - , Windham, Connecticut, USA (Willimantic))
(Frank Arthur BROUSSEAU & Cora M MINER)
World War II Soldier  male ancestor  Kenneth George BROWE (31 May 1913, Burlington, Vermont, USA - 10 November 1980, Burlington, Vermont, USA)
(George Nathaniel BROWE & Anna Christine FLYNN)
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 Native Americans
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 Boston Tea Party Participants
 U.S. Presidents

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