World War II Documents

With Germany upset about how WWI ended and Japan upset about a lack-of-access to much-needed natural resources, another war sent the world into chaos between 1939-1945. Stories in this collection are about some of those events.

"BODYGUARD" was the name of an Allied plan of deception, created to fool Germany about the Allies' invasion plans for 1944.Dated the 3rd of February, ...

Boxcover image of Bonhoeffer - Agent of Grace.

This cover image depicts a book written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer's twin-sister, Sabine.  It shows Sabine with her twin-brother Dietrich. The Engli...

Naval Captain Gallery issued an order to maintain secrecy regarding the recovery of the German Submarine U-505.  His order clearly stated: ...

In occupied Holland, Dutch churches issued a collective protest against the treatment of the country's Jews: The undersigned Dutch Churches, alread...

FDR did not use "infamy" in his first-draft as this original shows.

Image of General Eisenhower's message to the forces. Click on the image for a better view.

This is the obituary of Lena Basilone.  It tells us that she never remarried, after the Iwo Jima death of her husband, John Basilone.  Lena ...

This book, by the Pearl-Harbor historian Gordon W. Prange and his co-authors Donald M Goldstein and Katherine V Dillon, tells the story of the Decembe...

This image depicts page 1 of a September 14, 1942 letter - from Philip Johnston to the U.S. Marine Corps Commandant - requesting permission to jo...

This image depicts page 2 of the letter Philip Johnston sent to the U.S. Marine Corps Commandant on September 14, 1942.    The Navajo Code...

Lt. General DeWitt's recommendation, to evacuate Japanese-Americans from their homes in the Pacific-coast region, page 2. Click on the image for a be...

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