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War History Online
20 Photos That Will Change How You Think About The Second World War
By Rosemary Giles,
20 days ago
The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words," particularly resonates in times of conflict. Photographs possess an unparalleled ability to show the essence of a moment or person, providing a quick yet impactful glimpse into the pages of history. This list showcases a selection of the most impactful images from World War II, depicting both stirring battle scenes and somber moments of devastation, covering the entirety of the human spectrum of emotion and experience.
Our first photograph from the Second World War features the American destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) after sustaining multiple bomb hits during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . The image vividly captures the explosion of the vessel's forward magazine, becoming one of the most iconic photos to emerge in the aftermath of the attack.
Remarkably, Shaw underwent repairs and went on to serve for the remainder of the war, providing escort duties for vessels traversing the Pacific.
In 1942, a British pilot finds himself stranded amidst the boundless ocean, anxiously waiting for aid while finding safety aboard an inflatable raft. His rescue arrives in the shape of a Supermarine Walrus aircraft, swiftly deployed by the Air-Sea Rescue Service.
Utah Beach
Photo Credit: Galerie Bilderwelt / Getty Images
This Second World War-era photo captures an aerial perspective of one of the landings during D-Day . It depicts the American forces landing on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. These troops were primarily from the 4th Infantry Division and the 70th Tank Battalion, with support from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions , which had been deployed earlier in the day.
During the Second World War, though cavalrymen were less important, they still used horses throughout the North African Campaign , as shown in this photo. What sets this image apart is the unconventional sight of soldiers wielding handguns, instead of traditional swords.
Spotted on the horizon
Photo Credit: CORBIS / Getty Images
Observed through the periscope of the USS Wahoo (SS-238), this photograph captures the moment the Japanese transport ship Buyo Maru is struck by one of Wahoo's torpedoes, sinking below the waves. The incident occurred in the Pacific Ocean in 1942, during the service of Lt. Cmdr. D.W. Morton as the submarine's commander.
Dogfight over London
Photo Credit: Daily Herald Archive / National Science & Media Museum / SSPL / Getty Images
On October 8, 1940, the Germans carried out a daylight raid as part of the Blitz . The photo depicts smoke trails from British and German fighters locked in dogfights over the city. The eight-month bombing campaign targeting London and key industrial regions in the United Kingdom claimed approximately 43,000 civilian lives, while injuring tens of thousands more.
This image depicts American paratroopers being deployed as part of Operation Market Garden . It was snapped from an aircraft responsible for dropping the soldiers into the Netherlands. Despite the Allies' hopeful outlook on the mission's outcome, they faced many obstacles leading to heavy casualties and losses.
Bombing of Nagasaki
Photo Credit: Charles Levy / Pierce Archive LLC / Buyenlarge / Getty Images
A colossal mushroom cloud ascends over Nagasaki, Japan, marking the fateful day of August 9, 1945, when the American forces released the atomic bomb known as Fat Man . This iconic photo, taken during the waning weeks of the Second World War, is the work of 1st Lt. Charles Levy, a member of the 393rd Bombardment Squadron, 509th Composite Group. With his personal camera in hand, he captured this image while soaring in a Boeing B-29 Superfortress .
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as the pivotal events that precipitated the surrender of the Japanese Empire . In addition to causing extensive destruction, both detonations tragically claimed the lives of over 200,000 Japanese civilians , comprising 140,000 in Hiroshima and 74,000 in Nagasaki.
Head first
Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images
A Douglas SBD Dauntless "noses over" after landing on the deck of an American aircraft carrier following a test flight in 1943. Despite what it looks like, neither the pilot nor the gunner were injured.
A deadly fall
Photo Credit: PhotoQuest / Getty Images
On April 10, 1945, the 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium), Eighth Air Force was sent to strike numerous aerodromes and ordnance depots north of Berlin, Germany. Struck by an 88 mm flak burst, one of the bombers, the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Wee Willie , lost its wing . Despite the disastrous hit, the overall mission is said to have been successful.
Don't look up
Photo Credit: Sovfoto / Universal Images Group / Getty Images
In this photo taken during the Battle of Kursk in 1943, Red Army soldiers hunker down in a trench. Over top of them is a T-34 tank, which is moving in to fight the German forces. One of the major offensives to occur on the Eastern Front during World War II, the over-one month battle ended in a Soviet victory.
Bombers in actions
Photo Credit: Mondadori / Getty Images
This aerial photograph captures Consolidated B-24 Liberators from the Fifteenth Air Force during a mission over Ploești, Romania in August 1944. Their target was an oil refinery, and the large plumes of smoke suggest that they successfully completed their objective.
Attacking from all fronts
Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images
This aerial view captures the Allied landings on D-Day.
While reading about the immense scale of the operation is one thing, seeing it in an image emphasizes its magnitude. As well, the land, sea and aerial forces depicted here represent only a fraction of those engaged in the Second World War's largest amphibious invasion.
Watching her go down
Photo Credit: CORBIS / Getty Images
Members of the US Coast Guard watch from the deck of the USCGC Spencer (WPG-36) while a depth charge explodes in front of them. It was laid against German U-boats and was very successful at taking out the U-175 on April 17, 1943. Prior to being taken out by the Americans, U-175 had participated in three war patrols and sunk 10 merchant ships.
Is that a bus?
Photo Credit: J.A. Hampton / Getty Images
During a nighttime air raid on London during the Blitz, an entire bus wound up stuck in one of the bomb craters. Over the course of the operation, the Luftwaffe dropped over 100 tons of explosives over the UK.
A reconnaissance photo taken by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command of a bomb assembly and launch bunker in Siracourt, France. The intelligence was used to inform an attack launched in coordination with the US Army Air Forces on June 25, 1944.
This location was hit many times during the Second World War, hence the sheer number of bomb craters in the photo.
'Fire-ing' squad
Photo Credit: ullstein bild / Getty Images
In Spring 1940, a unit of Italian soldiers equipped with flamethrowers were stationed near the Egyptian border. The weapons were extremely useful and used for a number of purposes. In particular, they saw use as a tactical siege weapon.
Better than horsepower
Photo Credit: WATFORD / Mirrorpix / Getty Images
What do you do when you need to clean up the destruction caused by an aerial bombing? You enlist the help of local elephants, of course. Mary and Kieri are shown here helping to move a bombed vehicle in Hamburg, Germany in November 1945, just a few months after the end of the Second World War.
Into the spotlight
Photo Credit: Royal Air Force Official Photographer / Imperial War Museums / Getty Images
A Douglas C-47 Dakota with the British Overseas Airways Corporation silhouetted by searchlights on the island of Gibraltar while it prepares for a flight to the UK in 1943. Gibraltar was of crucial importance to the Allies and their fight in the Mediterranean. A series of tunnels were improved underneath the rock to use in case of an enemy attack. They, nor the servicemen chosen to man them, were ever needed.
This Boeing B-17C Flying Fortress was damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It subsequently lost its back end, leaving only the front. In this photo, it sits on the tarmac near Hangar Five at Hickam Field.
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