World War Two

1939

The Imitation Game

The true story of Alan Turing, the British cryptanalyst who successfully broke the German intelligence codes during the Second World War.

1940

Dunkirk

This is the highly anticipated war thriller produced by Christopher Nolan, which dramatically chronicles the desperation of the Allied soldiers trapped in the ever-shrinking pocket of land at Dunkirk, France. With the might of the German army bearing down on them, Britain undertook the greatest and most evocative sea evacuation of 400,000 soldiers.

Battle of Britain

With France fallen to the Nazis in mid-1940, and Britain vulnerable to a German invasion, the brave young pilots of the Royal Air Force were all that stood between freedom and certain captivity.

1941

Pearl Harbor

The fateful surprise attack by the Japanese carrier fleet on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in December 1941 are depicted here.

Tora Tora Tora

An earlier, and first, epic film version of "the day that will live in infamy."

Watch the History Buffs' take on Tora Tora Tora here

1944

The Longest Day

This is the classic film that examines in detail, the 6 June Operation Overlord that launched the Allied recapture of Nazi-occupied Europe.

Saving Private Ryan

Follow a squad of hand-picked soldiers as they try to locate an American private somewhere in France immediately after the Allied invasion of Normandy.

The Monuments Men

A little known story, of an unlikely group of soldiers with a highly unusual mission - to save precious art pieces from ruin, as the Nazis retreated back into Germany.

A Bridge too Far

Operation Market-Garden, the dashing, but ultimately foolhardy military operation by the Allies to capture a series of strategic bridges deep inside German-held Belgium.

Valkyrie

The final attempt by German patriots to assassinate Hitler are presented here in this exciting film.

1945

Letters from Iwo Jima

The brutal and fierce fighting between American forces and Japanese defenders on the last island before the Japanese mainland. A very touching film, sympathetically revealing the Japanese perspective.

Flag of our Fathers

Everyone has seen the famous picture of the group of US marines raising the flag on the island of Iwo Jima. This movie unravels the raw emotions, mystery, intrigue and heartache beyond the photograph.

I should state, off the bat, that I have always been drawn more to the European theatre than the Pacific. Perhaps it is because of the long and heavy exposure I have received of the latter in and around the

subject of the Fall of Singapore. Or perhaps that the war in the Pacific - island hopping through torrid humid jungles - was so gruesome and painfully unrelieved compared with the campaign in Europe, where there had been a long history of western civilization and established societies.

If your preference is for documentaries, the following two are good quality, informative home-made documentaries. Each documentary lasts around an hour, and provide most of the essential, need-to-know facts and events about the Second World War.

(NEW!) For a clear overview of the Pacific War and the roles of Japan and the USA, do check out the Armchair Historian's mini-lecture below!

As always, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC History) is an excellent place to start learning about WWII. Lots of videos, photographs, documentaries, podcasts, resources and information.

Best of History websites - a useful one stop portal to further your searches. Includes animation, activities, games and even lesson plans.

WAR MUSEUMS IN SINGAPORE

Check out my link here to discover more about the five museums on the island dedicated to educating visitors on the experience of the Second World War in Singapore.

USEFUL VIDEOS AND DOCUMENTARIES

The debate over who or what caused the war rages on today. One crucial aspect of the reasons for war was the controversial policy of Appeasement, pursued by the Prime Minister of Britain, Neville Chamberlain.

A summary of the key events of WWII, presented by Simple History.

A more detailed presentation of the war, again in summary format, is given below by Oversimplified.

Part 1 of the summary

Part 2 of the summary.

An entertaining but perceptive short take on World War Two, by the History Bombs.

Here is a straightforward and factual recount of the causes, stages and aftermath of WWII.

World War Two, from space. A documentary on History channel.

World War Two in colour documentary series:

SOURCE-BASED TUTORIAL

Examine any three authentic historical sources in detail.

These sources may be found in the following three pages:

1) Sir Winston Churchill / Understanding Churchill through Documents and Sources - (1) School report card 1884 (2) Letter from the Western Front 1915 (3) Draft speech on "The Few" of the Battle of Britain 1940 (4) Letter to President Roosevelt 1942 (5) Invitation from Westminster College 1945

2) Operation Overlord 6 June 1944 / Operation Overlord and D-Day Historical Documents and Sources - Set 1 - General Montgomery's Memo, 1 January 1944 Set 2 - Minutes of Meeting, 2 June 1944 Set 3 - Letter and Note from General Eisenhower Set 4 - The Stars and Stripes Newspaper, 7 June 1944 Set 5 - Letter from General Montgomery to General Simpson, 8 June 1944 Set 6 - Propaganda Leaflets dropped on Enemy Soldiers

3) World War Two / The common soldier in battle - (1) A soldier's pocket guide to France (2) A Letter home from Sergeant Worden (3) Diary of Staff Sergeant Goldman (4) First-aid for fighting men