World History

The Homefront During the Vietnam War, As Told By One Captivating Photo

In an indelible picture taken 50 years ago, one family faces a loss in Vietnam

A look inside the Cabinet Room.

Go Behind the Glass of Churchill’s Underground War Rooms

Exploring the secrets of the storied bunker—from its well-worn maps to a leader under extreme duress

The airship Italia

Flying to the North Pole in an Airship Was Easy. Returning Wouldn’t Be So Easy

It would take an international icon to toss aside a bitter rivalry to help a crew in need

Why Queen Victoria Was an Early Adopter of Photography

In the 1840s, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert set up elaborate white winter interiors and decorated trees to celebrate Christmas at Windsor Castle

Chinese laborers comprised the largest non-European workforce during World War I, and were tasked with everything from digging trenches to manning factories.

World War I: 100 Years Later

The Surprisingly Important Role China Played in WWI

In turn, the peace talks that ended the war had an enormous impact on China's future

Plotting a route out? German prisoners in Britain during WWII.

This Newly Excavated Underground Tunnel Reveals How 83 German Officers Escaped a World War II Prison Camp

The POWs burrowed to freedom from a Welsh encampment in 1945

Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of 1940s Nazi Sympathizers

Charles Lindbergh may have been known as a legendary pilot, but he had another, more sinister position in American History: as a Nazi sympathizer

This Mysterious Stone Structure Is Older Than Stonehenge

Until recently, Britain's Stonehenge was thought to be the world's oldest set of stone monuments

Mahatma Gandhi, center, confers with leaders of the All-India Congress Party, Aug. 1942

The Speech That Brought India to the Brink of Independence

Although the 1942 'Quit India' movement was hardly peaceful, Gandhi's 'Do or Die' address inspired a nation to unify against its British colonizers

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Japan's Surrender in WWII Ushered in a New World Order

On September 2, 1945, Japan delivered its unconditional surrender in WWII. Twelve million American troops went home as civilians

The Crucial Role the British Railway Played During WWII

As the Luftwaffe began to target London with increasing regularity, the railway network became the saving grace of the nation

Did a Nazi Submarine Attack a Chemical Plant in North Carolina?

Multiple eyewitnesses say that one night in 1943, their calm, quiet beach briefly became a war zone

How Colorized Historical Footage Is Painstakingly Made

Composite Films conducted 5,800 hours of research and poured over 27 miles of film to create our series America in Color

The annual swan upping ceremony of the queen's swans on the Thames.

Europe

The Fascinating, Regal History Behind Britain's Swans

The aristocratic bird's has a legacy as a luxury status symbol that dates back centuries

North Korean soldiers carry flags and a photo of late leader Kim Il-sung during a military parade on Saturday, April 15, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea.

History of Now

Why North Korea Needs an Enemy Like America to Survive

The nation’s complicated history hinges on three words that explain the totalitarian regime's behavior

What Kind of Footage Do Historical Colorists Like Best?

According to the historians and art directors from Composite Films who worked meticulously on America in Color, these were some of their favorite subjects

Miklós Horthy at the annexation of south-east Czechoslovakia, Kassa (present-day Košice), 11 November 1938

History of Now

Why It Matters That Hungary's Prime Minister Denounced His Country’s Role in the Holocaust

Is this tonal shift for real -- or will the European nation continue to obfuscate its history?

More than 300,000 Allied troops were rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940, with help from ships like the "Medway Queen."

The True Story of Dunkirk, As Told Through the Heroism of the “Medway Queen”

Retrofitted by the British Navy, the paddleboat saved 7,000 men over many dangerous trips across the Channel

How Germans Turned Trains Into Massive Artillery in WWII

Railway guns like the German WWII K5 gun had a very narrow aim. To get around that problem, Germans developed a circular track, allowing the gun to rotate

The U.S. Assault on Okinawa Was Met With an Eerie Silence

When U.S. troops launched their assault on the Pacific island of Okinawa, they expected a fierce resistance from an entrenched Japanese army

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