World War II | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/world-war-ii/RSS feed for World War IIenTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:58:31 +0000After an American Bomber Crashed Into an English Moor During World War II, a Corporal Was Declared Missing in Action. Archaeologists Have Now Revived the Search for His Remainshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/Corporal Clarence Watson was among 10 American airmen aboard a B-24H Liberator when it crashed under foggy conditions. The crew was training for Operation Carpetbagger, a top-secret effort to fly deep into Nazi-occupied EuropeTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:58:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/Hitler Had an Intense, Mysterious Relationship With His Half-Niece. New Research Suggests His Alibi for Her Murder Might Not Hold Uphttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hitler-had-an-intense-mysterious-relationship-with-his-half-niece-new-research-suggests-his-alibi-for-her-murder-might-not-hold-up-180989572/Recently uncovered documents about the timing of Geli Raubal’s death cast new doubt on the Nazi leader’s alibi, which had been considered reasonably sound for nearly a centuryFri, 25 Sep 2026 19:07:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hitler-had-an-intense-mysterious-relationship-with-his-half-niece-new-research-suggests-his-alibi-for-her-murder-might-not-hold-up-180989572/This Cubist Painting With a Mysterious Provenance Hung in the Art Institute of Chicago for Decades. Now, the Museum Will Return It to Its Rightful Jewish Heirshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/Infrared imaging links the 20th-century Jean Metzinger work to a collector whose pieces were forcibly auctioned under Nazi orders during World War IIWed, 23 Sep 2026 20:18:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/The Founders of the 'New York Times' Pledged to Cover 'Every Subject of Public Importance.' 175 Years Later, the Paper Continues to Publish 'All the News That's Fit to Print'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-founders-of-the-new-york-times-pledged-to-cover-every-subject-of-public-importance-175-years-later-the-paper-continues-to-publish-all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print-180989512/Much has changed since the publication debuted on September 18, 1851. What hasn't changed, staff members say, is the paper's missionFri, 18 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-founders-of-the-new-york-times-pledged-to-cover-every-subject-of-public-importance-175-years-later-the-paper-continues-to-publish-all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print-180989512/A Rare Nazi-Looted Painting, Lost for Some 80 Years, Turned Up in a Real Estate Listing. Now, a Judge Has Ordered It Returned to Its Rightful Heirshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/A-Rare-Nazi-Looted-Painting-lost-for-Some-80-Years-Turned-Up-in-a-Real-Estate-Listing-Now-a-Judge-Has-Ordered-It-Returned-to-Its-Rightful-Heirs-180989488/Missing since it was stolen in Amsterdam in 1945, Giacomo Ceruti’s ‘Portrait of a Lady’ will be restored to its true owners, a court in Argentina has ruled in a landmark decisionMon, 14 Sep 2026 14:29:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/A-Rare-Nazi-Looted-Painting-lost-for-Some-80-Years-Turned-Up-in-a-Real-Estate-Listing-Now-a-Judge-Has-Ordered-It-Returned-to-Its-Rightful-Heirs-180989488/This Hospital Ship Sank Off Albania's Coast During World War II. Now, It’s Teeming With Marine Lifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-hospital-ship-sank-off-albania-coast-during-world-war-ii-now-its-teeming-with-marine-life-180989468/A new survey of the "Po" has revealed a thriving underwater ecosystem, including rare Mediterranean monk sealsWed, 09 Sep 2026 17:57:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-hospital-ship-sank-off-albania-coast-during-world-war-ii-now-its-teeming-with-marine-life-180989468/World War II Sugar Rationing Data Hints That Limiting Intake of the Sweet Stuff Early in Life Lowers the Risk of Dementia and Cancerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For roughly a decade leading up to September 1953, the United Kingdom limited sugar purchases. Scientists studied health outcomes in people born during the ration and right afterWed, 02 Sep 2026 15:48:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/Yayoi Kusama Created Fantastical 'Infinity Mirror Rooms' That Became the Art World's Most Famous Backdrops. Her Work Spanned Counterculture to the Cosmoshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/yayoi-kusama-created-fantastical-infinity-mirror-rooms-that-became-the-most-famous-backdrops-of-the-art-world-her-work-spanned-from-counterculture-to-cosmos-180989409/The Japanese artist, who died on August 14 at 97, sought solace from hallucinations in her art, developing a visual language of polka dots, pumpkins and mirrors that entranced the worldThu, 27 Aug 2026 15:59:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/yayoi-kusama-created-fantastical-infinity-mirror-rooms-that-became-the-most-famous-backdrops-of-the-art-world-her-work-spanned-from-counterculture-to-cosmos-180989409/This American Commando Parachuted Behind Enemy Lines in Both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War IIhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-american-commando-parachuted-behind-enemy-lines-in-both-the-european-and-pacific-theaters-of-world-war-ii-180989396/A direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson, Francis Lowell Coolidge was an agent with the Office of Strategic Services, a predecessor to the CIA. Read his goodbye letter to his wife, published here for the first timeThu, 27 Aug 2026 12:33:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-american-commando-parachuted-behind-enemy-lines-in-both-the-european-and-pacific-theaters-of-world-war-ii-180989396/When an American Airplane Crashed Into a School in 1944, an English Village Lost Almost All of Its Youngest Children. Why Has WWII's Worst Civilian Aviation Accident Been Forgotten?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-american-airplane-crashed-into-school-1944-english-village-lost-almost-all-of-its-youngest-children-why-has-wwii-worst-civilian-aviation-accident-been-forgotten-180989341/On August 23, 1944, a test flight over the village of Freckleton, located in northwest England, ended in disaster, claiming the lives of 61 people, including 38 students between the ages of 4 and 6Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-american-airplane-crashed-into-school-1944-english-village-lost-almost-all-of-its-youngest-children-why-has-wwii-worst-civilian-aviation-accident-been-forgotten-180989341/