Germany invaded Poland with a surprise blitzkrieg attack early on September 1, 1939. Great Britain and France declared war on Germany two days after the invasion, while the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east on September 17. Although Germany had already “annexed” Austria and taken over much of Czechoslovakia, its aggressive act against Poland was the trigger that ultimately launched a war that covered the globe. We remember it now as World War II.
World War II history continues to fascinate and astonish us. It was a vast conflict teeming with memorable battles, heroism, and endurance on the home front. Yet, it was sadly balanced by casualties, brutality, and unspeakable crimes against humanity.
Fold3’s World War II Collection remembers those who served and the events of the war in one of the largest collections of World War II records available online. Explore Hero Pages where you can add photos, stories, and memories. Search within documents like Missing Air Crew Reports, European Theater Army Records, and Navy War Diaries for first-hand accounts of the action. The expansive Holocaust Collection contains reports of looted artwork, documents covering war crimes, and concentration camp records. New to Fold3 are contributed military group records of the 63rd Infantry Division and the 500th Bomb Group, in which members of these groups share their experiences through photos, scrapbooks, and memoirs.
The war began with the invasion of Poland and ended six long, tragic years later. We invite you to visit the Honor Wall on Fold3, celebrating the end of the war with a pictorial tribute to America’s “Greatest Generation,” the men and women who served in World War II.
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