Search results for ""Imperial War Museum""

Drawing on IWM's unrivalled collection, The Air War in Paintings reveals how the artists of the 1940s responded to the unfolding air war in Britain, illuminating their private anxieties, their ambitions and their experiences.

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Welcome to Weird War Two, a catalogue of the weird, the wonderful and the downright eccentric, from deep within IWM's Second World War archives.

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John Singer Sargent's Gassed is one of IWM's most iconic and best-loved objects. Truly monumental in scale, it is also the largest painting in the museum's collection and has been on near-constant display since it was first exhibited in 1919. A favourite among visitors and the most requested image by researchers and publishers, the work endures as a lasting symbol of modern art in public service, and of the transformative conflict from which it came. In the following pages IWM's Head of Art Rebecca Newell traces the origins of this large and powerful painting in the final months of the First World War and celebrates the vibrancy and visual power of the work, revealed once again during recent conservation. John Singer Sargent's Gassed reflects on the challenges of creating and displaying a canvas of such size and the dramatic impact the work has had on generations of visitors to IWM. Finally, the book considers the painting's enduring legacy in the context of art inspired by conflict - a legacy now secured for future generations.

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When Allied troops fell into enemy hands, one secret and ingenious branch of military intelligence was tasked with their rescue. M.I.9 created and supported a network of escape and evasion lines across war-torn Europe to ensure the safe return of Allied fighters. These escape lines were essential in the Total War against Nazi Germany. Every individual was vital to the fight, and failure wasn't an option. Published for the first time since its creation in 1942, this 'most secret' facsimile reveals the many marvellous escape aids created by M.I.9 to help Allied personnel both evade capture and escape from prisoner of war camps. From silk maps designed for concealment in garments to tiny radio receivers hidden in cigar boxes, these gadgets and inventions were the brainchild of Christopher Clayton Hutton – the eccentric M.I.9 inventor who inspired many of Q's creations in James Bond. Most Secret offers a rare look at the most highly classified and clandestine tools of British intelligence. An accompanying introduction uncovers the history of this secret volume and traces the origin and use of escape aids from their emergence in the First World War to their development and wider use in the Second World War.

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By summer of 1940, the Nazi Blitzkrieg had swept through much of western Europe, seizing control of territory right up to the Channel coast. A German invasion of Britain was expected to begin at any moment. But the key to success in such an invasion would be control of the skies over Britain – and the nation’s defenders were determined not to give in to their Nazi aggressors. The stage was set for one of the most important battles of the Second World War. This highly illustrated book tells the heroic story of the air battle, as well as the Blitz bombing campaign which followed, through photographs, interviews, diary and letter extracts, film stills and artwork from the world-famous IWM archives. Personal testimony from those who lived through the famous ‘Spitfire Summer’ of 1940 brings to life this truly unique visual retelling of one of the crucial moments of the conflict.

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A magical tale set one Christmas Eve, when all of Santa's reindeer caught colds and couldn't deliver any more presents, putting Christmas at risk for all the good girls and boys. Luckily, a plane everyone knows is on hand to save the day. Told in rhyme and featuring over 20 hand-drawn illustrations, this is the perfect gift for a kid at Christmas

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October 1941. Twenty-one-year-old Alan Mart is posted to India and taken under the wing of the dogmatic, overbearing Acting-Captin Sam Holl. Following the Japanese advance on Singapore, the men are deployed to Malaya. What follows is a quietly shattering and searingly authentic depiction of the claustrophobia of jungle warfare and the futility of war.

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Churchill's War in Words transports the reader back to the storm-struck days of the Second World War. Focussing only on words used at the time, it reveals the way that Winston Churchill talked about the conflict in public and in private - and the way that he himself was viewed at the time by family, friends, politicians, military leaders, staff , voters, allies and enemies.Presented in chronological order and accompanied by short year-by-year introductions, the quotations convey afresh the full force of Churchill's oratory, the wit he displayed in the face of often appalling odds, and the hopes and fears that he inspired in those around him. Together they reveal to the modern reader what it was truly like to be locked in a struggle in which victory - or total defeat - was yet to be decided. Together they tell the extraordinary story of Churchill's War in Words.

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Based on the author’s own experience with the British Army and specifically the Royal Armoured Corps, Mailed Fist brings this extraordinary story of tank warfare to life.

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London was a city on the front line in the Second World War. It suffered hits from nearly 12,000 tons of bombs, with nearly 30,000 civilians killed by enemy action. The Blitz changed the landscape of the city. Many famous landmarks were hit, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London - even the Imperial War Museum. Some areas, such as Stepney, were so badly damaged that they had to be almost entirely rebuilt after the war. But it wasn't just the city's physical landscape that was transformed. With the arrival of large numbers of Commonwealth and overseas service personnel, London became much more cosmopolitan. After 1942, vast numbers of American servicemen were deployed in the capital, and it was also a busy transport hub and a popular destination for troops on leave.This book tells the story of these momentous years in London's history through IWM's unique collections. Using personal accounts from letters and diaries, objects, photographs, maps and documents it gives an up-close and revealing insight into those turbulent years in the capital, experienced by those who lived there.

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Keep calm and carry on. In 1939, Britain s Ministry of Information produced this now-ubiquitous reminder to its citizens in the event of widely predicted air attacks. But in the six consecutive years before Germany s surrender to Allied forces, the British public would feel keenly both the physical and moral hardships of war. To boost morale and raise awareness of how citizens efforts might helpor hinderthe wartime effort, one of the most effective forms the British government had at its disposal was the poster. "British Posters of the Second World War" presents one hundred posters from this important period in world history. Some proclaimed in bold type that Victory of the Allies is assured and featured stalwart British soldiers alongside exaggerated enemy figures. Others, however, hung on the walls of bus and railway stations, town halls, and pubs, called for continued self-sufficiency, urging Britons to raise chickens and join pig clubs. As the threat of espionage came to be regarded as ever-present, another category of posters cautioned soldiers and civilians alike against talking about the war: Furtive Fritz is always listening warned one; another, Keep mumshe s not so dumb. Drawing on the Imperial War Museum s impressive collection of materials related to conflicts involving Britain in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, "British Posters of the Second World War" explores these campaigns and many others with an introduction and explanatory text by the museum s senior curator, Richard Slocombe."

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A reissue of Anthony Rhodes’s acclaimed 1942 novel detailing his own wartime experience during the evacuation at Dunkirk. It is September 1939. Shortly after World War II is declared, Anthony Rhodes is sent to France, serving with the British Army. His days are filled with the minutiae and mundanities of army life—friendships, billeting, administration—as the months of the “Phoney War” quickly pass and the conflict seems a distant prospect. It is only in the spring of 1940 that the true situation becomes clear. The men are ordered to retreat to the coast and the beaches of Dunkirk, where they face a desperate and terrifying wait for evacuation.

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In August 1943, Sergeant Craddock leads his battle-weary platoon down Via Garibaldi in Catania, Sicily. The next few weeks take on a dreamlike quality as newfound relationships flourish and the war itself recedes into the distance. Against this backdrop, the second book of Alexander Baron's War Trilogy meditates upon friendship, loyalty and love.

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In the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain rages in the skies over southern England. Nineteen-year-old Pilot Officer Peter Stuyckes arrives at RAF Westhill and is immediately put to the test. Based on the author's own service as an RAF Flight Engineer,Squadron Airborne takes place over one unforgettable week that summer, depicting with intensity and brilliance the work of the many ground-crew and other staff as they support the Few in their fight against the Luftwaffe. The novel is published to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 2020.

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He stared desperately into the dark trying to force his eyes to see, so that they ached more than ever . . . He sensed that the eyes of men were drilling into the back of his neck, so that it felt prickly. Being lost when you are the leader is the worst thing of all. He hated them because he was lost . . . Rage and despair were welling up inside him . . . 1943, the North African desert. Major Tim Sheldon, an exhausted and battle-weary infantry officer, is asked to carry out a futile and unexpected patrol mission. He'd been on many patrols, but this was to be the longest and most dangerous of all. Fred Majdalany's superb novel of the men who fought in the North African campaign puts this so-called minor mission at center stage, as over the course of the day and during the patrol itself, Sheldon looks back on his time as a soldier, considers his future, and contemplates the meaning of fear.

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More than 170,000 British prisoners of war (POWs) were taken by German and Italian forces during the Second World War. Conditions were tough. Rations were meagre. The days dragged and there was a constant battle against boredom. The men, but not officers, had to work, often at heavy labour. Guests of the Third Reich will provide an overview of what daily life was like for prisoners, from staging theatre productions to keep morale up to working allotments and planning audacious escape attempts. Utilising IWM’s collections of letters, diaries, memoirs and sound interviews, this gripping, poignant narrative conveys the story of those in captivity in Germany during the Second World War in a personal and engaging way. Also featured are a selection of photographs from the IWM archive, giving a rare glimpse inside these infamous internment camps.

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Showcasing IWM's extensive collection, this book includes works from the major artists of the time such as John and Paul Nash, Orpen, Spencer and Singer Sargent as well as other artists who are less familiar to us today. With an introductory essay by the late Roger Tolson, former Head of Art at Imperial War Museums, this book offers an insight into the huge range and power of wartime art during the First World War.

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IWM has managed a Film Archive since it was first established in 1917, and the Archive now covers all aspects of conflicts in which British, Commonwealth or former Empire countries have been involved since the start of the twentieth century. The constantly growing collection extends to over 23,000 hours of moving images, representing a wide and diverse range of material from public and service information films, documentaries and unedited combat film, through to official newsreels and amateur films.

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IWM's exceptional collection is one of the most important representations of twentieth century British art in the world, comprising many great works from the British government war art schemes of the First and Second World Wars. However less widely known is IWM's contemporary art collection, as today the museum continues to commission artists such as Steve McQueen,Roderick Buchanan and Langlands & Bell. Art from Contemporary Conflict provides an introduction to this remarkable collection, showcasing a range of powerful works responding to the changing nature of contemporary warfare and conflicts including Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

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A delightful reminder of the techniques for household economies extolled by the wartime government. First published in 1943, all of the tips can be used to spruce up your wardrobe today. Old fashioned remedies for everything from washing silks and mending your clothes, to repelling the ‘moth menace’!

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As we mark the centenary of the end of World War One, this astonishing book collects over five hundred remarkable photographs and rarely seen material of the war from the Imperial War Museum archivesThe Great War was the first conflict to be documented in photographs. In The Great War: A Photographic Narrative, we follow the events of the war through extraordinary photographs, from the opening photograph of the gun that fired the first shot of the war to the final photograph of an audio recording showing the arrival of silence on 11th November 1918. Imperial War Museum houses one of the greatest photographic archives of conflict in the world. This unique book is divided into five sections, each prefaced with a detailed chronology of events and a historical summary, together with detailed captions for every picture.NOTE: Few pages are intentionally left blank.‘I have never seen or read anything that brings the First World War quite so vividly alive.’ Guardian

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Find out what life was like for the children growing up during World War II. With photographs straight from the archives of the Imperial War Museum, Jillian Powell looks at rationing, schooling and evacuation and how the daily lives of children were affected by the war. Collins Big Cat Progress builds confidence, helping struggling pupils not only to read, but to love reading Dual-banded books provide age-appropriate interest level material matched with a lower reading ability level Every book is levelled by reading expert Cliff Moon to ensure precise, systematic, measurable progression to help close the ability gap The books use a range of reading strategies: phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual to build confident, accurate, fluent readers Designed to build speaking and listening skills, as well as reading skills, the books are highly visual and include incredible illustrations and photographs Every book has a Key Stage 2 look-and-feel to engage older pupils and avoid stigmatisation Topics are relevant for children in years 3-6 and connected to the curriculum and framework objectives for these years to support inclusion Progress titles contain a Reader Response page to encourage the pupil to respond to and recall what they have read. This offers an ideal opportunity to check comprehension Ideas for Reading, written by primary literacy expert Gill Howell are included in the back of every book to help you support the reading needs of each child This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader

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From pigeons and elephants to parachuting dogs – millions of animals helped in both world wars. This non-fiction book, with fascinating photographs from the archives of the Imperial War Museum, focuses on the animals that were involved and their bravery in the face of battle. Collins Big Cat Progress builds confidence, helping struggling pupils not only to read, but to love reading Dual-banded books provide age-appropriate interest level material matched with a lower reading ability level Every book is levelled by reading expert Cliff Moon to ensure precise, systematic, measurable progression to help close the ability gap The books use a range of reading strategies: phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual to build confident, accurate, fluent readers Designed to build speaking and listening skills, as well as reading skills, the books are highly visual and include incredible illustrations and photographs Every book has a Key Stage 2 look-and-feel to engage older pupils and avoid stigmatisation Topics are relevant for children in years 3-6 and connected to the curriculum and framework objectives for these years to support inclusion Progress titles contain a Reader Response page to encourage the pupil to respond to and recall what they have read. This offers an ideal opportunity to check comprehension Ideas for Reading, written by primary literacy expert Gill Howell are included in the back of every book to help you support the reading needs of each child This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader

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In 1940 Britain was an island under siege. The march of the Nazi war machine had been unrelenting: France and Belgium had quickly fallen and now the British Empire and the Commonwealth stood alone to counter the grave threat. However, their fate would not be decided by armies of millions but by a small band of fighter pilots. It was on their shoulders that Britain’s best chance of survival rested. Above the villages and cities, playing fields and market towns, the skies of southern England were the scene of countless dogfights as the fledgling Fighter Command duelled daily against the might of the Luftwaffe. The Battle of Britain offers an in-depth assessment of the situation leading up to the summer of 1940, the strategies employed by the adversaries and the brutal aerial battle itself. Lavishly illustrated with photographs, contemporary art and posters, and accompanied by numerous first-hand accounts, this is a volume that captures the reality of a defining chapter in British history.

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D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in history, took place on 6 June 1944. The subsequent battle of Normandy involved over a million men, and helped seal the fate of The Third Reich. This is a graphic account of the planning and execution of Operation Overlord, as well as the campaign which effectively destroyed the German forces in France, opening the way for the Allied advance. Including a wealth of superb photographs and maps, the book also contains 30 facsimile items of rare memorabilia, including diaries, letters and memos, bringing this 'Day of Days' dramatically to life.

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'It wasn't until after he was safely back in the aircraft again that I heard that he'd actually been out on the wing to try to put the fire out ... Remember that we were flying at about 90 miles an hour at a height of 13,000 feet'Squadron Leader RP Widdowson on Sergeant James Ward, who earned his VC in 1941 The Victoria Cross, awarded to the most courageous and determined servicemen, is the highest military decoration that can be bestowed.In Forgotten Voices: Victoria Cross, first-hand accounts of soldiers, sailors and airmen describe the incredible events that earned these extraordinary men the VC in the last century.Captivating and often humbling, these stories depict exceptional acts of bravery in unimaginable situations, of men who would say they were just doing their duty.Introduction by General Sir Richard Dannatt.

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Can you crack the toughest codes of the 20th century? Imperial War Museums have created a cryptographic challenge worthy of the finest minds of Bletchley Park and Room 40. This is your chance to prove that you have the code-breaking skills to rank among them.There are hundreds of head-scratching ciphers included in Code-Breaking Puzzles certain to keep you entertained for hours, alongside 20th-century military history puzzles and crosswords perfect for the armchair general. For those who need a helping hand, the book also includes a brief history of cryptography, along with tips and tricks to help you make the connections you need to decrypt and solve the puzzles.Whether you are a military history buff or a lateral-thinking lover, good luck: your country needs you!

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Follow the conflict of the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 in this unique volume, published in association with Imperial War Museums, London, featuring historical maps and photographs from their archives, and fascinating commentary from an expert historian. Over 150 maps tell the story of how this global war was fought. Types of maps featured:• Strategic maps showing theatres of war, frontiers and occupied territories• Maps covering key battles and offensives on major fronts• Planning and operations maps showing defences in detail• Propaganda and educational maps for the armed forces and general public• Maps showing dispositions of Allied and enemy forces• Bomber and V-weapon target maps Descriptions of key historical events accompany the maps, giving an illustrated history of the war from an expert historian. Key topics covered include• 1939: Invasion of Poland• 1940: German invasion of Low Countries & France• 1940: Battle of Britain & German invasion threat• Dec 1941: Pearl Harbor• 1942: Turning points: Midway, Alamein, Stalingrad• 1941-45: Barbarossa and the Eastern Front• The War at Sea• The advances to Jerusalem, Damascus and Baghdad• The War in the Air• 1944: Neptune & Overlord; D-Day & liberation of France

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La Gran Guerra escribe Peter Hart, investigador del Imperial War Museum de Londres fue el acontecimiento más importante del siglo XX. Fue la primera guerra que abarcó el mundo entero: millones de hombres murieron en combates en los que por primera vez se usaban aeroplanos, tanques, submarinos o gases asfixiantes. Cayeron imperios, surgieron nuevas naciones y nuevas ideologías; el mundo entero cambió. Hart, autor de una serie de libros de investigación sobre las grandes batallas de la guerra, considerados por los especialistas entre los mejores en su género, ha realizado ahora la primera historia militar completa de la guerra en todos sus aspectos y en todos sus frentes. Una tarea que se ha basado en las colecciones de documentos y manuscritos que conserva el Imperial War Museum, fundado en 1917 para reunir toda la documentación acerca del conflicto; pero a la que Hart ha aportado además su conocimiento de los planes, las personalidades y las ideas de los hombres que dirigieron los comb

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Born in 1953, John Sadler has law degrees from Northumbria University and the University of Westminster. A part-time lecturer in military history at Sunderland University Centre for Lifelong Learning, he is currently studying toward a PhD in history and is soon to begin an Imperial War Museum Fellowship in Holocaust Studies. He is the author of over 20 books, including Scottish Battles(Birlinn, 2010). He lives in Newcastle.

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A clear and informative account of how the Second World War began, the infamous battles and the conclusion and aftermath of the war. Illustrated with maps, evocative archive photographs and illustrations. Includes descriptions of the most famous events including Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway, D-Day and the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Part of series three of the Usborne Reading Programme for children whose reading ability and confidence allows them to tackle longer and more complex information. Produced in association with the Imperial War Museum, London.

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During the Second World War, bomber planes were used in combat. With photographs straight from the archives of the Imperial War Museum, discover what it was like to be a bomber pilot in preparation for a dangerous but important mission. Collins Big Cat Progress books are specifically designed for children at Key Stage 2 who have a Key Stage 1 reading level, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. Text type: A non-fiction report Curriculum links: History This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

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It’s 1941 and you are a secret agent for Great Britain. Find out what training and skills you need to ensure you achieve your mission and return home safely. This instruction book was written by Jillian Powell, with photos straight from the archives of the Imperial War Museum. Collins Big Cat Progress books are specifically designed for children at Key Stage 2 who have a Key Stage 1 reading level, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. Text type: A non-fiction report Curriculum links: History

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This fascinating information book, written in conjunction with the Imperial War Museum, explores how and why artists created images of the First World War. Covering everything from recruitment posters and camouflage art to poignant sketches by artist-soldiers, this book will encourage children to both appreciate and interrogate artwork. Collins Big Cat Progress books are specifically designed for children at Key Stage 2 who have a Key Stage 1 reading level, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. Text type: An information book Curriculum links:

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Poems from the Second World War is a moving and powerful collection of poems written by soldiers, nurses, mothers, sweethearts and family and friends who experienced WWII from different standpoints.The Imperial War Museum was founded in 1917 to collect and display material relating to the 'Great War', which was still being fought. Today IWM is unique in its coverage of conflicts, especially those involving Britain and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present. They seek to provide for, and to encourage, the study and understanding of the history of modern war and wartime experience.

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This non-fiction book explores what it was like to live through the First World War, from life in the trenches and the weapons used on the battlefield, to the war effort at home and the role that children played. This title has been written in conjunction with the Imperial War Museum and includes fascinating photographs from their archives. Collins Big Cat Progress books are specifically designed for children at Key Stage 2 who have a Key Stage 1 reading level, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. Text type: A non-fiction recount Curriculum links:

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Following the success of Forgotten Voices of the Great War, Lyn Smith visits the oral accounts preserved in the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, to reveal the sheer complexity and horror of one of human history's darkest hours. The great majority of Holocaust survivors suffered considerable physical and psychological wounds, yet even in this dark time of human history, tales of faith, love and courage can be found. As well as revealing the story of the Holocaust as directly experienced by victims, these testimonies also illustrate how, even enduring the most harsh conditions, degrading treatment and suffering massive family losses, hope, the will to survive, and the human spirit still shine through.

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Using official records from the National Archives personal accounts from the Imperial War Museum and other sources, Coastal Convoys 1939 - 1945: The Indestructible Highway describes Britain's dependence on coastal shipping and the introduction of the convoy system in coastal waters at the outset of the war. It beings to life the hazards of the German mining offensive of 1939, the desperate battles fought in coastal waters during 1940 and 1941, and the long struggle against German air and naval forces which lasted to the end of the Second World War. Reference is also made to the important role played by coasters during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940 and the Normandy landings in 1944.

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The Second World War is vanishing into the pages of history. The veterans were once all around us, but their numbers are fast diminishing. While still in their prime many recorded their memories with Peter Hart for the Imperial War Museum. As these old soldiers now fade away their voices from the front are still strong with a rare power to bring the horrors of war back to vivid life. The 16th Durham Light Infantry were supposed to be just an 'ordinary' battalion. But their experiences as they fought their way up through Italy show that there is no such thing as 'ordinary'. They struggled to break out from Salerno, then across the countless rivers and mountain ranges that seemed to spring up to bar their way to victory. They learnt their military skills the hard way facing determined German opposition every step of the way. These were no 'D-Day Dodgers' but heroes in their own right. But there was another battle being fought as they struggled to maintain their morale day by day, as their friends died and their seemed to be no end in sight. This is their story.Peter Hart was born in 1955. After attending Liverpool University he has worked as the Oral Historian at the Imperial War Museum since 1981, He is responsible for interviewing veterans of all conflicts from the Great War to the present day. His previous books include 1918: A Very British Victory, The Somme, 1916, Aces Falling: War Above the Trenches, 1918 and Jutland, 1916. His Voices from the Front series with Pen & Sword includes, The 16th Durham Light Infantry, The 2nd Norfolk regiment and the South Notts Hussars. He is married with two children and lives in North London

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Outposts / Kandahar Province presents Donovan Wylie’s photographs of Forward Operating Bases constructed in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan. From 2006 to 2011, Canada sent nearly 3,000 military personnel to Afghanistan in support of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. Serving alongside infantry and artillery, military engineers designed a network of outposts throughout the province. Built on natural promontories with multiple lines of sight, these outposts formed a protective visual architecture. They were frequently positioned on defensive locations established during earlier conflicts and represent reincarnations of past histories under new powers. The resulting images are the latest phase in Wylie’s interrogation of the architecture of modern conflict. The work was made on behalf of the Imperial War Museum in London and with generous support from the Bradford Fellowship in Photography.

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Erlund Hudson's etchings, sketches and watercolours are nearly always concerned with women at work or at rest, in wartime, domestic or ballet scenes. After a mere 20 years as a professional artist Hudson abandoned painting and became involved in the world of ballet, working as artistic director at the Brooking School of Ballet with Nesta Brooking, her companion of almost 50 years. Although Hudson's output as an artist was relatively small, its significance is shown in that her work can now be found in important collections in Great Britain and North America, including the Imperial War Museum. In this first biography of Eleanor Erlund Hudson (1912-2011) Simon Fenwick creates a moving and informative portrait of the woman and the artist during her long life. The fully illustrated monograph also includes a list of her pictures shown by exhibiting societies during her lifetime.

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The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was one of the most innovative British creations of the Second World War. Its mission was to export resistance, subversion and sabotage to occupied Europe and beyond, disrupting the German war effort and building a Secret Army which would work in the shadows to help defeat the Nazis. Potential agents were put through intensive paramilitary and parachute training, then taught how to live clandestinely behind enemy lines, to operate radios and write in secret codes. They lived in constant fear of arrest, and of betrayal by treacherous collaborators. This book uses rare images from the collections of The National Archives and the Imperial War Museum to illustrate the lives of the men and women who made up the SOE, their rigorous training, the clever gadgets they used and their lives behind enemy lines.

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Winner of the Military History Matters Book of the Year Award 2019 By August 1918, the outcome of the Great War was not in doubt: the Allies would win. But what was unclear was how this defeat would play out - would the Germans hold on, prolonging the fighting deep into 1919, with the loss of hundreds of thousands more young lives, or could the war be won in 1918? In The Last Battle, Peter Hart, author of Gallipoli and The Great War, and oral historian at the Imperial War Museum, brings to life the dramatic final weeks of the war, as men fought to secure victory, with survival seemingly only days, or hours away. Drawing on the experience of both generals and ordinary soldiers, and dwelling with equal weight on strategy, tactics and individual experience, this is a powerful and detailed account of history's greatest endgame.

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Why did the Second World War start? Who had the best weapons? Why were there no bananas? What was Shanks's pony? Why was food rationed? Could you still buy sweets? Why were spies important? Why should you keep ‘mum’? Why did it go on so long? How did it end? Find out the answers to these and a lot of other exciting questions in this brilliantly informative book which will tell you everything you ever needed to know about World War II. The Imperial War Museum was founded in 1917 to collect and display material relating to the ‘Great War’, which was still being fought. Today IWM is unique in its coverage of conflicts, especially those involving Britain and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present. They seek to provide for, and to encourage, the study and understanding of the history of modern war and wartime experience.

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