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May 8, 1945 Remembered: VE Day @ 75

Our best articles on the significance, the human toll and the consequences of the Second World War.

May 8, 2020

To commemorate Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), we present a selection of our finest features on the conflict.

A variety of our authors explore the causes and effects of the war from multiple perspectives. Enjoy!

1. D-Day: The End of Wars?

By Martin Walker | How much did D-Day contribute to ringing in the end of nation state warfare?

Published on June 4, 2004

2. Germany’s Past: From Shame to Fascination?

By Markus Heinrich | Not long ago, Germans shunned their country’s past. Now, they are far more open-eyed.

Published on March 18, 2017

3. Colonialism Applied to Europe: Mazower’s “Hitler’s Empire”

By Branko Milanovic | The most distinctive character of the Second World War is that it was Nazi Germany’s war of extermination in Russia.

Published on August 5, 2017

4. Stalingrad Revisited

By Martin Sieff | How is Russia finding patriotic strength from past wars?

Published on May 9, 2005

5. Belarus: Women of World War II

By The Globalist | Many women served on the Soviet front lines in Belarus as fighters, support staff and resistance.

Published on December 22, 2013

6. Commemorating Auschwitz: A Virtual Interview

By The Globalist | How did foreign ministers of Israel, Germany and France commemorate the liberation of Nazi death camps?

Published on January 27, 2005

7. The Liberation of Bergen-Belsen: A Survivor Remembers

By Frank Vogl | 70 years later, a survivor of the atrocities of WWII recalls her experience.

Published on April 12, 2015

8. May 8, 1945: Beyond the Unconditional Surrender of German Forces

By Denis MacShane | The ominous date also marks the beginning of violence and occupation in Algeria, Greece and Eastern Europe.

Published on May 8, 2015

9. The Nazi Hunters’ Enduring Legacy

By Andrew Nagorski | Why it matters to stand up for justice and demand atonement.

Published on June 4, 2016

10. The Eternal Nazi

By Nicholas Kulish and Souad Mekhennet | Searching for a Nazi war criminal on the streets of Cairo

Published on March 22, 2014

11. The Return of Jewish Germany

By The Globalist | Since World War II, Germany has partially rebuilt its Jewish population.

Published on March 22, 2014

12. The Woman Who Prevented Hitler’s Suicide

By Andrew Nagorski | How did Hitler’s relationship with a young American woman change history in the 20th century?

Published on April 7, 2012

13. Germany and Japan: A Comeback Story

By Volker Stanzel | A strategic reflection 70 years after the end of WWII.

Published on March 7, 2015

14. Shooting Germany: 1944-1949

By Tony Vaccaro | What does it take to be a photographer in wartime Germany — and peacetime New York City?

Published on June 5, 2010

15. Holocaust Ignorance: Today’s Dangers

By Frank Vogl | There must be a new urgency to ensuring that people everywhere understand the horrors of the past and the dangers of today’s authoritarian trends.

Published on April 22, 2018

Takeaways

Our best articles on the significance, the human toll and the consequences of the Second World War.