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Discover Latest #World War II News, Articles and Videos with Contenting
from 1942 1. “Operation Torch: U.S. Launches North African Invasion” (November 8, 1942): On November 8, 1942, the United States launched Operation Torch, a massive invasion of North Africa. The invasion was led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and included forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Free French forces under General Henri Giraud. The operation was a success and resulted in the capture of the key ports of Casablanca and Oran. 2. “Battle of Stalingrad Begins” (November 19, 1942): On November 19, 1942, the Battle of Stalingrad began as German forces attempted to capture the city from the Soviet Union. The battle was one of the bloodiest in history, with both sides suffering massive casualties. In the end, the Soviets were able to repel the Germans and the battle was a major turning point in World War II, leading to the eventual Allied victory. 3. “U.S. and Japanese Naval Battle at Guadalcanal” (November 13, 1942): On November 13, 1942, the United States and Japanese navies clashed off the coast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The
Diamonds in Auschwitz | LITERARY TITAN
Diamonds in Auschwitz by Meg Hamand is a gut-wrenching novel set during World War II, centered on Rachael, a Jewish woman struggling to survive the brutal realities of Auschwitz, and Samual, a man trying to build a future in a Prague crumbling under Nazi occupation. Their stories orbit a ring, an engagement ring found buried…
Recent Artifacts Online, Summer 2025 | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives
From Abe Lincoln to “artistic French human hair goods,” there’s something for everyone in this season’s batch of recently digitized House Collection treasures.A. Simonson, Importer AdvertisementThe image of the Capitol added visual appeal to a bafflingly wide range of products in late 19th-century advertisements. Here, “A. Simonson, Importer of Cosmetiques & Fine Toilet Articles,” located near Union Square in New York City, surrounds the Capitol’s dome with cherubs and colorful flora on the front of its lithograph advertisement card. The reverse lists the products available from the retailer, many of which have names as flowery as the front design: Rouge de Venus (a liquid cosmetic cheek color), Fountain of Beauty (“best staying and transparent Face Liquid ever sold”), and the mysterious “Somyka,” which this ad instructs the shopper to “please call for a circular, as it is too valuable to mention in short its wonderful quality.”Abraham Lincoln Free FrankAbraham Lincoln mailed this envelope as a freshman in Congress, only a few weeks into his single term in the House. He addressed it to James Berdan, a fellow Whig politician in Illinois, and marked it as official mail by writing “Free” and signing his name. After that, it was just a short walk across the House Chamber to drop it in the mail at the House Post Office. Lincoln left Congress and the Capitol in 1849, not to return to national service until he was sworn in as President in 1861.Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Ebony Magazine“I met Hazel a long time ago,” begins Adam Clayton Powell’s paean to domesticity. Ebony, iconic magazine of the post–World War II Black community, invited Representative Adam Clayton Powell Jr. to write an essay that focused less on politics than on life as half of the most glamorous power couple in Black America. Powell described his wife, celebrated musician Hazel Scott, and their home life, with just enough political insight to support Powell’s bona fides as a savvy civil rights activist and Scott’s as an ardent campaigner against Jim Crow laws.Lucky Strike Cigarettes AdvertisementLike other professional orators, Members of Congress rely on their voices. The cigarette company Lucky Strike plays on Indiana Representative Albert Vestal’s vocal attributes in a 1927 advertisement. “In smoking I am careful, that’s why I prefer Lucky Strikes,” he explains. “They give me throat protection and greater enjoyment.” In 1932, Vestal collapsed on the House Floor and died shortly afterward of heart disease.EaselOhio legislator and long-term chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Michael Kirwan monitored votes during the mid-20th century with this chart—a long list with multiple variables handwritten on a roll of coated canvas closely resembling a period roller shade for windows. It is essentially Kirwan’s spreadsheet, mounted on a wooden easel with horizontal guides to keep the roll stable and a bottom roller to take up slack. Water damage obscures the topic of this list dating from 1953 to 1954, but it likely tracks information related to either Kirwan’s role as DCCC chair or his position on the House Committee on Public Works. Exactly when or for how long Kirwan used the stand is also not known, but the apparatus never left the House. It was discovered in a storage closet in the Longworth House Office Building decades after Kirwan’s death.But wait! There’s even more to see on Collections Search:For additional new paintings, photographs, and objects on Collections Search, check out other Recent Artifacts Online blogs.
A Jewish Family Caught in the Chaos of WWII - an Editorial Review of "Moral Borders"
Book Blurb:Moral Borders by Lee R. Rosenberg is a gripping historical novel that delves into the harrowing experiences of a Jewish family caught in the chaos of World War II. Spanning themes of survival, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit, this powerful narrative explores the fates of Jacob, Sarah, and their children as they are torn from their lives and thrust into unimaginable circumstances.Set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Europe, the story intertwines personal struggles with th
The Records of Innovation and Transformation: Postwar United States (1945–1969) | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives
The upheaval of World War II spurred widespread change in the United States. Social, political, and economic shifts reverberated throughout the country and new allies and adversaries emerged abroad. It was a period marked by changes and challenges that impacted the way Americans lived, worked, and engaged with each other. The civil rights movement, the space race, and the Cold War shaped the decades following the end of the war.As records of the past, some primary sources reflect outdated, biased, and offensive views and opinions that are no longer commonly accepted in the United States. Through civil discourse, active listening, and empathy, students should analyze these perspectives and their impact on the country’s development.Transcriptions and downloadable PDFs of these records are available at the links below.Discussion Questions:What were some of the causes of the civil rights movement following World War II?How did Cold War competition between the United States and the Soviet Union fuel advances in science?What motivated the rise in anticommunism among many Americans and politicians?What was the purpose of the House Un-American Activities Committee? Why might they have used the term “un-American”?Identify three political or social changes that occurred during this period. How do they continue to impact American society and politics today?Discuss how Congress addressed one of these themes: the space race, communism, or the civil rights movement. What were the legislative outcomes? Were they effective?1947, Report on Ronald ReaganThe House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) investigated allegations of communism and spying, and included Hollywood actors among their subjects. The records of the committee contain a report about then-president of the Screen Actors Guild—and future President of the United States—Ronald Reagan.1948, Alger Hiss SubpoenaThe House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) issued this subpoena requiring Alger Hiss to testify at a HUAC subcommittee hearing. Former spy Whittaker Chambers accused Hiss, a government official who had worked for the U.S. Department of State, of being a communist and Russian secret agent.1958, National Defense Education ActThe National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was passed in 1958 in response to Soviet acceleration of the space race with the launch of the satellite Sputnik. The law provided federal funding to “insure trained manpower of sufficient quality and quantity to meet the national defense needs of the United States.” In addition to fellowships and loans to students, the legislation bolstered education in the areas of science, mathematics, and modern foreign languages.1961, John F. Kennedy’s Message to CongressOn May 25, 1961, urgent national needs in the areas of foreign aid, international and civil defense, and outer space brought President John F. Kennedy before Congress again to deliver this address. Kennedy announced his goal of sending a man to the moon by the end of the decade and asked Congress to commit the funds to achieve success: “For while we cannot guarantee that we shall one day be first, we can guarantee that any failure to make this effort will find us last.”1963, March on Washington PamphletThis pamphlet was distributed in advance of the 1963 March on Washington and provided logistical and ideological information to marchers. This copy of the pamphlet ended up in the records of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which monitored the actions of and participants in the civil rights movement. Throughout its existence, HUAC kept extensive reference files on individuals and organizations suspected of what it considered subversive activity.1963, Lyndon Johnson’s Assumption of Office AddressLess than a week after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, recently sworn-in President Lyndon Johnson addressed a Joint Session of Congress. Johnson praised his predecessor’s leadership and outlined goals for his administration. He urged Congress to pass civil rights legislation, declaring “no memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy’s memory than the earliest possible passage of the Civil Rights bill for which he fought.” President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law on July 2, 1964.1964, Call Book for Civil Rights Act of 1964On February 10, 1964, the House voted on H.R. 7152, known as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As the first page of this call book shows, the bill passed the House, 290 to 130, following intense debate and legislative negotiation. The bill enforced equal access to public accommodations and desegregation of public schools and facilities and prohibited discrimination in hiring and employment. President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law on July 2, 1964.1965, Voting Rights Act of 1965Introduced on March 17, H.R. 6400 was crafted by the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, who understood that even after passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, stronger protections for voting rights were necessary to ensure unimpeded access to the polls. Signed into law on August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act protected the right to vote for all citizens and outlawed methods used to obstruct voter registration, such as poll taxes and literacy tests.Interested in more records from this era?1946, Conference Managers for National School Lunch Act1947, Communism in Hollywood1947, HUAC Minutes on May Day Parade1951, Letter to HUAC Chairman1953, Support for Gateway Arch Monumentca. 1953, Funding Construction of the Gateway Arch1956, Federal Highway Act of 19561958, Model Legislature Resolution for Hawaiian Statehood1958, Puerto Rican Senate Resolution on Alaska Statehood1959, NASA Appropriations Bill1959, Daniel Inouye Election Certificate1959, Testimony of Patty Duke1961, Kennedy’s First State of the Union1961, Territorial Deputy for Guam1963, Study of Maryland Beach Erosion1963, Lyndon Johnson’s Assumption of Office Address1963, Discharge Petition for the Civil Rights Act of 19641964, Mt. Pleasant Society Hall Ruins1964, Engrossing Copy of Civil Rights Act of 19641964, Letter Opposing School Prayer Amendment1964, Letter Supporting School Prayer1964, Ranger VII’s Photographic Flight1965, Letter Responding to the Violence in Selma1965, Telegram to Martin Luther King, Jr.1965, Letter Supporting Voting Rights Act1965, Letter Opposing Voting Rights1969, Shirley Chisholm Oath of Office1969, Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday1969, Petition to Eliminate Electoral CollegeThis is part of a blog series about records from different eras of U.S. history. Explore “Tools for Teaching with Primary Sources” for additional tips and classroom activities.
The Only Three People on Earth Who Can Stop Hitler - an Editorial Review of "Thomas Edison and the Magi Solution"
Book Blurb:Spring, 1945. As World War II comes to an end, John Dawkins, Thomas Edison’s intrepid former assistant, is summoned by an ailing President Roosevelt to investigate a terrifying secret report that Adolph Hitler, faced with certain defeat, has made an unholy deal with the Devil to annihilate the world. Along with his wife, Sophie, an ace newspaper reporter, and their ten-year-old son, Joshua, John journeys to war-ravaged London to join forces with theatrical playboy (and undercover agen
Edition for Educators—Career Day | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives
What do you want to be when you grow up? That seemingly simple question has inspired generations of students to think about their future and dream big. In elementary and middle school, many teachers host “career day,” where parents and guardians share with a class what led them into their current occupations. In high school and college, guidance counselors stand ready to help students find a career that seems to fit their talents and interests.Career day traditionally features a mix of occupations: lawyers, doctors, nurses, teachers, mechanics, scientists, and other professions. Only on a rare occasion, however, is a student presented with the possibility of becoming a United States Representative—fewer than 12,000 people have served in the House since 1789. Although students can study political science, there is no one path to a career in elected office. The fact that lawmakers come from a variety of backgrounds is perhaps best exemplified in the U.S. House of Representatives. While most Members have studied law, others have been journalists, athletes, teachers, actors, and farmers.The following Edition for Educators highlights the range of careers that Members have held prior to their election to Congress. Often, their backgrounds and unique career paths have helped them better understand their constituents and more accurately represent their interests in Congress.JournalismSeveral Members of Congress entered politics after a career in journalism. Speaker James G. Blaine of Maine edited the Kennebec Journal before joining the House, while Speaker Schuyler Colfax of Indiana owned and edited the St. Joseph Valley Register.Oral History Clip: Reporter, Helen Delich Bentley of Maryland Listen to a clip from The Honorable Helen Delich Bentley of Maryland who worked as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun.Historical Highlight: Radio Broadcaster, Clem McSpadden of Oklahoma After serving in World War II, Clem McSpadden embarked upon two separate careers: public broadcasting and politics. McSpadden worked as a radio broadcaster and then entered state politics in Oklahoma before winning election to the House. While a Member of Congress, McSpadden regularly returned home to Oklahoma and announced rodeo contests.FarmingMany Members of Congress have come from rural backgrounds or tended the land themselves.Oral History Clip: Jill Lynette Long Thompson of Indiana Listen to a clip from The Honorable Jill Lynette Long Thompson, who explains how her dislike of farm chores helped jumpstart her interest in politics.Historical Highlight: Lettuce Farmer, Dalip Saund of CaliforniaDalip Saund of California first won election to Congress in 1956, after serving as a judge in California’s Imperial Valley where he also owned a lettuce farm. Saund had been born in India and earned a PhD in mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley, but after learning that British authorities back home had been keeping track of his “anti-British utterances in America,” he moved to southern California near a community of other Indian immigrants and took up farming. Because of racial prejudice at the time, Saund’s career options were limited and state law prevented him from owning or leasing farmland.Business OwnershipRepresentatives have brought experiences running businesses large and small to the halls of Congress.Historical Highlight: Merchant, Benjamin Turner of North Carolina Born in 1830 in North Carolina, Benjamin Sterling Turner was taken by his enslaver to Alabama, where he would eventually be emancipated by Union troops in the midst of the Civil War. After the war, Turner remained in Selma, where he built up a livery stable and became a merchant. In 1870, he won election to the 42nd Congress (1871-1873).Historical Highlight: Circus Owner, James A. Haley of Florida In 1933, World War I veteran James A. Haley became the general manager of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Despite a disastrous big top fire in 1944, Haley continued to run the circus until 1948, when he won a seat in Florida’s state house of representatives to which he was reelected in 1950. Haley was then elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1953. Haley often joked that he was the one of the best trained Members of Congress, claiming: “I came from the greatest show on earth to the big sideshow.”MilitaryQuite a few individuals have won election to Congress after serving accomplished careers in the armed forces.Historical Highlight: General Ben Butler of Massachusetts Benjamin Franklin Butler was a lawyer who unsuccessfully ran for governor of Massachusetts in 1859. After the Civil War began, Butler successfully petitioned to be appointed as a general. Over the course of the war, Butler served in various roles, but it was his term as military governor of New Orleans that garnered him a national reputation. Butler’s popularity in the North, as well as his support from Radical Republicans, helped him win election to the House in 1867.Historical Highlight: General Joseph Warren Keifer of Ohio J. Warren Keifer’s military service helped launch his political career, which led to him eventually becoming Speaker of the House. Trained as a lawyer, Keifer rose through the ranks during the Civil War to become a major general. Returning to Ohio after the conflict, Keifer won election to the 45th Congress (1877–1879) and later served as Speaker during the 47th Congress (1881–1883).ArtistryThe ability to turn a phrase and command public attention has long been an advantage for those seeking election to the United States Congress.Collection Object: Actor, William Patrick Connery Jr. of Massachusetts William Patrick Connery Jr. dabbled in several professions before he became a Representative from Massachusetts. He acted, worked with an electric company, and manufactured candy. He certainly was not camera shy, as evidenced in this singing performance captured in the House.Blog: Author, Thomas Forrest of Pennsylvania Thomas Forrest served in the Revolutionary War, but beforehand he wrote one of the earliest American comedic operettas. You can read about the story of a fascinating man who enjoyed practical jokes, served in the House, and who fought alongside General George Washington here.AthleticsA few Members of the House got their start in the public eye by competing in professional sports or representing the United States in the Olympic games.Collection Object: Baseball Player, Jim Bunning of Kentucky Before he became a Member of the House of Representatives, Jim Bunning had a long and productive career in Major League Baseball. So productive, in fact, that he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.Collection Object: Olympic Sprinter, Ralph Harold Metcalfe of Illinois Ralph Harold Metcalfe ran track at Marquette University and won silver twice at the Olympics in the men’s 100 meter race. In Berlin in 1936, it was Metcalfe who came in second to Jesse Owens. Metcalfe later won election to Congress and helped found the Congressional Black Caucus.Other Featured CareersBlog: Iron Worker, Frank Buchanan of Illinois Frank Buchanan was an iron worker turned Representative from Illinois who found himself in trouble shortly before the United States entered World War I. Read about his story here.Blog: Teacher, Shirley Chisholm of New York Shirley Anita Chisholm was a public school teacher and worked for more than a decade as an educator before she entered Congress. Already a larger-than-life presence in the classroom, Chisholm made effective use of both the House Floor and the national stage. Read more about her story here and here.Blog: President, John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts John Quincy Adams was a former President who decided to return to public service and run for the House of Representatives, a feat yet to be repeated in the People’s House. Read about his return to elected office in the House of Representatives here.Whether they taught public school or played baseball professionally, the diverse array of occupations practiced by these lawmakers helped prepare them to serve the public in the House of Representatives. These careers, of course, are just a small fraction of those represented in the People’s House.Explore Members' more unique pre-Congressional careers: sickle maker, cowboy, candy maker, oleomargarine manufacturer, and fire-fighting equipment salesman.This is part of a series of blog posts for educators highlighting the resources available on History, Art & Archives of the U.S. House of Representatives. For lesson plans, fact sheets, glossaries, and other materials for the classroom, see the website's Education section.