World War II is the best described, most catalogued event in history. Thousands of books, hundreds of thousands of articles, and an abundance of documentaries and lectures describe the horrors of war, the battle strategies and, not least, the heroes who emerged from one of history's most horrific wars. But despite this vast archive of information, puzzles still remain. As the years go by, myths bloom up alongside facts. Did Hitler really die in the...

Is our understanding of "the Good War" correct? Grasp how our reliance on a national mythology makes for not only inaccurate history but a misconceived future because of the long-term effects that myths about the war have had on American policy since 1945.

On the morning of Sunday 7th December, 1941, 183 Japanese aircraft fly across the quiet American naval base of Pearl Harbor. After a few minutes, oil stocks and airfields are in flames, and several of the United States' largest battleships are heading towards the bottom of the harbour. The aim of the Japanese surprise attack is to hobble the United States once and for all, giving the empire a free hand to continue its conquests in Asia. But the assault...

With Europe overrun by Hitler's thundering war machine, Churchill is the only head of state with the courage to stand up to the Führer. The British Prime Minister's iron will makes him a role model in Great Britain and across the continent. Churchill and his V-sign become a symbol of resistance against Nazi Germany. In Germany in February 1942, armaments minister Albert Speer has the job of making sure that there's a steady supply of prisoners of...

On 9th August, 1945, American pilot Charles W Sweeney threw a nuclear bomb over the Japanese city of Nagasaki. 43 seconds later, his deadly cargo exploded in the air over the port city and turned the thriving city centre into a molten ruin. Up to 70,000 people lost their lives. The atomic bombs which were dropped on the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the culmination of six years of horror. Since Nazi Germany's troops had invaded...

The name Adolf Hitler – even half a century after the fall of the Third Reich – continues to evoke disgust, contempt and astonishment. How was it possible for an amateur painter to seduce an entire people? How could he – from an insignificant party with 55 members – create a mass movement of millions? You will find the answers to these questions in this book. You will get the story about the customs officer's son from Branau...

Okinawa, Japan. The People, History, World War II, Culture and Tradition. Travel and Tourism. Before Okinawa, there was Ryukyu, an independent kingdom ruled by its kings, its people seafarers prospering through trade with China and other neighboring countries. In 1609, Ryukyu was invaded by Satsuma Han forces and incorporated into mainland Japan's Tokugawa Era "bakuhan" feudal regime. Okinawa prefecture was created in 1879 when Japan's new Meiji government...

Food technologies developed to aid the war effort became the template for American eating in the postwar era. Follow the proliferation of freeze-dried and convenience foods, TV dinners, and chain restaurants as they shaped food culture. Study the phenomenon of fast food and the McDonald's business model that became a global phenomenon.

Survey some of the most important revolutions from the past 300 years of world history.