World War Wednesdays: Wartime Photography

The Images of War: Famous and Rare World War Photographs

     One of the greatest technological advances of the 'modern wars' is that of photography. The images of war could be captured and presented to a wide range of audiences, eliminating the barriers of space and time in relaying the details of events. During both world wars, there were photographers specially commissioned to capture major moments in history, and they remain to this day some of the most valuable resources in studying and making connections with world war history. I have decided to compile some of my favorites, borrowed from various Twitter accounts devoted to sharing these photos. If you are on Twitter, I highly recommend following these accounts!

World War One

Trench warfare photo taken by an official British photographer, 1914 courtesy of @HistoryInPics

Christmas in the trenches, 1914 courtesy of @TheHistoryBook

Portrait of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson formed by 21,000 soldiers at Camp Sherman, Ohio, 1918 courtesy of @CombinedHistory

A woman gives flowers to a German soldier leaving for the front, Berlin, August 1914 courtesy of @HistoryInPics

A British soldier "shaking hands" with a kitten in the snow, Neulette, France, 1917 courtesy of @HistoryInPics

World War Two

An American soldier replaces 'Adolf-Hitler-Str.' sign with a 'Roosevelt Blvd.' one in Berlin, Germany, 1945 courtesy of @HistoryInPics

The staged photo of the milkman during the Blitz, October 9th, 1940, by Fred Morley courtesy of @HistoryInPics

Churchill sits on one of the damaged chairs from Hitler's bunker in Berlin, Germany, 1945 courtesy of @HistoryInPics

Bike messengers leaving the White House on December 7th, 1941 (the day of the Pearl Harbor attack) courtesy of @HistoryInPics

 

The liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, January 27th, 1945 courtesy of @TheHistoryBook

A German soldier giving bread to an orphaned Russian boy, 1942 courtesy of @CombinedHistory

Readers browsing through the bomb-damaged library of Holland House, London, England, 1940, courtesy of @HistoryInPics

Dresden, Germany, 1945 courtesy of @CombinedHistory

Three little girls peer through the binoculars of an American soldier after the liberation of Normandy, 1944, courtesy of @CombinedHistory

August Landmesser, a German who was engaged to a Jewish woman, refuses to give the Nazi salute, Hamburg, 1936, courtesy of @HistoryInPics

     These are just a few examples of photographs that have become symbols of major times in world war history. Thank you for taking a look!
                      Delany