World War II People

People

Military-Air

Aerial warfare was still something new at the start of WW2. These innovative commanders and daring pilots brought a brand new dimension to the field of military science.

Military-Ground

From El Alamein to Stalingrad to Iwo Jima, men on the ground faced the battles up-close and personal, bound by the military traditions of their countries and services.

This category includes members of naval infantry units such as the US Marine Corps and the Japanese Navy Special Naval Landing Forces.

Military-Sea

Naval battles were far unlike their ground counterparts. Shells were fired from kilometers away, and the bombs delivered by dive bombers killed men deep in the belly of steel warships. These men fought such impersonal battles.

Government and Aristocracy

While the military personnel conducted the battles and campaigns, political forces often shaped where and when the battlegrounds would be, and on occasion influenced allegiances. Some of these government officials and members of the aristocracy were even said to be responsible for the outbreak of WW2.

Other

Many spies, scientists, industrialists, medical doctors, and people of other categories made their direct and indirect contributions in shaping the course of the war.

Women

Women played a greater role in WW2 than any prior conflict. Some wielded pneumatic hammers, some sabotaged enemy railways, others sat in cockpits, but all contributed to their country's war effort as much as their male counterparts.

A list of all the men can be seen here.