Monday, November 7, 2011

World War II Photos

Unless you are an avid follower of World War II material most of the 900 pictures presented in this 20 part retrospective will be new for you.  The black and white photography is compelling while not pandering to sensation.  What is it about black and white that cuts to the essence of the subject?  With images of this caliber color becomes an unwanted distraction.  The Atlantic article gives you the option of viewing the images at 1024 or 1280 pixels and all the photos are easily downloadable although you can purchase prints from the publisher.  The retrospective is remarkable for its dignified portrait of people enduring.

Humanity and civilization are fragile.  How does one explain the appalling behavior of one human towards another?  The answers are not here and no generally accepted explanation has yet to be found.  With great relief I found in the final installment a photograph taken in 1946 of an American GI and a Japanese woman together as a romantic couple.  It is easy to read too much into the picture but it remains an indication of the first signs of healing.  We are a remarkably resilient species.      

World War Two Retrospective:

Here's the breakdown into its separate parts:

                                                         Before the war

                                          Invasion of Poland and the Winter War

                                           Axis invasions and the Fall of France

                                                           Battle of Britain

                                             Conflict Spreads around the Globe

                                                      Operation Barbarossa

                                                               Pearl Harbor

                                                American Home Front in Color

                                            Daring Raids and Brutal Reprisals

                                            Internment of Japanese Americans

                                     Battle of Midway and the Aleutian Campaign

                                                      North Africa Campaign

                                                            Women at War

                                                            Eastern Front

                                                            Pacific Islands

                                                    Allied Invasion of Europe

                                                       Fall of Nazi Germany

                                                               Holocaust

                                                      Fall of Imperial Japan

                                                            After the War

Related Topics:

Pacific Theater:  1941

Objective:  France, 1940

Rendezvous of Generals

Kursk








Over Easy







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