For this special issue, we’ve pulled together a wealth of content on three of the biggest conflicts of the 20th century. Beginning with World War I, we explore what life was like for those living and fighting on the front line. From there, we head to Britain to discover the experiences of those on the home front during World War II: food shortages, aerial bombing and new opportunities for women. Finally, we finish our special edition with a closer look at the Cold War, and the decades-long rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation.
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WELCOME
Your Essential Guide to 20th-Century World Wars
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE IN THE TRENCHES
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN THE TRENCHES • Peter Hart answers questions about the experiences of the men who served in some of the harshest conditions of World War I
A DISMAL EXISTENCE • From fear to boredom, life in the trenches left men battling a range of emotions – as well as lice and rodents
PESTS AND PESTILENCE • Enemy soldiers weren’t the only foe that troops encountered in the trenches – they had to battle vermin and disease, too
SHRAPNEL, SHELL-SHOCK AND SHATTERED DEFENCES • Trench warfare forced military strategists to develop fresh tactics – and terrifying new weaponry – in a bid to gain the upper hand
ENTERING ENEMY TERRITORY • Both sides embarked on daring trench raids – with varying degrees of success
HELL ON EARTH • The battle of the Somme offers a powerful reminder of the brutal reality of trench warfare
TRENCH LIFE THROUGH A LENS • We delve into a selection of the most striking snapshots from the trenches of World War I
SISTERS IN ARMS • Women played vital roles in the war effort, working as nurses and ambulance drivers
THE ANGELS OF PERVYSE • Two intrepid female motorcyclists risked their lives to nurse wounded soldiers
MEET THE EXPERT
GET HOOKED • Learn more about World War I history with our pick of key resources
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YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE IN NAZI GERMANY
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN NAZI GERMANY • Professor Sir Richard J Evans answers key questions about the lives of ordinary Germans under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler
THE NAZI PARTY’S RISE TO POWER • The tumultuous, deprived years that followed World War I proved a fertile ground for a new type of German politics
THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES • After gaining power, Hitler consolidated his position with a bloody purge
INDOCTRINATION AT EVERY LEVEL • Nazi social and economic policies covered all aspects of German life – from leisure time to education
HITLER’S CHILDREN • Groups such as the Hitler Youth were originally founded to teach Nazi principles and help secure the future of the Reich. But, as Dr Emma Butcher explains, their members would eventually find themselves fighting on the frontline
YOUTH GROUPS AGAINST HITLER • Defying the Führer could mean a death sentence – whatever your age
THE NAZI TOP BRASS • The Nazi regime was dominated by a handful of individuals, led by their Führer, Adolf Hitler
OTHER KEY FIGURES
VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST • From the moment they gained power, the Nazis engaged in a relentless campaign of persecution against Jews and other minority groups, culminating in the mass murder of millions of innocents
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