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15 Powerful Photos From World War II That Were Brought to Life in Color

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A group of women in vintage military uniforms smiling and talking around an aircraft, outdoors on a sunny day, suggesting camaraderie and teamwork during a historical wartime period.
Central Press / Getty Images

Many of us are accustomed to keeping our eyes pointed towards futures not yet realized, and can fall into the cycle of not looking back to observe varying historical moments and their significance to the larger picture of humanity itself. These powerful photos from World War II certainly come together to depict a visceral account of World War II.

1. A scene of the home front in 1941, World War 2

A person in a coat and hat uses binoculars to watch a steam locomotive at a train yard, with rails and other trains visible in the background. Steam rises from the engine.
Arthur Tanner / Getty Images

2. The Women’s Royal Naval Service

Three uniformed women ride vintage motorcycles near a large monument with statues of lions and figures, on a foggy day. The scene appears to be historical and set in an urban park or plaza.
Reg Speller / Getty Images

3. Another shot of the World War 2 home front in 1939

Three women wearing uniforms and helmets ride bicycles on a city street, each with a satchel and an armband. Old buildings and a vintage car are visible in the background. The photo appears to be from the mid-20th century.
Harry Todd / Getty Images

4. The northwest frontier of India in 1939

Four soldiers wearing turbans sit in small military tanks in a row on open ground. The tanks are lightly armored and have markings, with one labeled “Rodney.” The landscape is flat with sparse vegetation.
archive photos / Getty Images

5. A snapshot of the war as it unfolded at sea

View from the deck of a battleship showing large naval guns in the foreground, with another battleship visible in the distance across a choppy sea under a cloudy sky.
Fox Photos / Getty Images

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6. Now those are some intense getups

Three people in protective suits and gas masks walk near mining tracks, carrying buckets and equipment. The landscape is industrial, with power poles and distant hills visible in the background.
Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

7. Looks to be a formidable day out at sea

A battleship’s large guns aim toward the sea, with smoke rising on the horizon. The deck is visible with ropes and equipment.
Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

8. A profound moment, to be sure

A man sits in an armchair, smoking a cigar in a study with bookshelves, a desk with books, and a large map of Europe on the wall. Two lamps illuminate the room.
Kurt Hutton/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

9. The work that went into ensuring that those planes operated well in World War II was no joke

A mechanic works under the tail of a small military aircraft while a pilot sits in the cockpit. The plane is on grass, and a bomb is positioned near the mechanic.
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

10. Everyone seems to be having a ball of a time

A group of women in uniforms and skirts sit and stand on an aircraft wing, smiling and talking together outdoors on a sunny day.
Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

11. She’s focused in for sure

A woman sits at a workbench using a soldering iron to assemble electrical components, with tools and parts scattered around her.
M. McNeill/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

12. You can feel the energy of the crowd here

A crowd of people waves goodbye to buses filled with passengers, likely during wartime. The scene appears to be from the mid-20th century, with most people wearing hats and formal attire.
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

13. Look at those tanks go

A World War II-era tank with a soldier on top moves across a rocky desert landscape; another tank is visible in the distance under a hazy sky.
Archive Photos/Getty Images

14. What an aerial action shot

A World War II-era fighter aircraft with RAF markings flies above clouds over a landscape, seen from the side and slightly above.
Archive Photos/Getty Images

15. A pretty grim scene on display here

A vintage military airplane with three engines sits crashed on a grassy hillside, its wing bent and damaged. Misty hills are visible in the background.
Keystone/Archive Photos/Getty Images

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Meet the Writer


Matt Staff

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.



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