THE RECORD
What changed
War spanned continents and oceans; Nazi Germany systematically murdered Jews and other targeted groups.
EVIDENCE
What remains
State and military records, testimony, camps, battlefields, photographs and film document the war and crimes.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The UN, Cold War, decolonization and human-rights regimes shaped the postwar order.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
Victors' narratives can marginalize colonial fronts, sexual violence, forced labour and civilian experience.