World War II - Atlas Obscura
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World War II

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Narvik, Norway

Z2 Georg Thiele Shipwreck

The rusted hull of a WWII German destroyer pokes above the surface in a Norwegian fjord.
sverige17 Added by sverige17
Bratislava, Slovakia

Slavín

Thousands of slain Soviet soldiers are buried within the shadow of this enormous obelisk.
Added by matejkrajcovic
Rutland, England

The Singapore

A locomotive that was captured as a prisoner of war is now recognized as a WWII memorial.
Dr Alan P Newman Added by Dr Alan P Newman
Gastro Obscura
story
menu monday

The Glamorous Train Line That Justified a Brutal Occupation

Even the lunch menu had a nationalistic agenda.
December 18, 2017
Il-Mosta, Malta

Rotunda of Mosta

This spectacular dome managed to survive after being bombed in World War II, in an event known as the "Miracle of Mosta."
Luis Morato Added by Luis Morato
Capbreton, France

Capbreton Blockhouses

Abandoned blockhouses from Nazi Germany's Atlantic Wall erode into the sea on a French beach.
Added by AlbaDiezdeUre
Beltsville, Maryland

Smokey Bear Archive

The Forest Service's surprisingly sophisticated collection of wildfire prevention art features America's most beloved bear.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Copenhagen, Denmark

Wehrmacht Graffiti

Bored potato-guarding Nazis etched their thoughts onto a brick storage building in Copenhagen's Meatpacking District.
A secret club Added by A secret club
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Army Museum Support Center

The U.S. Army's giant warehouse of war art includes Hitler’s watercolors and Norman Rockwell oil paintings.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
story
gas masks

When Gas Masks Were an Inescapable Part of Everyday Life

“It may be a little irksome at first, but you’ll soon get used to it.”
November 15, 2017
Brooklyn Blackout Cake
Gastro Obscura
Story
Sweets

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

A cake as dark as a city hiding from enemy bombers.
Gastro Obscura
rachelrummel Added by rachelrummel
Pietranera, Italy

Colonia di Rovegno

The now-abandoned Fascist summer colony served a dark purpose during World War II.
Added by piriklo
Gastro Obscura
story
propaganda

Why Wartime England Thought Carrots Could Give You Night Vision

The belief that carrots improve your eyesight dates back to World War II propaganda.
October 25, 2017
Wicklow, Ireland

Glencree German War Cemetery

Ireland's only German military cemetery holds the remains of a spy who was moved there under the cover of darkness.
noeldonnellon Added by noeldonnellon
Washington, D.C.

St. Elizabeths Hospital

Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Edinburgh, Scotland

Cramond Ghost Island

Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.
Rory Steabler Added by Rory Steabler
Omaha, Nebraska

Site of a Japanese Balloon Bomb Explosion

These experimental weapons brought World War II to Nebraska as well as 26 other U.S. states.
Added by manharta
Sainte-Mère-Église, France

Private John Steele Monument

An effigy of a trapped paratrooper dangles from a Normandy church to commemorate one remarkable D-Day event.
Gemfyre Added by Gemfyre