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The official website for BBC History Magazine, BBC History Revealed and BBC World Histories Magazine

Asia

The American aircraft carrier USS Yorktown is being bombed in the Battle of Midway, June 1942. (Photo by Corbis via Getty Images)

Second World War

Midway: the Pacific War on screen

A British officer stands alongside two of his Japanese counterparts in 1914 in Tsingtao (now Qingdao). Japanese troops played a key role in the capture of that strategic German concession in north-east China. (Photo by Getty Images)

First World War

First World War: beyond the western front

New issue World 19 800x530

Issue 19 of BBC World Histories is out now

'Yorktown' sustains a hit during the battle of Midway. The US aircraft carrier sank three days later but, by then, the Japanese had accepted that their attempt to land a war-winning blow had failed. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Second World War

How miraculous was the battle of Midway?

Simon the cat

10 top cats in history

Minamoto fought Minamoto at Uji in 1184, giving the Taira enough time to regroup for a final stand. (Image by Alamy)

Clash of the Samurai: the history of Japan’s Genpei War

2019 Finalists - Group shot, outward

Three finalists revealed for international history writing prize

An African samurai: the tall, strong African man who acquired the name Yasuke in Japan was at first an object of curiosity but soon became a prized samurai warrior serving a powerful warlord in the violent intrigues that wracked the country during that volatile era. ((Illustration by Lynn Hatzius for BBC World Histories)

Yasuke: an African samurai in Japan

Illustration by Davide Bonazzi.

Second World War

The WW2 obsession: why the world can’t move on from 1945

Shortlist of the 2019 Cundill History Prize - Outward Row

Revealed: the 8 history books shortlisted for the 2019 Cundill History Prize

An open Bible on an altar

General ancient history

A history of the Bible: who wrote it and when?

The destroyer USS Shaw explodes in a massive fireball at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. The attack led almost immediately to Germany declaring war on America, and so brought Stalin an unexpected ally of colossal potential power, says Laurence Rees. (Bettmann/Getty Images)

Second World War

Why December 1941 was the most important month of the Second World War

The 1993 film ‘Schindler’s List’. (AF Archive/Alamy Stock Photo)

Second World War

7 must-see Second World War films

The Byzantines and a flamethrower

General ancient history

Q&A What was Greek fire?

The neutral USA entered World War II only when a Japanese fleet launched a big surprise air raid against its Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on 7 December 1941. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Second World War

America and WW2: when, how and why did the US get involved, and why they didn’t enter sooner?