Luftwaffe Night Raid on Moscow, July 26, 1941 — Soviet Anti-Aircraft Defense in Action

August 14, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes

On the night of July 26, 1941, Moscow faced a massive Luftwaffe air raid. The skies lit up with parachute flares as Soviet anti-aircraft batteries fought to protect the capital. Read more

German POWs March on Moscow’s Garden Ring, July 17, 1944

August 14, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes

German POWs march through Moscow’s Garden Ring in July 1944 after their capture in Operation Bagration, with street-cleaning trucks symbolically following to cleanse the city of their presence. Read more

Street Washing in Moscow After the March of German POWs, July 17, 1944

August 13, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet street-washing trucks clean Moscow after 57,000 German POWs marched through the city in July 1944, marking the Soviet victory in Belarus. Read more

Alexey Alelyukhin in the Cockpit of Yakovlev Yak-1B, Spring 1943

August 12, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes

Alexey Alelyukhin, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, in the cockpit of his Yakovlev Yak-1B with his trademark black panther emblem, spring 1943. Read more

Grigory Bulatov and Recon Platoon Storming the Reichstag, May 1945

August 12, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes

Grigory Bulatov and his recon platoon stormed the Reichstag in May 1945, with Bulatov credited by some as the first to raise the Soviet flag atop the building. Read more

Soviet Sailors of the Dnieper Flotilla with an American Cameraman at the Brandenburg Gate, May 1945

August 11, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes

Soviet sailors of the Dnieper Flotilla pose with an American cameraman at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on May 2, 1945, days after the city’s capture. Read more

Soviet Soldier Mikhail Makarov in Front of the Ruined Reichstag, May 1945

August 11, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet infantryman Mikhail Makarov stands with his PPSh-41 before the shattered Reichstag in Berlin on May 2, 1945, symbolizing the Red Army’s triumph in the Battle of Berlin. Read more

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World War II Photos: Rare Battlefield Images from All Nations

Welcome to our comprehensive archive of World War II photos—a collection of powerful and rare images captured on the battlefields of the Second World War. From the Eastern Front to the Pacific Theater, we aim to preserve and showcase the visual history of a global conflict that forever changed the course of human history.

This site gathers authentic WWII battlefield images from all participating nations. Each photo tells a story—of courage, loss, resistance, and resilience. Our mission is to bring together the most compelling photos from both official military archives and personal soldier collections.

Why Real WWII Photos Still Matter Today

Unlike reconstructed documentaries or staged reenactments, authentic World War II photography reveals the raw, unfiltered reality of war. These photos allow us to understand history not just through dates and maps, but through the faces, places, and details that shaped it.

From the dirt-covered boots of Soviet soldiers in Stalingrad to the vast air raids over Tokyo, this archive offers a direct look into the defining moments of the 20th century.

Explore World War II Through the Lens of Each Nation

Soviet Union 🇷🇺

Explore powerful photos from the Red Army on the Eastern Front, including the Battle of Stalingrad, the siege of Leningrad, and the final assault on Berlin. Discover portraits of snipers, tank crews, female medics, and Soviet partisans. The USSR bore the brunt of Nazi aggression and paid the highest human cost.

Nazi Germany 🇩🇪

View rare Wehrmacht and SS imagery from the Blitzkrieg campaigns, the deserts of North Africa, and the doomed advance into Russia. See infamous tanks like the Panzer IV and Tiger I, Luftwaffe bombers, and moments of surrender in 1945.

United States 🇺🇸

From the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Iwo Jima, our archive covers US Army, Navy, and Marine Corps operations. Explore photos of D-Day landings, B-17 bomber formations, and life aboard aircraft carriers in the Pacific. Many images are in color, adding even more realism to the American war effort.

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Discover images of the British Army in North Africa, the Battle of Britain, and Royal Navy operations. Highlights include Churchill’s visit to the front, SAS commandos, and resilient Londoners during the Blitz.

Imperial Japan 🇯🇵

Explore photos of Japanese forces in China, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Pacific island battles. Includes kamikaze pilots, jungle warfare, and devastating imagery from Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Italy 🇮🇹

View rare wartime photos of the Italian Army under Mussolini, including campaigns in Greece, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. See the transformation from Axis power to co-belligerent after 1943.

France 🇫🇷

Photos of the Fall of France, Vichy government, and the French Resistance movement. View Free French troops fighting alongside Allies in Italy and during the liberation of Paris.

Other Nations 🌍

Poland 1939 – The invasion that started it all.
Finland – The brutal Winter War against the USSR.
Yugoslavia – Partisan warfare and civil conflict.
China – Forgotten front of Japanese expansion.
Canada & Australia – Vital roles in air and sea.

Explore WWII by Year

Explore WWII by Nation

Preserving History One Image at a Time

This site is more than just an image collection—it’s a tribute to the millions who fought, suffered, and sacrificed. We invite you to explore, remember, and reflect.

New galleries are added regularly. Bookmark the site, share with fellow history buffs, and help us keep the memory alive through the power of authentic photography.