World war ii

World War II began September 1, 1939 and ended September 2, 1945. Aggression had begun earlier when Japan invaded Manchuria and China, Italy invaded Ethiopia, and Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia. Thirty countries eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The United States entered WWII when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Patriotic Americans rushed to join up, forming a fighting force of 16 million (roughly 11% of all American citizens).

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WWII Exhibit

The WWII exhibit is divided into two sections – the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). The ETO exhibit has a soldier realistically outfitted in period Army uniform and equipment while the PTO has a Marine similarly outfitted. Actual newspapers from the period announce the surrender or the end of the War. There are many unique and unusual US, German and Japanese artifacts on display, each with its own story.