Collection on World War II

The collection on World War II is organized into five series.

Nazi occupation, 1939-1952 and undated, contains German, Polish, Czechoslovak, and United Nations publications detailing life in Nazi-occupied countries during World War II. Publications include speeches, German propaganda, newspapers, and essays from citizens, leaders, and professionals from each country and organization.

United States, 1939-1949 and undated, includes documents and publications about the United States Homefront, war production, recruitment, war planning, war bonds and loans, and foreign relations with other countries. Most of the publications were created for schools and public areas in order to educate citizens about contributing to the war effort.

Allies, 1939-1957 and undated, consists of publications from the United Nations and countries that were recognized as part of the Allied powers. Most documents were either published in or about the British Empire. Plans for the post-war world are also included in this series.

Other, the final series in the collection, contains documents that are dated before or after World War II from 1913 to 1957, in addition to materials that have no direct relation to a discussion on the war, such as publications from neutral countries.

The audiovisual materials series contains three 16mm film reels: “Rock Island at War I,” “Rock Island at War II,” and “Army-Navy Screen Magazine Issue No. 74.”