Le Pen Says France Not Responsible for WWII Roundup of Jews

THE WASHINGTON POST: PARIS — Far-right French presidential contender Marine Le Pen made “a serious mistake” by denying that the French State was responsible for the roundup of Jews in World War II, her main rival said Monday.

Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist, was among many presidential candidates criticizing Le Pen’s comments Monday.

“Some had forgotten that Marine Le Pen is the daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen,” Macron, the front-runner in the April 23-May 7 two-round election, told BFM TV.

Le Pen’s father repeatedly has been convicted for anti-Semitism and racism. » | Associated Press | Monday, April 10, 2017

Lord Heseltine Suggests Brexit Vote Allows Germany to Win World War Two

THE TELEGRAPH: Lord Heseltine has suggested that voting for Brexit is the same as handing victory to Germany, 70 years after the Nazis were defeated in World War II.

The former deputy Prime Minister said the UK's decision to leave the EU meant Germany had been "handed the opportunity" to become the dominant player in Europe.

He said that America would also now turn towards Germany and away from Britain.

Speaking to the House magazine, he said: “We’ve now abandoned the opportunity to influence Europe, the council of ministers will meet and we won’t be there.

"Our ability to speak for the Commonwealth within Europe has come to an end. The Americans will shift their focus of interest to Germany. » | Laura Hughes. Political Correspondent | Friday, March 24, 2017

Germany Wartime Movie Star 'Was a Russian Spy'

Marika Rökk - Hab Mich Lieb! (1942)

Read the Telegraph article here

1944 US Government-produced Film "A Challenge to Democracy"

The 1944 U.S. government-produced film "A Challenge to Democracy" gives an overview of the forced relocation of Japanese-American citizens and Japanese aliens during World War II.a President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the relocation on February 19, 1942 with an executive order.

1943 US Government-produced Film "Japanese Relocation" Addresses Relocation Camps

Produced in 1943 by the U.S. Office of War Information, the film "Japanese Relocation" addresses the internment of Japanese American citizens during World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the forced relocation on February 19, 1942 with an executive order.

Japanese Americans Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Internment Order

Today marks the 75th anniversary since the signing of a presidential executive order that sent nearly 120,000 innocent Japanese Americans to internment camps during World War II.

Japanese Americans are disturbed by the parallels they see with the recent travel ban signed by US president Donald Trump.

Al Jazeera's Rob Reynolds reports from Los Angeles.

Apocalypse: The Second World War

Last Days Of World War II

Women in Nazi Germany – WWII

Germany: Far-right Activists Commemorate Nazi Soldiers Killed in WWII

Around 100 far-right activists gathered in the German town of Remagen, Saturday, to commemorate the Nazi soldiers who died in Allied prisoner of war camps at the end of WWII.

Russia Stages Massive WW2 Parade Despite Western Boycott

President Putin (centre) sat alongside the presidents of China
(third left) and Kazakhstan (far right)

BBC AMERICA: Russia has staged its biggest military parade, marking 70 years since victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

Thousands of troops marched across Red Square in Moscow, and new armour was displayed for the first time.

Many foreign dignitaries were present, but most Western leaders stayed away because of Russia's role in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin said global co-operation had been put at risk in recent years. His Ukrainian counterpart accused him of justifying aggression.

Russia denies claims by the West that it is arming rebels in eastern Ukraine. More than 6,000 people have been killed since fighting began in April 2014 in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. (+ 2 videos) » | Saturday, May 09, 2015

Britain’s 'Finest WWII General' Accused of Child Sex Abuse in Australia

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Viscount Slim has been accused of molesting multiple children at Fairbridge Farm School in rural New South Wales while representing the Queen in Australia

One of Britain’s greatest military commanders, Viscount Slim, has been accused of molesting children at a school for underprivileged youths while serving as the Queen’s representative in Australia.

Bob Stevens, a claimant in a lawsuit against Fairbridge Farm, a school in Australia for mostly British child migrants, said Viscount Slim would arrive in his Rolls Royce and the “next minute we were sitting on his knee and he's got his hands up our trousers”. » | Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney | Thursday, March 13, 2014

Tel Aviv Unveils First Memorial to Gay Holocaust Victims

People lay flowers in memory of gays killed by Nazis in WWII

BBC: Tel Aviv has become the first Israeli city to unveil a memorial in honour of gay and lesbian victims of the Nazi Holocaust.

The monument in the centre of the city is designed around a pink triangle - the symbol gay prisoners were forced to wear in the concentration camps.

As many as 15,000 homosexuals were killed in the Nazi camps.

Similar monuments in their memory have been erected in Amsterdam, Berlin, San Francisco and Sydney. » | Friday, January 10, 2014

Stalingrad: WWII Documentary
The Battle of Stalingrad, which cost the lives of at least a million German soldiers, Red Army troops and Soviet civilians, was the bloodiest of the decisive battles in the "war of extermination" which Hitler had unleashed. The annihilation of the German Sixth Army brought home to many Germans with a terrible shock the fact that, despite the propaganda which filled their ears, the war would inevitably be lost in the end. For both Germany and Russia, Stalingrad signified the psychological turning point in World War II. This three-part documentary, employing previously unreleased film footage and brutally frank statements from survivors on both sides, explains exactly how the catastrophe came about and describes the gruesome consequences of the battle for the soldiers and the inhabitants of the city.

Remembrance Sunday: Britain Falls Silent to Honour War Dead

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Queen led tributes to members of Britain's Armed Forces as thousands fell silent at Remembrance Sunday services to honour those who have lost their lives fighting for their country.

The Queen laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph at Whitehall, central London, to commemorate members of the Armed Forces who have died in all conflicts since the First World War.

She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York, the Countess of Wessex and other senior royals.

At 11am there was a two-minute silence as thousands paid their respects to those killed in conflicts past and present.

The Queen stood motionless with her head bowed, at the head of her family who stood in a line behind her.

The Duchess of Cambridge, dressed in black and wearing two red poppies and a bowler style hat, watched the sombre events from a balcony at the Foreign and Commonwealth building with other royal women.

This is the first time she has attended a Remembrance Sunday service as a member of the monarchy.

Also paying their respects were David Cameron, the Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, Labour leader Ed Miliband, High Commissioners from Commonwealth countries and defence chiefs.

The ceremony was attended by thousands of ex-servicemen and women who staged a veterans' march past the Cenotaph. » | Sarah Rainey | Sunday, November 13, 2011

In Memory of the Fallen: Remembrance Sunday 2011

Remembering those who perished for our liberty; in gratitude for their sacrifice.

Britain Falls Silent to Remember War Dead
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Millions of Britons have held a two-minute silence to remember the nation's war dead.


The tribute started at 11am, the time the guns on the Western Front fell silent at the end of the First World War in 1918.

Ceremonies nationwide commemorated fallen servicemen and women from both World Wars and later conflicts, including the 385 British personnel who have died since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001.

The silence was particularly poignant for those at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, who are mourning the loss of the latest soldier to die on active service. » | Friday, November 11, 2011 (11. 11.11.11)

WW2 Play Cancelled Over 'Censorship' Claims

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A playwright has cancelled a play set during the Second World War after claiming he was asked to remove references to Nazis, Jews and the invasion of Poland over fears of "offending" the audience.

Rod Tinson, whose Halloween play was due to be staged at Pendennis Castle in Falmouth, has accused English Heritage of trying to create a "Disneyfied" version of history by insisting on changes to his script.

The play featured scenes from different periods in the Tudor castle's history, including its role during the Second World War as a key coastal defence against German invasion of Britain.

Mr Tinson says the quango asked him to tone down parts of the script, including a young Jewish character expressing fears about his family in occupied Poland, over concerns that visitors would be "offended" by the material.

The playwright cancelled the play after refusing to make the requested changes. He said he could not understand why his script would be deemed offensive.

"They said it was inappropriate for an English Heritage audience. What version of history are they trying to illustrate at this place?" Mr Tinson added. Read on and comment » | Sarah Rainey | Thursday, October 27, 2011

Nazis Tried to Train Dogs to Talk, Read and Spell to Win WW2

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Nazis tried to train dogs to talk, read and spell to help them win World War II, it has been revealed.

The Germans viewed canines as being almost as intelligent as humans and attempted to build an army of fearsome 'speaking' dogs, extraordinary new research shows.

Hitler hoped the clever creatures would learn to communicate with their SS masters - and he even had a special dog school set up to teach them to talk.

The incredible findings show Nazi officials recruited so-called educated dogs from all over Germany and trained them to speak and tap out signals using their paws.

One mutt was said to have uttered the words 'Mein Fuhrer' when asked who Adolf Hitler was.

Another 'spoke' by tapping letters of the alphabet with his paws and was said to have speculated about religion and learnt poetry.

The Germans hoped to use the animals for the war effort, such as getting them to work alongside the SS and guard concentration camps to free up officers.

The bizarre 'Wooffan SS' experiment has come to light after years of painstaking research by academic Dr Jan Bondeson into unique and amazing dogs in history.

Dr Bonderson, from Cardiff University, visited Berlin to scour obscure periodicals to build up a bizarre - but true - account of Nazi ideas. » | Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Rare Colour Footage of Blitz Unearthed
THE TELEGRAPH: Rare colour footage of London during the Blitz has been unearthed after lying undiscovered in an attic for almost 70 years.



The amateur cine film, shot by an air raid warden, includes striking images of bombed-out landmarks such as the John Lewis department store on Oxford Street.

Sir Winston Churchill also makes a brief appearance in the footage as he reviews a parade of civil defence workers in Hyde Park.

The 20 minutes of film, covering the period of Sep 7, 1940 to May 10, 1941, was shot by the wartime mayor of Marylebone in west London, Alfred Coucher, who was also the area’s chief air raid warden.

After the war he stored the films in his attic where they were recently discovered by his family and passed on to the St Marylebone Society, an architectural preservation group of which he was founder.

The films have now been digitised with the help of Westminster Council, which is making them available to view on a dedicated website to mark the 70th anniversary of the Blitz. >>> Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Monday, September 06, 2010

West End at War >>>

TELEGRAPH VIDEO: Winston Churchill and King in rare colour footage of London during Blitz >>> | Monday, September 06, 2010