The Return of Hemp
Even though it's made from cannabis plants, you can't get high on hemp. But it was classified as an illicit drug for nearly 50 years.
The Propaganda of World War II Comic Books
A government-funded group called the Writers' War Board got writers and illustrators to portray the United States positively—and its enemies as evil.
The World War II Escape Route from France to Martinique
After the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940, some refugees tried to make it out through the Caribbean.
How Thomas Mann Turned against the German Right
The best-selling author supported the Kaiser during World War I. What made him change his mind about politics later?
Does It Matter Who the Real Rosie the Riveter Was?
Many women have claimed to be the model behind the iconic poster.
Who Helped Japanese Americans after Internment?
Resettlement was difficult and traumatic, but the religious community worked to provide housing, food, and job opportunities.
The Environmental Costs of War
Using aluminum as a case study, a geographer shows how wartime "commodity chains" can devastate the Earth.
How Fritz Lang’s Flight from Nazi Germany Shaped Hollywood
German expressionism--imported to Hollywood by Jewish exiles--brought a lasting tradition of shadows, duality, and mirroring to mainstream American cinema.
Regrowing Germany’s Trees After WWII
The cities of Dresden and Hamburg saw their green spaces decimated by WWII, but each city grew back its trees in a very different way.
How Janet Flanner’s “High-Class Gossip” Changed America
The journalist's witty Paris Letters for the New Yorker helped establish Americans' feelings of superiority over Europe.