In a decade dominated by war, the majority of these 1940s photographs are also primarily concerned with that conflict. The first four chapters (out of eleven) deal exclusively with that topic, and World War II also features heavily in some of the later sections. It's an interesting collection of photographs, being a mixture of professional photographers documenting historic events and snapshots taken by ordinary people of commonplace items that are notable now purely for their vintage quality.
The photos that do chronicle the Second World War are outstanding, though those few that detail the various atrocities can make for difficult viewing. Pictures of bravery and heroics sit side by side with images of pure human suffering. Sacrifices at home are shown next to the work being done abroad. This is a well-done summation of those war years in all their different facets.
War is not the only subject catered to in this collection. Sports, fashion, show business, and other events of the post-war years are dealt with. Several celebrities of the day make cameos on these pages, but the primary focus is upon the regular people going about their everyday business; the entertainers are confined to making moral boosting visits to overseas troops. A selection of delightfully goofy pictures is a welcome change from some of the weightier offerings. Seeing Miss Italy knocking out Miss England, Ingrid Bergman chuckling at Alfred Hitchcock, or a Russian solder dancing with an American serviceman is a great antidote to the more depressing and destructive scenes.
The black and white photography here offers us a great insight into the way of life during the 1940s. Each photograph is captioned in English, German and French, but it's not those few words that will be sticking in your memory. There are some unforgettable images that have been captured here. They were stored for decades in plastic and glass, but many of them will now be imprinted in the minds of anyone who peruses this picture book. The photographs here are priceless.
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