second world war – Manchester Historian

The very first female agent that served with SOE was a Polish-Jewish Aristocrat known as Krystyna Skarbek. In addition to being the first woman to serve with the SOE, Skarbek was also the longest serving field agent, male or female, during the SOE’s existence.

We have retold the stories of the Second World War without pause since it drew to a close in 1945. Films are an increasingly important way in which we remember the Second World War. But yet, these films, while engrossing in character and wildly popular, do not always reflect how the Second World War actually panned out. For the eagle-eyed historian out there, it’s incredibly intriguing to look into how these films may or may not reflect reality. War films are indeed not documentaries; they are made for the purpose of entertainment, with artistic licenses being taken for dramatisation. When we analyse these films, it is imperative we do not devolve ourselves into nitpicking historical details, but rather look at broader historical narratives and how they may influence our perception of the war.

Lloyd Hammett reviews The Monuments Men and investigates how art and architecture have been affected by war.

Sarah King reviews the Second World War television series, Band of Brothers.

Cai Reaich interviews the writer and comedian, Al Murray.