In the decades since World War II ended, its shadow has persisted across global politics, culture, and technology. From 1939 to 1945, the conflict reshaped nearly every corner of the world, touching politics, science, and the arts in lasting ways. Here are nine essential facts about World War II, presented with fresh wording and structure for today’s readers. Photo credit: Ken Hawkins/ Alamy Stock Photo

The Father of Computer Science Spent the War Cracking Nazi Codes

In 1940, encrypted Nazi communications relied on the formidable Enigma cipher. Brave Allied codebreakers, led by mathematician Alan Turing, devised the Bombe to decode those messages. This breakthrough allowed Britain to read German transmissions in under an hour, altering the war’s trajectory. Photo credit: Galerie Bilderwelt/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Indigenous Volunteers Defended the Coast of Alaska From Invasion

After Japan’s 1942 push into the Aleutians, Alaska enlisted local Indigenous communities to guard its vast coastline. Members from Yup’ik, Inupiaq, Tlingit, Aleut, and Tsimshian groups contributed their intimate knowledge of the terrain, protecting vital routes between the U.S. and Russia. Photo credit: Historical/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

A Unit of Black Truck Drivers Played a Crucial Role After D-Day

Post-Normandy, the Red Ball Express kept frontline troops supplied as Allied advances pushed eastward. Although the U.S. military remained segregated, African American drivers faced extreme hazards to ensure timely delivery of essential cargo. Their bravery helped pave the way for military integration after the war. Photo credit: FPG/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

The U.S. Military Was Full of Baseball Legends

War drew in athletes from many walks of life, including baseball greats like Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, and Jackie Robinson. Ted Williams, a standout hitter, served as a fighter pilot with the Navy and Marines, returning to service during the Korean War and flying missions alongside future astronaut John Glenn. Photo credit: Pictorial Press Ltd/ Alamy Stock Photo

A Hollywood Icon Invented a Torpedo Guidance System

Hedy Lamarr, renowned for her film stardom, helped develop frequency-hopping technology in 1942 to improve long-range torpedo guidance. Though not adopted during the war, the concept laid the groundwork for later breakthroughs in wireless tech, including Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi. Lamarr was later inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014. Photo credit: PhotoQuest/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

The U.S. Government Established an Entire Town to Build the Atomic Bomb

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, became a secret city in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project, housing facilities that produced nuclear materials. Most workers were kept unaware of the project’s ultimate goal, receiving limited context about their tasks while contributing to a pivotal, confidential effort. Photo credit: Keystone/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

The United States Was Involved in the War Even Before Pearl Harbor

Before the December 1941 attack, the U.S. aided Allied nations through programs like Lend-Lease, quietly supporting Britain and other Allies while maintaining formal neutrality. The day after Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan, followed shortly by declarations against Germany and Italy. Photo credit: Pictures from History/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

China and Japan Never Signed a Peace Treaty With Each Other

China bore a major burden in Asia from 1937 onward, fighting Japan while Allied powers coordinated their efforts abroad. When the war concluded, China did not participate in the peace talks with Japan, and a formal peace treaty between the two nations has never been signed. Photo credit: Roger Viollet via Getty Images

Early NASA Rockets Were Based on Nazi Missile Designs

Wernher von Braun’s V-2 rockets, used by Germany in the later years of the war, represented a leap in ballistic and guidance technology. After the war, American programs leveraged this expertise, propelling the U.S. space program forward. Von Braun’s legacy remains complex, marked by both scientific achievement and controversial affiliations. Photo credit: Keystone/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images