While the place names of Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, Stalingrad and Bastogne often leap to mind when recalling World War II, other lesser known locations such as Tjideng and Dortan were not immune to the effects of war. Given the number of lives lost and the social and political upheaval it created, World War II was the watershed moment of the Twentieth Century.  It claimed the lives of the young and the old and uprooted families from ancestral homes.  It transformed the economies of nations and unraveled the fabric of society. 

This exhibit explores the many facets of that war through the stories of those who survived it, both as young children and as men and women directly engaged in the conflict.  The stories are expressed through the lens of succeeding generations. The grandchildren of former enemies are now friends, sharing with each other how this tragic time impacted their own families and the larger world. 

Use the tabs on the left to navigate through exhibits highlighting the stories of World War II by beginning at War on the Home Front.  Consider how the war was a watershed moment in its far reaching impact on the lives of those at home, the men and women who went to war, and the generations to come.