Remembering the Stories of the Second World War

On 3 September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany following its invasion of Poland. The following year, Adolf Hitler’s formidable war machine swept through Western Europe, inflicting a humiliating defeat on the British and the French..

Refusing to capitulate to Nazi aggression, Britain vowed to fight on, bolstered by support from the Soviet Union and the United States when the former was attacked by Germany in 1941 and the latter by Japan in December of that year.

Led by Britain, the US and the Soviet Union and with the support of the Free French, the Allies united against the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan. Ending in 1945, the Second World War was the bloodiest conflict in history.

The events of the Second World War shaped and influenced modern British society. From the servicemen who fought with extraordinary courage to the factory workers who worked tirelessly to produce munitions, all citizens of the United Kingdom and wider communities in both Britain and across its Empire and the Commonwealth contributed to the war effort.

Honouring Those who Served

This UK 50p coin depicts the 1939–45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal. Awarded to millions of people for their wartime service, these medals symbolise countless unique experiences of the Second World War.

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