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First World War

World War One (WW1) was a major global conflict that lasted four years, from 1914 to 1918. It began on 28 July 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia one month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. The conflict, which became known as the Great War, was fought between two groups: the Triple Alliance – initially made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy; and the Triple Entente - made up of Great Britain, France and Russia (Italy changed sides and joined the Allies in 1915). The United States of America entered the war in 1917. The First World War ended on 11 November 1918 when the Allies and Germany signed a ceasefire, or 'armistice’

Black-and-white archival photo of Indian Army soldiers in turbans and uniform tunics standing in the doorways and leaning out the windows of a third-class train carriage

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India’s forgotten WW1 heroes: why it’s taken a century for these soldiers to be recognised. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

It's a black and white image of a group of soldiers holding a swastika flag

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Colour portrait of Princess Elizabeth standing in an ornate room at Buckingham Palace, wearing a light dress and pearl necklace, hands clasped.

Second World War

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A mixed group of men and women in early‑20th‑century clothing gather around a table set with dishes, with a bearded man seated at the centre of the group.

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A drawing depicting a German monoplane dropping bombs on Paris in 1914

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Spy, hero, rebel, traitor: the story of Roger Casement. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A tank crossing trenches at the battle of Cabrai during the First World War.

First World War

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A group of soldiers playing football during the First World War.

First World War

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Did the WW1 Christmas truce really happen?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

On 27 January 1943, ARP wardens attend the funeral of victims killed in a daylight bombing raid — including several children and teachers. Such scenes were tragically common during the Second World War, as civilian areas remained vulnerable to Luftwaffe attacks despite improved air defences.

Second World War

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Michelle Akers-Stahl, who scored twice in the final, celebrates with teammates Julie Foudy and Carin Jennings after the United States won the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup on 30 November 1991, defeating Norway 2–1. The tournament marked a turning point in the global recognition of the women’s game.

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Episode 4Not just the Western Front: why we can't ignore the rest of the world. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Two men dressed in military uniform stand behind a barbed wire, looking into the camera. One wears a bandage around his head, covering one eye

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RAF fliers accompany the bodies of two Nazi airmen being taken to be buried in Edinburgh

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London crowds celebrating the signing of the armistice at the end of the First World War.

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Soldiers of the English infantry in France, running out of their trenches at the signal to assault.

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The ultimate First World War quiz. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A silhouette of troops of the 1st Australian Division during the First World War.

First World War

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Polish-born chemist Marie Curie

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