Nebraska Soldiers & Letters Home
Letters and photographs from the Archives & Special Collections help us learn what our Nebraska veterans experienced during their service in the United States military during World War I and World War II.
World War I, 1914-1918
World War I, also known the Great War, began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, on June 28, 1914. Britain, France, and Russian fought as allies against Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917 sending the American Expeditionary Force to France to join the Allies. The war devastated those who fought and altered the European continent.
- Joseph Dolezal
- Archie Laverne Duemey
- Karl Maslowski
- Arthur L. Smith
- Gerald J. Sughroue
- Gerald Thomas
World War II, 1939-1945
The second World War began began September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. Considered the biggest military conflict in human history, World War II was fought over six continents and in every ocean, causing an estimated total of 50 million military and civilian deaths. The United States remained neutral until December 7, 1941, when Japanese forces bombed the U.S. naval base Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The United States joined the allied powers, Great Britain and the Soviet Union to fight against the axis powers, Germany, Italy, and Japan. When World War II ended on September 2, 1945, it marked the start of the nuclear era, the creation of the United Nations, and the advent of the Cold War.