COVER ILLUSTRATION: DAVIDE BONAZZI–SALZMANART. THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES/STEVE SAYERS–THE SECRET STUDIO 3
The Second World War began 80
years ago this September. In many
ways, its legacy is still with us.
From the conflict’s economic and social repercussions to
its lasting geopolitical legacy, the conflagration of 1939–
reshaped the global order to an extent unparalleled before
or since. Yet equally important are the ways in which the
war – its apparent narratives and iconography – have been
used to define and shift concepts of national identity and
belonging around the world.
This issue, our panel of experts
investigates the factors behind
our Second World War
obsession, as well as
the consequences of our
failure to move on. That
starts on page 40.
Elsewhere, we examine
other echoes of that past.
In our Long Read feature,
Dan Stone explores the recent
debate about whether US ‘border
centres’ in Texas can accurately be referred to as
‘concentration camps’. Are there parallels in this history,
and does our uncertainty point to a wider confusion about
that past? You can read that from page 23.
The use and wilful misuse of language is, of course, a
key theme in George Orwell’s 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-
Four, from political sloganeering to outright censorship.
On page 66, Dorian Lynskey chronicles the real events
and characters that inspired the dystopian classic.
If all that sounds rather bleak, there’s lightness, too.
From pioneer women of the American West (page 56)
to a pioneering Islamic explorer
of the medieval world (page 86),
this issue is, as ever, a rich tapestry.
As always, we’d love to hear what
you think; please do share your
thoughts via the address below.Matt Elton
Editor
[email protected]
+44 (0)117 300 8645WELCOME ISSUE 18
BBC World Histories explores the
history behind the headlines, and offers
fresh perspectives on our global pastMORE FROM US
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