Influential people who caused, influenced and fought during the Second World War. Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945) Dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933-45. During the 1930s, Hitler sought to gain ‘lebensraum’ for Germany – claiming Austria, Czechoslovakia and finally invading Poland.

From El Alamein to Stalingrad to Iwo Jima, men on the ground faced the battles up-close and personal, bound by the military traditions of their countries and services. This category includes members of naval infantry units such as the US Marine Corps and the Japanese Navy Special Naval Landing Forces.

From Oskar Schindler to General MacArthur these are 25 World War II Heroes who put their lives on the line to protect others .

The most prominent wartime leaders differed significantly, ranging from totalitarian to democratic. Whether elected or not, they took their countries to war, affecting millions of people for decades after.

With Ancestry ® you can find and honor your ancestors who served in World War II. Or you can find a snapshot of your family in 1940, just before Pearl Harbor. Uncover details like what their names were, where they were born, what they did for a living, the highest grade level they completed, and more.