1945 – one of the most important years in modern history. Encompassing not only the celebration of peace and an end to the Second World War, but also the devastating fi rst use of nuclear weapons and the long shadow cast by both this and the legacy of the worldwide confl agration. In this landmark publication, Anthony Richards tells the story of this momentous year through the unique collections of the Imperial War Museum, using personal testimony and rarely seen imagery to consider the wide-ranging experiences of that twelve month period. From continued fi ghting through north-west Europe, South East Asia and the Pacifi c to the liberation of the concentration camps, while encompassing the post-war desire for reconstruction, repatriation and justice, 1945: A Visual History guides readers through this year of unprecedented change, which laid the foundations for the modern world.

Anthony Richards is Head of Documents and Sound at Imperial War Museums. He is the author of two other best-selling ‘Visual History’ titles, D-Day and Normandy and The Somme as well as many other books for IWM Publishing.