A matter of weeks following Churchill’s famous speech praising the efforts of the RAF during the Dunkirk evacuations, Britain itself was under constant aerial attack by the Luftwaffe. By August 1940, the Nazi campaign to destroy the RAF was in full flight, including ‘Adlertag’ (‘Eagle Day’), during which there were 1,485 German sorties alone.

To commemorate 80 years since the Battle of Britain, this special edition of History of War pays tribute not only to the airmen, but also to the thousands on the ground who sealed victory. In this commemorative issue, you will discover the unsung Irish pilots who fought for Britain, despite the very recent hostilities between the two nations. Elsewhere Craig Murray, curator at IWM Duxford, discusses the critical role played by the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) during the battle. He reveals how essential the WAAF was in co-ordinating Fighter Command's defence, as part of the Dowding System.

History of War issue 84 also recounts the bloody and tragic path to peace in the Pacific, and the official end of the Second World War. Read a first-hand account of USAAF navigator 'Dutch' Van Kirk, who was part of the Enola Gay crew that dropped the nuclear bomb over Hiroshima.

Elsewhere in this new issue: read the thrilling Medal of Honor story of Bruce Crandall, who risked his life ferrying casualties from the Battle of Ia Drang; discover how Alexander the Great achieved his greatest victory at the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE; read the incredible account of the forgotten GI mutiny in Cornwall, when black American soldiers fought back against racism and prejudice. Plus, all the latest reviews, museum news and a chance to win a set of classic WWII novels.

A matter of weeks following Churchill’s famous speech praising the efforts of the RAF during the Dunkirk evacuations, Britain itself was under constant aerial attack by the Luftwaffe. By August 1940, the Nazi campaign to destroy the RAF was in full flight, including ‘Adlertag’ (‘Eagle Day’), during which there were 1,485 German sorties alone. To commemorate 80 years since the Battle of Britain, this special edition of History of War pays tribute not only to the airmen, but also to the thousands on the ground who sealed victory. In this commemorative issue, you will discover the unsung Irish pilots who fought for Britain, despite the very recent hostilities between the two nations. Elsewhere Craig Murray, curator at IWM Duxford, discusses the critical role played by the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) during the battle. He reveals how essential the WAAF was in co-ordinating Fighter Command's defence, as part of the Dowding System. History of War issue 84 also recounts the bloody and tragic path to peace in the Pacific, and the official end of the Second World War. Read a first-hand account of USAAF navigator 'Dutch' Van Kirk, who was part of the Enola Gay crew that dropped the nuclear bomb over Hiroshima. Elsewhere in this new issue: read the thrilling Medal of Honor story of Bruce Crandall, who risked his life ferrying casualties from the Battle of Ia Drang; discover how Alexander the Great achieved his greatest victory at the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE; read the incredible account of the forgotten GI mutiny in Cornwall, when black American soldiers fought back against racism and prejudice. Plus, all the latest reviews, museum news and a chance to win a set of classic WWII novels.