A naval convoy of merchant ships spread across a grey sea, seen from a warship's deck. — A homeward convoy under escort in the North Atlantic. The war was fought as much in grinding routine as in moments of drama.

Introducing World War II Today

The Second World War is the most written-about conflict in history, and yet it is surprisingly easy to lose sight of what it actually felt like to live through it. The grand narratives move from battle to battle at the speed of a chapter heading. The people inside them moved at the speed of a ration queue, a night watch, a letter that took three months to arrive.

World War II Today takes a different approach. Every day, this publication looks at what was happening in the war on this exact date, 85 years ago — and tells it, wherever possible, in the words of the people who were there.

A column of tanks and armoured vehicles advancing across open desert under a vast sky. — Armour on the move in North Africa. Most days were spent moving, waiting and repairing — not fighting.

The dispatches draw on diaries, letters, memoirs and official reports: a signalman watching his convoy fade into the haze, a tank driver with his head under the engine louvres praying nothing comes over the ridge, a prisoner learning to make a life out of a brew of tea and a three-month-old letter. Some days carry great events; most carry the ordinary weight of an extraordinary time. Both matter.

Reading the war this way — one day at a time, without knowing what tomorrow brings — restores something that hindsight takes away. In August 1941 nobody knew how the story ended. Following it in real time, neither will you.

Follow the war, day by day

Join over 11,000 readers receiving the daily dispatch. Free subscribers get a regular selection; paid subscribers get every dispatch and the full archive.

More about World War II Today

Alongside the daily dispatches, the Sunday Feature offers a longer weekend read drawn from memoirs and diaries, and Explore the War gathers dispatches into collections by theme — the war at sea, the home front, the experience of captivity and more. The complete archive is available to paid subscribers.

Some frequently asked questions

What is World War II Today?: A daily chronicle of the Second World War. Each dispatch looks at what was happening on this day in the war, told wherever possible through the words of the men and women who were there — sailors, soldiers, airmen, prisoners and civilians.
Why do the dates run 85 years behind?: The publication follows the war in real time, day by day, exactly 85 years on. When you read a dispatch dated 16th August 1941, you are reading it on the same day of the year that the events took place.
What do subscribers get?: Free subscribers receive a regular selection of dispatches by email. Paid subscribers receive every daily dispatch in full, along with complete access to the archive and the weekend Sunday Feature.
Can I read on my phone or in an app?: Yes. Every dispatch is delivered by email and can also be read on the web on any device, so you can follow the war day by day wherever you are.
How do I get in touch?: Reply to any email dispatch and your message will reach us directly. We read everything, and corrections from sharp-eyed readers are always welcome.