D-Day to VE Day: Month by Month
Join Dr Peter Johnston as he discusses the process of writing his latest book, D-Day to VE Day: Month by Month. Peter will be joined by Professor of War and Society, Jonathan Fennell as they go through the final year of the war in Western Europe. See the incredible photographs which tell the story of the campaign, and learn the fascinating history behind the images.
On the evening of 5 June 1944, ships and landing craft assembled in the Channel, paratroopers prepared for flight, and troops readied for action. The great Allied invasion of Northwest Europe was about to begin. A brief announcement on the BBC the following morning declared that D-Day had finally arrived. But even though D-Day was successful, it was not the end of the war.
It was only the beginning of a long and arduous campaign for the British and the forces of Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery’s 21st Army Group. Months of hard fighting would follow, through fields, forests and ruined cities and towns, and over rivers and bridges into the heart of Germany before Northwest Europe was liberated, and the Nazis defeated.
About the Book
D-Day to VE Day illustrates the final year of the Second World War in Northwest Europe, from the Normandy landings to the Baltic and the celebration of Victory in Europe. It follows in the footsteps of British and Allied forces by drawing on IWM’s vast photography collection to chart and illustrate the Allies’ journey through war-torn Northwest Europe during those crucial months, a visual diary of the march to victory.
Including unseen and forgotten images of the British forces that illustrate the months around the edges of the more famous battles, where fighting was equally ferocious, this book shows that victory was no easy procession. It shows the triumphs and the tragedies as experienced by the ordinary soldier, sailor and airman, in the greatest war the world has ever seen across 11 of the most significant months in global history.
About the Author
Dr Peter Johnston is a military historian and curator. He is currently the Director for Narrative and Content at Imperial War Museums, having previously been Head of Collections and Research at the Royal Air Force Museum and Head of Collections Research and Academic Access at the National Army Museum in London. Peter studied History and Modern History for his Undergraduate and Master's degrees at the University of Durham, and completed his PhD at the University of Kent, focusing on recruitment and culture in the British Armed Forces.
Peter has acted as an expert and accompanying academic on battlefield tours from Flanders to the Falklands, as well as regularly appearing across media channels providing expert commentary and insight. His first book, British Forces in Germany: The Lived Experience, was published in 2019. He has previously published on military history, propaganda, and museum collections.
About Jonathan Fennell
Peter will be joined by Jonathan Fennell, a Professor of the History of War and Society at King’s College London, Co-Director of the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War and Co-Founder and President of the international scholarly society, the Second World War Research Group.
Jonathan holds a Doctorate in Modern History from the University of Oxford and is the author and editor of three books on the military and social history of the Second World War. His most recent book, Fighting the People's War: The British and Commonwealth Armies and the Second World War, won the Royal United Services Institute Duke of Wellington Medal for Military History 2020 and the Society for Army Historical Research Templer Medal for the History of the British Army 2020.
About Your Ticket
As a charity, your IWM In Conversation ticket purchase helps IWM continue to tell stories for future generations.
Tickets cost just £20 per person (including IWM members) and includes:
- Peter Johnston's talk within the impressive surroundings of HMS Belfast
- Ask your questions and join the conversation
- The talk culminates in a book signing and a personal meet and greet with Peter Johnston
- Then enjoy exclusive after-hours entry to HMS Belfast.
In addition to your ticket booking, if you can, please purchase your copy of the book from our IWM pop-up shop on the evening. Every purchase you make supports the work we do.
