The Forties in Pictures

Ten years that altered the face of the world: a war fought across four continent, the break-up of old empires and the establishment of new ones, and the explosive inauguration of nuclear power. Between these covers are some of the greatest and most graphic images of the age, revealing the best and worst of a turbulent era: from battlefield to beauty parlor, from the London black-out to the glittering screens of Hollywood's golden age, from old enemies to new nations.