List of WWII magazines
Executive summary
A useful starting list separates magazines devoted to World War II from mainstream publications that covered the war as it happened: dedicated titles such as World War II (HistoryNet) and WWII History (Warfare History Network) focus exclusively on campaigns, commanders and veterans’ accounts [1] [2], while major general-interest weeklies like LIFE and TIME provided contemporary photojournalism and news coverage throughout the conflict [3] [4]. Digital archives and specialized sellers now centralize both modern commemorative magazines and original wartime issues for researchers and collectors [5] [6].
1. Major modern magazines devoted to World War II
Contemporary magazines that concentrate entirely on the Second World War—useful for thematic reading and scholarship—include World War II magazine, which offers campaign narratives, maps and veteran testimony and is hosted by HistoryNet [1] and WWII History (also called WWII History Magazine) published by Warfare History Network, which provides in-depth articles and is digitizing its two-decade archive for subscribers [2] [7]. Readly and Pocketmags distribute digital editions of these specialty publications—World War II on Readly and WW2 History back issues on Pocketmags—making current and back issues accessible on mobile devices [8] [6]. The title World War 2 (older publication runs) is also available in scanned form on Internet Archive for individual issues [5].
2. Major mainstream magazines whose wartime issues are essential sources
Contemporary accounts and iconic wartime photojournalism are found in mainstream weeklies: LIFE magazine’s wartime reporting, with correspondents and photographers in all theaters, made it a defining visual chronicle of the conflict and produced notable special issues such as V‑E and V‑J Day editions [3] [9]. TIME’s Vault preserves decades of reporting and cover stories on World War II, offering synchronized reporting and political context from 1923 forward [4]. Smithsonian and Harper’s maintain archives and tagged World War II content that are valuable for cultural and historiographical perspectives on the war’s aftermath and interpretation [10] [11].
3. Specialty, regional and archival collections
Local and museum collections hold regionally significant magazine runs and found prints from residents and veterans; for example, the McLean County Museum of History curates a World War II magazine collection compiled from residents who kept or found wartime publications [12]. Collectors and dealers like Original Life Magazines market original wartime issues and special editions—for instance, LIFE’s May 14, 1945 V‑E Day and other wartime covers are sold as collectible issues [3] [13]. These specialty sources are useful when original print context, advertisements and contemporaneous design matter to research or display [3].
4. Where to access digital back issues and how they differ
Digital aggregators and publishers provide two distinct pathways: subscription platforms such as Readly and Pocketmags give access to contemporary specialty magazines and curated back issues in searchable digital form [8] [6], while direct archives like Internet Archive host scanned single issues of older or out-of-print titles like World War 2 magazine for free access [5]. Publishers such as Warfare History Network and HistoryNet are in the process of digitizing their catalogs and often restrict full access to subscribers, which affects scope and immediacy for researchers [2] [7].
5. Caveats, competing agendas and next steps for researchers
Readers should distinguish between modern commemorative magazines that synthesize secondary scholarship and primary-source wartime issues that reflect contemporary propaganda, editorial biases and commercial messaging—LIFE’s wartime ads and photographic framing illustrate how magazines shaped public perception of the war effort [9] [3]—and recognize that some specialty outlets aim to entertain enthusiasts as much as to advance academic debate, which can influence story selection and tone [1] [2]. For rigorous work, combine dedicated WWII journals, contemporaneous mainstream issues and archival collections to triangulate facts, then consult academic monographs or national archives where primary documents and citations are required [10] [12].