Bumper V-2 Launch, NASA history collection

The V-2 (German: Vergeltungswaffe 2, "Retribution Weapon 2"), Aggregat 4 (A4), was the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile. It was developed during the Second World War in Nazi Germany as a "vengeance weapon", assigned to attack Allied cities as retaliation for the Allied bombings against German cities. The V-2 rocket also became the first artificial object to cross the boundary of space with the vertical launch of MW 18014 on 20 June 1944. Research into the military use of long-range rockets began when the studies of graduate student Wernher von Braun attracted the attention of the German Army. A series of prototypes culminated in the A-4, which went to war as the V-2. Beginning in September 1944, over 3,000 V-2s were launched by the German Wehrmacht against Allied targets during the war, first London and later Antwerp and Liège. The attacks from V2s resulted in the deaths of an estimated 9,000 civilians and military personnel. As Germany collapsed, teams from the Allied forces—the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union—raced to capture key German manufacturing sites and technology. Wernher von Braun and over 100 key V-2 personnel escaped advancing Soviets and surrendered to the Americans. Von Braun role in American space program is hard to overestimate. The Soviets too gained possession of the V-2 manufacturing facilities, re-established V-2 production, and lay foundation forthe Soviet space program.

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) served as the 33rd President of the United States (1945–53). He served as Vice President before he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945 upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri on his family's 600-acre farm. In the last months of World War I, he served in combat in France as an artillery officer. After the war, he joined the Democratic Party and was elected to public office as a county official in 1922, and as a U.S. Senator in 1934. He became well known as chairman of the Truman Committee, formed in March 1941, which exposed waste, fraud, and corruption in Federal Government wartime contracts. During his few weeks as Vice President, Harry Truman rarely saw President Franklin Roosevelt and received little or no briefing on foreign policy and the development of the atomic bomb. He became a president during the final months of World War II, making the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Truman was elected a president on his own in 1948. During Truman's presidency, the United States engaged in an internationalist foreign policy and renounced isolationism. Truman helped found the United Nations in 1945, issued the Truman Doctrine in 1947 to contain Communism, and got the $13 billion Marshall Plan enacted to rebuild Western Europe. The Soviet Union, a wartime ally, became an enemy in the Cold War. Truman oversaw the Berlin Airlift of 1948, creation of NATO in 1949, a Korean War beginning in 1950. His administration guided the American economy through the post-war economic recession with a success. "I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it."

NASA Photo Collection

World War II was a period of rapid technological advancement in the field of aircraft, and these advancements have continued to shape the development of aircraft in the years since. There were significant advances in aircraft design, such as the use of swept wings and the development of more advanced aircraft materials, such as aluminum alloys and plastic composites. These advances allowed for the construction of stronger, lighter aircraft that was capable of higher speeds and greater maneuverability. Biplanes, which have two main wings stacked one above the other, were largely obsolete by the time World War II began in 1939. They had been largely replaced by monoplanes, which have a single main wing, by the start of World War II. The main advantage of monoplanes is that they are typically faster and more maneuverable than biplanes due to their streamlined design. In addition, monoplanes are able to carry a greater load for their size, making them more suitable for use as bombers and transport aircraft. However, biplanes were not completely abandoned during World War II. Some biplane designs, such as the British Hawker Hurricane and the Soviet Polikarpov I-153, saw limited use as fighters. In addition, biplanes were used in a number of other roles, including training, observation, and light transports. One of the major developments in aircraft technology during World War II was the use of jet engines, which allowed for faster and more powerful aircraft. The first jet aircraft, the German Heinkel He 178, made its first flight in 1939. However, it was not until after the war that jet aircraft became widespread. During World War II, a number of aircraft were produced in large quantities to meet the demands of the war. Here are some examples of some of the most massively produced aircraft of World War II: The Soviet Union's Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground attack aircraft that was produced in tremendous numbers, with more than 36,000 being built. It was heavily armed and armored, making it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. The German Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a mainstay of the German air force and was produced in large numbers, with more than 35,000 being built. It was used as a fighter, interceptor, and ground attack aircraft, and saw action on many fronts during the war. The American Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was a heavily armed and armored fighter that was produced in large quantities, with more than 15,000 being built. It was used extensively in Europe and the Pacific and was known for its durability and long range. The British Supermarine Spitfire was a highly regarded fighter that was produced in large numbers, with more than 20,000 being built. It saw action in many theaters of the war and was known for its agility and handling.