Adolf Hitler and his armed forces achieved conquests few thought they would even dare. Between 1939 and 1941, the German military overran a huge portion of Europe, from Paris to Moscow, and many Germans felt that they had finally achieved just revenge for the humiliation their country had suffered at the end of World War I. Who were the soldiers who nearly made Hitler's plan to rule Europe a reality?

Universal Service

Under the Nazi regime, known as the Third Reich (1933-1945), Germany became one of the most militarized societies in history. Even young children underwent military training in the Hitler Youth, membership in which became compulsory for both sexes in 1939. Boys wore uniforms and were taught sports, war games, and Nazi ideology. The girls' organization, called the League of German Girls, taught home economics and courses in matrimony and motherhood. The...