🇬🇧 Imperial War Museum London

As a history buff, I couldn’t miss this—Britain’s role in both World Wars is etched in these halls with chilling detail. Focused on three exhibitions: WWI, WWII, and the Holocaust. 💡 Hard-Hitting Insights 1️⃣ From Allies to Enemies Germany’s rise initially impressed Britain… until it didn’t. The arms race that followed mirrors today’s US-China tensions. Ironic, given Kaiser Wilhelm II was Queen Victoria’s grandson! 2️⃣ V-2 Rockets → Apollo Missions Germany’s 1,000+ V-2 strikes killed 3,000 UK civilians. Post-war, the same scientists helped land humans on the moon. War’s twisted legacy. 3️⃣ “Over by Christmas” Delusion Machine guns and artillery turned battles into meat grinders. Somme/Verdun: 1 million+ casualties combined. A generation erased. 4️⃣ Commonwealth’s Unseen Sacrifice NZ/Canada sent 100,000+ volunteers to die in a war that wasn’t theirs. Their letters home wrecked me. 5️⃣ Christmas Truce, 1914 That fleeting moment when enemies traded chocolate and carols across trenches. Read Stefan Zweig’s "The World of Yesterday" for this ache. 6️⃣ Holocaust: From Rights to Ruin Nazis didn’t start with gas chambers—they began by stripping jobs, dignity, names. A warning: Never normalize oppression. 📍 Practical Info Free entry (donations welcome) Allow 3+ hours—it’s heavy but essential. The Holocaust exhibit requires timed tickets. #IWMLondon #WW1 #WW2 #NeverForget #HistoryLessons #DarkTourism #LondonMuseums