A global war fought by an imperial army

The Second World War was fought across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. During the war, soldiers from all over the British Empire and Commonwealth fought against Nazi Germany and their allies. Before the war, most people in Britain would only rarely travel abroad or meet people from other countries. With large numbers of British soldiers mixing with Empire and Commonwealth troops this changed. In Britain itself, many people travelled from across the Empire to assist the war effort, bringing ethnic diversity.