From ww2 flags Germany to the United States and Japan, these ww2 flags represent nations that fought during the war. These flags are great for display in a historical setting or for use as a memento of a loved one who fought in the war.

The flag of the Free French Navy, created for sailors who sailed on vessels of the Allied forces of Charles de Gaulle, is the image that most people think of when they hear the term “ww2 flags.” This naval jack is printed with the red cross of Lorraine, the emblem of Free France, resting on a blue and red field.

WW2 Flags: Remnants of a Global Conflict and Their Stories

When a soldier returned home from World War II, they often brought their captured flags with them. Some wound up in museum collections, while others were buried with their fallen comrades. For those who served in the military, the flag was more than a symbol of patriotism; it was a memento of their friends and family, and of the sacrifices that they made to defend the freedoms of the nation.

During the Tennessee Maneuvers, an army company’s scout fashioned this flag from a Nazi flag, a blue dress uniform, and salvaged red fabric. He proudly posed with it on May 7, 1945—the day that Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies.

This flag was commissioned on the destroyer USS Balao, who sank seven Japanese ships in three war patrols in the Pacific Ocean between 1944 and 1945. The flag records the number of ships destroyed, which was later reduced to nine after postwar assessments.