War Women

This is the story of women who experienced battle firsthand. Dressed as women, and often as men, these women fought in the wars that shaped our world. Who were they, and how did they fare in combat? Some are celebrated, others unsung.

As the concept of 'acceptable' roles for women in the military lingered throughout world history, the roles most women found themselves performing not only put them in the thick of the action, but they made significant contributions.

An abiding image of the home front is of a woman shielding a child in an idyllic cottage doorway, but what roles did women really play at home, and how did those roles help redefine the kind of work that was deemed acceptable for women?

Examine women's broader contribution to the cultural images of armed conflict through such artistic mediums as painting, poetry, photography, and writing. What words and images have women added to the chronicles of war throughout history?