The Second World War is still considered today by most architectural histories as a hiatus, and consequently, remains an under-documented chapter. However, episodes leading from the bombings of Guernica to Hiroshima have been fundamental to the process of modernization and have led to the dominance of modernism in architecture. Architecture's contributions extended from new forms of infrastructure and management of masses to its engagement in the development of offensive and defensive tactics. The experience of architects on the frontlines, on the home front, and in wartime preparation for peacetime reconstruction and commemoration will also be considered.
Trained as an architect and historian in Paris, Jean-Louis Cohen has taught in Europe and North America. He is since 1994 professor at New York University¹s Institute of Fine Arts, and set up between 1998 and 2003 the Paris Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine. His research has focused on twentieth century architecture and urban planning in France, Russia, Germany and North Africa, resulting in numerous exhibitions and publications on both sides of the Atlantic. Among his many books are Le Corbusier and the Mystique of the USSR (1992), Scenes of the World to Come (1995), Casablanca, Colonial Myths and Architectural Ventures (2002) and Above Paris (2006).