World War II Militaria
Of all the wars in history, the one that currently excites the imagination of militaria collectors the most is undoubtedly World War II. The Internet provides many ways to acquire, sell and trade militaria from this epic war. Expect to pay more for, say, a uniform taken from a dead soldier than for a generic mess kit. Here are some of these resources, arranged by country of origin.
American
The site oldguns.net has an impressive collection of American World War II militaria. You can buy items from the barracks, camp and field, such as ammo cans, gunner's quadrants and pup tents. The dealer also has plenty of Life magazines from the era, to educate you about the historical context of the other items.
More American militaria is available at Reddick Militaria, such as caps, medals, daggers and pins. However, this seems to be a bit of a warehouse for bulk militaria items, and you may be better off purchasing from smaller, more idiosyncratic collections.
German
The monstrous military power that was the Nazi regime, and its defeat at American and British hands, will never fail to fascinate militaria collectors. On the "German WW1/WW2 Militaria" page of oldguns.net, you can purchase a 3rd Reich Luftwaffe dress hat, a vintage German Luger pistol, and a brown tunic worn by a member of the Deutsche Jungvolk, a feeder organization for the Hitler Youth.
The site WW2 German Militaria specializes in exactly what the name implies. It has edged weapons for pitched battles up close, coffee cups and saucers of the Third Reich, and sturdy paratrooper helmets. It also makes sure to inform readers that, despite its site design, it is not affiliated with any neo-Nazi movement and is for serious collectors only.
Japanese
The ornate, ceremonial trappings of the Imperial Japanese military, such as swords that allowed soldiers who had run out of ammo to fight to the death in the field, make the wartime memorabilia of this nation irresistible to some collectors.
The site Snyder's Treasures has a treasure trove of Japanese militaria items, including a Japanese officer's short sword, the gloves of a Japanese fighter pilot, and the tunic from an officer's formal dress uniform. It is difficult to escape the war's gory context when looking at some of these items: for instance, a blood-spattered Japanese imperial flag taken from the battle of Iwo Jima.
