Belgium played an important role in the early and final stages of World War II in Western Europe. After the German invasion in May 1940, the country was occupied for more than four years. Belgium later became a major battlefield during the Allied advance and the German Ardennes Offensive of December 1944.
Today, visitors can explore a wide range of World War II historic sites across Belgium, including battlefields, museums, military cemeteries, bunkers, fortifications, memorials, and historic buildings. The Battle of the Bulge, known in Belgium as the Battle of the Ardennes, is particularly well represented around Bastogne and throughout the Ardennes. Sites such as the Bastogne War Museum, the Mardasson Memorial, and numerous preserved positions and memorials help tell the story of the fighting in the winter of 1944–45.
Other important locations are connected to the German invasion of 1940, the Allied liberation of Belgium, the Belgian Resistance, and the V-weapons campaign. Fort Eben-Emael and the numerous defensive positions along Belgium's borders provide insight into the opening campaigns of the war, while museums, cemeteries, and memorials across the country preserve the memory of soldiers and civilians affected by the conflict.
Together, these places offer visitors the opportunity to explore Belgium's wartime history, from the German invasion and occupation to the liberation and the final battles on the Western Front.
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