1944: In occupied France, German censors must approve plays before they are allowed to be performed.

Today: A controversial rating system has been put in place on television programming in the United States. The labels are primarily for parents, to inform them of content that may not be appropriate for children.

1944: Many plays and movies are concerned with World War II and its effects on society, either explicitly or implicitly.

Today: World War II continues to be a popular theme in television, movies, and literature. One of the biggest box office successes in the United States in 1998 is Saving Private Ryan, which re-enacts the D-Day invasion at Normandy, France.

1944: The philosophy of existentialism develops in France, which has been devastated by two world wars, as a way of dealing with the nature of good and evil and one's responsibility in life and as an explanation...