Charlie Chaplin talking to a Scot, Flanders

Both Chaplin and Hitler were born in April 1889. Chaplin’s mother, was a singer, a soubrette, a mender of old clothes. She was incarcerated in asylums, put in a padded cell and given shock treatments. All the flower-sellers and wistful prostitutes in Chaplin’s films represent the doomed love he’d experienced as a child. His father died of drink. Chaplin was despatched to the Southwark workhouse, then to a school for orphans. Vladimir Lenin said that ‘Chaplin is the only man in the world I want to meet.’ Chaplin stayed with Churchill at Chartwell and at Nancy Astor’s house. He met Bernard Shaw and Keynes. H.G. Hitler watched Сhaplin’s The Great Dictator at a private screening — twice. Both were short and sported an identical mustache. Each man ‘appealing to millions of people with an almost mesmeric magic’. His assistant director called him a ‘tyrannical, wounding, authoritative, mean, despotic man’. ‘The violence of his anger was always so out of proportion to the object that had stirred him that I couldn’t help being frightened of it,’ said one of his sons. Offered numerous prizes and awards, he once said: ‘I don’t think you are qualified to judge my work,’ returning a trophy. His political beliefs were branded as a communist. His sexual scandals upset morality. In 1952, his re-entry visa to the United States was rescinded, so he moved to a villa in Switzerland. He died on Christmas day 1977. His coffin was stolen by grave robbers, who phoned one of his wives and the co-star of The Gold Rush, hoping they could make a ransom demand. ‘We’ve got Chaplin,’ they announced. ‘So what?’ she said, slamming down the phone.

World War I (WWI or WW1), also known as the First World War, or the Great War, was a global war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. World War I Images From National Library of Schotland. These photographs form part of the papers of Field Marshal (Earl) Haig (1861-1928), held by the National Library of Scotland. More information is available from the Library's Digital Archive. Like many World War I generals, Haig remains a controversial figure. The collection contains diaries, papers and photographs from every part of Haig’s career, the Great War diaries being of special importance to historians. Photographs in the "Official Photographs" series (which were destined for publication and have captions on the back describing the image) are in black-and-white. World War I saw the development of a system of 'official’ reporting by professionals especially recruited into the forces. Initially reluctant to allow cameras near the fighting, it took some time for the authorities to appreciate the propaganda and recording potential of photography. These photographs provide us with an invaluable record of how the Government and Military wanted the war perceived. Official photographers were encouraged to record morale-boosting scenes of victory and comradeship. Despite the restrictions placed on them, official war photographers succeeded in giving the most comprehensive visual account of the war. It is important to remember that these images were propaganda; few that could depict the war in a disheartening or disconcerting way passed the censors. As a result the photograph taken was often posed. They were intended to reassure those at home and boost morale. They were printed in newspapers, and were intended to confirm that 'Tommy' was winning the war.