Colour photography wasn't widely available during the years of the Second World War, and most of the images we have from that era are in black and white.
But the world was in colour.
And these pics, which were taken between 1939 and 1944 by the U.S. Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information, are in colour too.
The images show life in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, during the Second World War, with images of everything from state fairs to soldiers testing out chemical weapons suits to women working in factories.
Some of the fashions may be a little dated (although others are available right now at your nearest hipster clothing supply store - check this guy's shearling coat/button-down shirt/dark blue jeans combo).
But maybe the most striking thing about these photos in 2012 is how they look like they could've been taken yesterday. They've even got frames around them so they look just like Instagram pictures.
If you'd like to browse the whole collection, the U.S. Library of Congress has all 1,600 colour images online right here.
Related:
VIDEO OF THE DAY: The World's First-Ever Colour Film Discovered
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