As global tensions rose and the Second World War began, many women photographers found themselves under threat or forced into exile. Others, such as Lee Miller and Margaret Bourke-White, worked as war reporters or documented the aftermath of the conflict, but a great number found new creative energy and an increased engagement with political themes. Photography became a universal language to communicate around the world, and it was used to demonstrate empathy with those outside the establishment and to provide glimpses into the daily lives of women everywhere.