When war broke out in Europe in 1939, American women had no way of knowing how much the next six years would change their lives. The beginning of World War II not only meant hard work and sacrifice for women in the United States -- it also meant opportunity.

In the 1920s and 1930s, women journalists were frequently labeled as "sob sisters" or "newshens," and their news stories usually appeared on the women's society page, deep inside the newspaper. But when war exploded around the world, these female reporters wanted more than just front-page assignments. They wanted to be where the action was, and fought for the right to report from the front lines.

From Margaret Bourke-White, who covered the battles in Russia; to Lee Miller, who photographed the wounded in field hospitals in France; to Shelley Mydans, who was a prisoner of war in the Philippines; to Marguerite Higgins, who reported at the liberation of Dachau, Catherine Gourley tells the personal stories of some of the female legends of journalism in this important and timely book.

Filled with stirring period photographs and news clippings, "War, Women, and the News" explores the conflicts and challenges these women faced before, during, and after World War II. Their images and bylines would crack open a door for future generations of aspiring female journalists.