Unbroken is set against the backdrop of the Second World War, as Louie’s dreams of running in the 1940 Olympics are dashed by the invasions of China and Poland by Japan and Germany, respectively. Following World War I, as Germany suffered under extreme reparations and subsequent economic depression, Adolph Hitler rose to power on the back of populist support and with promises to bring Germany back to full strength and help them out of depression. He does so through military strength and the restriction of citizens’ rights. On opposite sides of the war stood two powers: the Allied and the Axis powers. The Allies consisted of the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and France before German occupation. The Axis consisted of Germany, Italy, Japan, and several Central European countries. The main goal of the Axis powers, as discussed in Unbroken, was their desire to grow their empires through territorial expansion.

In the text, Louis attends the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The Olympics were awarded to Berlin in 1931, partially with the hope that Germany would return to the fold of balanced international relations. However, when Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, he restricted the rights of German citizens, particularly those not of “Aryan” (white, non-Jewish, non-African) descent.