Vanguard's single-player campaign takes place in 1945 near the end of World War II's European theater, with various flashbacks ranging from 1941 to 1944. The story of Vanguard is told throughout various points in time in a non-chronological order.

Building on the Call of Duty4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War thrusts players into the ruthless and gritty chaos of WWII combat and challenges them to band together to survive the most harrowing and climactic battles in both the European and Pacific theaters.