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In the aftermath of World War I, a defeated Germany
signed the Treaty of Versailles. This caused Germany to lose a
significant portion of its territory, prohibited the annexation of
other states, limited the size of German armed forces and imposed
massive reparations. Russia's civil war led to the creation of the
Soviet Union which soon was under the control of Joseph
Stalin. In Italy, Benito Mussolini seized power as a fascist
dictator promising to create a "New Roman Empire.
Other dates for the beginning of war include the Japanese
invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the start of the Second
Sino-Japanese War in 1937, or one of several other
events. Other sources follow A. J. P. Taylor, who holds
that there was a simultaneous Sino-Japanese War in
East Asia, and a Second European War in Europe
and her colonies, but they did not become a World War
until they merged in 1941; at which point the war
continued until 1945. This article uses the conventional
dating.
In mid-1937, following the Marco
Polo Bridge Incident, Japan began
a full invasion of China. The Soviets
quickly lent support to China, effectively
ending China's prior cooperation with
Germany. Starting at Shanghai, the
Japanese pushed Chinese forces back,
capturing the capital Nanjing in
December.
In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming bolder. In
March 1938, Germany annexed Austria, again provoking
little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler
began making claims on the Sudetenland France and Britain
conceded these for a promise of no further territorial demands.
Germany soon reneged. In March 1939 Germany and
Hungary fully occupied Czechoslovakia..
On that same day, Germany invaded France
and the Low Countries. The Netherlands and
Belgium were overrun using blitzkrieg tactics in a
few weeks. The French fortified Maginot Line
was circumvented by a flanking movement through
the Ardennes region, mistakenly perceived by
France as an impenetrable natural barrier against
armored vehicles.
German soldiers in the Invasion of the Soviet Union,
1941.
On June 22, 1941, Germany, along with other
European Axis members and Finland, invaded the
Soviet Union. The primary objectives of this surprise
offensive were the Baltic region, Moscow and Ukraine
with an ultimate goal to end campaign of 1941 near the
line connecting Caspian and White Seas.
American aircraft attacking a Japanese cruiser at
the Battle of Midway.
In early May, Japan initiated operations to
capture Port Moresby via amphibious assault and
thus sever the line of communications between the
United States and Australia. The Allies,
however, intercepted and turned back Japanese
naval forces, preventing the invasion.
British troops firing a mortar during the Battle of Imphal.
In mainland Asia, the Japanese launched two major
offensives. The first, started in March, 1944, was against
British positions in Assam, India and soon led to
Japanese forces besieging Commonwealth positions at
Imphal and Kohima;by May however, other Japanese
forces were being besieged in Myitkyina by Chinese forces
which had invaded Northern Burma in late 1943.
On June 6, 1944 (known as D-Day), the
Western Allies invaded northern France and,
after reassigning several Allied divisions from
Italy, southern France by August 25, Paris
was liberated. During the latter part of the year, the
Western Allies continued to push back German
forces in western Europe, and in Italy ran into the
last major defensive line.
American and Soviet troops meet east of the
Elbe River.
On December 16, 1944 German forces
counter-attacked in the Ardennes against the
Western Allies. It took six weeks for the Allies
to repulse the attack. The Soviets attacked through
Hungary, while the Germans abandoned Greece
and Albania and were driven out of southern
Yugoslavia by partisans.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill waves to crowds in London on
Victory in Europe Day
Soviet tanks on parade in Moscow after the defeat of Germany.
In an effort to maintain international peace, the Allies formed the
United Nations, which officially came into existence on October 24,
1945.
Regardless of this though, the alliance between the Western Allies and the
Soviet Union had begun to deteriorate even before the war was over, and
the two powers each quickly established their own spheres of influence.
Estimates for the total casualties of the war vary, but most
suggest that some 60 million people died in the war, including
about 20 million soldiers and 40 million civilians.
Victims of the Holocaust.
The Nazis were responsible for the killing of approximately
six million Jews (overwhelmingly Ashkenazi) as well as
two million ethnic Poles and four million others who were
deemed "unworthy of life" (including the disabled and
mentally ill, Soviet POWs, homosexuals, Freemasons,
Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Roma) as part of a
program of deliberate extermination planned and executed
by the Nazi Germany.
Allied to Axis GDP ratio.
In Europe, prior to the start of the war, the Allies
had significant advantages in both population and
economics. In 1938, the Western Allies
(United Kingdom, France, Poland and
British Dominions) had a 30% larger population
and a 30% higher gross domestic product then the
European Axis (Germany and Italy); if
colonies are included, it then gives the Allies more
then a 5:1 advantage in population and nearly 2:1
advantage in GDP.
In Europe, occupation came under two very different forms. In
western, northern and central Europe (France, Norway,
Denmark, the Low Countries, and the annexed portions of
Czechoslovakia) Germany established economic policies through
which it collected roughly 69.5 billion War time occupation
Main articles: Collaboration during World War II and
Resistance during World War II
In Europe, occupation came under two very different forms.
During the war, aircraft continued their roles of reconnaissance,
fighters, bombers and ground-support from World War I,
though each area was advanced considerably. Two important
additional roles for aircraft were those of the airlift, the capability to
quickly move high-priority supplies, equipment and personnel, albeit
in limited quantities and of strategic bombing, the targeted use
bombs against civilian areas in the hopes of hampering enemy
industry and morale.
•The first German serviceman killed in the war was killed by the
Japanese (China, 1937)
•The first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians
(Finland 1940).
•80% of Soviet males born in 1923 didn't survive World War 2
•The highest ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley
McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps.
World War 2, also known as the Second World War,
was a war fought from 1939 to 1945 in Europe and,
during much of the 1930s and 1940s, in Asia.
The war in Europe began in earnest on September 1,
1939 with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany,
and concluded on September 2, 1945, with the official
surrender of the last Axis nation, Japan. However, in
Asia the war began earlier with Japanese interventions in
China, and in Europe, the war ended earlier with the
unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945.
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