World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, lasted from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945. It was a big fight between two groups of countries: the Allies and the Axis powers. Almost every country in the world was involved.

New ways of fighting, like using tanks and airplanes, changed battles. For the first time, nuclear weapons were used in war. Sadly, many people died during this war.

The war began when Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland in 1939. This made the United Kingdom and France declare war on Germany. Over the next few years, the fighting spread around the world. In 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which brought the U.S. into the war.

The war ended in 1945. Germany gave up in May after the Allies fought in France and reached Berlin. Later that year, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan gave up in August.

World War II changed the world. It led to the creation of the United Nations to help keep peace. The war also started the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, and many countries became independent after European powers lost their influence.

Start and end dates

World War II began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. After this, Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war ended on August 15, 1945, known as V-J Day. Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945, marking the end of the war.

See also: List of timelines of World War II

Background

Main article: Causes of World War II

World War I changed Europe a lot. Many countries lost land, and new nations formed. To help keep peace, the League of Nations was created. Its goal was to solve problems by talking and making sure countries followed the rules.

But some nations were not happy. Germany lost land and money and wanted it back. In Italy, leaders wanted to make their country strong again. In Asia, Japan wanted to control more land, especially in China. These wishes and actions helped lead to World War II.

Pre-war events

Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

Main article: Second Italo-Ethiopian War

The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a colonial war that began in October 1935. Italy invaded Ethiopia from its colonies in Italian Somaliland and Eritrea. This led to Ethiopia being occupied and joined into a new Italian colony called Italian East Africa. It also showed that the League of Nations was not strong enough to stop the invasion.

Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)

Main article: Spanish Civil War

A civil war started in Spain between the government and rebels led by General Francisco Franco. Germany and Italy supported the rebels, while the Soviet Union supported the government. Many people from other countries also joined to fight for the government. The rebels won in 1939, and Franco became the leader of Spain.

Japanese invasion of China (1937)

Main article: Second Sino-Japanese War

In 1937, Japan started a war with China after an incident at a bridge. Japan quickly took over many cities, including Peking and Shanghai. China’s leader, Chiang Kai-shek, moved his government to a safer place and kept fighting. Japan tried to break the spirit of the Chinese people, but Chinese resistance continued.

Soviet–Japanese border conflicts

Main article: Soviet–Japanese border conflicts

In the late 1930s, there were small battles between Japan and the Soviet Union near the border. These battles happened while Japan was also fighting in China. In 1939, Japan lost a big battle and decided to focus its expansion southward instead of north.

European occupations and agreements

In Europe, Germany became more aggressive. In 1938, Germany took over Austria and part of Czechoslovakia. Other countries like Britain and France agreed to let Germany have some land to avoid a bigger war, but Hitler was not satisfied. In 1939, Germany took the rest of Czechoslovakia and made demands on Poland. This led to tensions that eventually resulted in the start of World War II.

Course of the war

The Second World War lasted from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945. It was a big fight between two groups: the Allies and the Axis powers. Almost every country in the world took part in some way.

The war started when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. This made Britain and France declare war on Germany. The fight spread quickly to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. New tools like tanks and airplanes changed how battles were fought. Cities were bombed from the air. The war ended with the defeat of the Axis powers and the start of a new world order.

Main article: European theatre of World War II

Main article: Western Front (World War II)

Main article: Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II

Main article: Eastern Front (World War II)

Main article: Pacific War

Aftermath

Main articles: Aftermath of World War II and Consequences of Nazism

After World War II, the countries that won the war, called the Allies, set up occupation areas in Austria and Germany. Germany was split into zones controlled by different Allied powers, eventually becoming two separate countries: West Germany and East Germany. Austria remained under occupation until 1955, when it became an independent country.

To help keep peace, the Allies created the United Nations in 1945. The five main Allied powers became permanent members of the UN's Security Council. The world was divided into two groups, led by the United States and the Soviet Union, starting what is known as the Cold War. This led to many political tensions and competitions over the next several decades.

Impact

Main article: Historiography of World War II

World War II was a very big conflict that changed the world in many ways. Many people were hurt, and many countries had to face hard times. The war showed how important new machines like airplanes and tanks could be in fighting.

The war made countries think about how they work together and how to prepare for any future fights. It also showed that we need better ways to keep everyone safe and stop wars like this from happening again.