The Second World War - World War II
World War II, or the Second World War, was a war fought on almost every continent on the world from 1939 to 1945. Most of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. [36] The most important Axis countries formed an alliance called the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis Powers (1937 to 1945). They included:
- Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler
- Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini
- Japan under Hideki Tojo and Emperor Hirohito
- The Commonwealth countries (e.g. Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, etc.)
- Soviet Union
- Poland
- France
- United States
- China
- South Africa
- and many, many others (like, seriously. But if you want the complete list, Google search :P) [37]
The war was fought as a "total war", meaning all resources a country had, no matter they were civilian or military ones, were used in the war. It involved more countries, cost more money,and killed more people than any other war in human history, between 50-70 million people died, as reported by many studies. [38]
72 years ago (you know, 'cause it's 2011 right now) on September 1st 1939, Germany invaded Poland without warning sparking the start of World War Two. By the evening of September 3rd, Britain and France were at war with Germany and within a week, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa had also joined the war. The world had been plunged into its second world war in 25 years. Six long and bloody years of total war, fought over many thousand of square kilometers followed. From the Hedgerows of Normandy to the streets of Stalingrad, the icy mountains of Norway to the sweltering deserts of Libya, the insect infested jungles of Burma to the coral reefed islands of the pacific. On land, sea and in the air, Poles fought Germans, Italians fought Americans and Japanese fought Australians in a conflict which was finally settled with the use of nuclear weapons. World War II involved every major world power in a war for global domination and at its end, more than 60 million people had lost their lives and most of Europe and large parts of Asia lay in ruins. [39]
I hope I've answered your questions (if you have any) about the basics of World War II. If you think I haven't, or think that I should add something, do it here. :)
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