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 DaySoviet 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 occupationMain 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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