1 September 1939
World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved almost every nation in the world, divided into two opposing alliances: the Axis powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allied powers, led by France, Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. It was the most destructive war in human history, causing millions of deaths, widespread devastation, and profound changes in the political and social order of the world.
The war began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, triggering a declaration of war by France and Britain. Germany quickly conquered most of Europe, using a strategy of blitzkrieg, or lightning war, that relied on fast and coordinated attacks by tanks, planes, and infantry. Germany also formed an alliance with Italy, which expanded its territory in Africa and the Mediterranean, and with Japan, which attacked China and Southeast Asia. The Axis powers aimed to create a new world order dominated by their fascist ideologies and racial supremacy.
The Allies fought back against the Axis aggression, forming a coalition of nations that shared the common goal of defeating fascism and preserving democracy. The war became truly global when Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, bringing the United States into the war. The Soviet Union also joined the Allies after Germany broke their non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet territory in June 1941. The Allies faced many challenges and setbacks, but gradually gained the upper hand in both Europe and Asia.
The war reached its climax in 1944 and 1945, when the Allies launched major offensives on multiple fronts. In Europe, the Allies landed in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, and pushed their way towards Germany. They also liberated the concentration camps, where the Nazis had killed millions of Jews and other persecuted groups in what is now known as the Holocaust. In Asia, the Allies island-hopped across the Pacific, capturing strategic bases and bombing Japanese cities. The war ended with the unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, and of Japan on August 15, 1945, after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The aftermath of World War II was marked by the emergence of two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, which became rivals in the Cold War. The United Nations was established as a peacekeeping organization, and many countries gained their independence from colonial rule. The war also left a lasting impact on the culture, technology, and society of the world, as well as the memory and conscience of humanity.
From a historian: "World War II was profoundly different from the conflict the United States currently finds itself waging in Iraq, but that titanic struggle of the mid-twentieth century does offer three valuable lessons for the leaders and citizens of today. First, the war demonstrated the importance of building and maintaining a strong alliance system. Second, the war showed the need for a clear and realistic vision of the postwar order. Third, the war revealed the dangers of ignoring the moral dimensions of warfare."1
From a world leader: “The war which began in 1939 was a war not only against the aggression of Japan, but a war of all the United Nations against the attempt of Germany, Italy, and Japan to dominate the world by force. It was a war to preserve our civilization and the right of all peoples to live their own lives in freedom and security.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States
From a soldier: “I have seen war as it actually is, and I do not like it. There is no glory in it, no glamour, no romance. It is a grim and brutal business, a business of killing and being killed, of maiming and being maimed, of suffering and being made to suffer. It is a business that makes beasts of men, and it is a business that no man should want to have any part of.” - Audie Murphy, American Medal of Honor recipient
From a civilian: “We lived in constant fear of the air raids. Every night we had to go down to the shelter and wait for the sirens to stop. Sometimes we could hear the bombs falling and the buildings collapsing. We never knew if our home would still be there when we came back. We lost many friends and relatives in the raids. We also suffered from hunger and disease. It was a terrible time, and I hope it never happens again.” - Anne Frank, Jewish diarist and Holocaust victim