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World War II (1939–1945), also known as the Second World War, was the deadliest international conflict in history, resulting in an estimated 70 to 85 million fatalities. It was fought between the Axis powers (primarily Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan) and the Allies (primarily Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union).

Causes of the war

The seeds of World War II were sown in the aftermath of World War I, which left deep political and economic instabilities throughout the world.

The Treaty of Versailles: The harsh peace settlement imposed on Germany after World War I crippled its economy and fueled resentment among the German people.
The rise of fascism: Economic turmoil, particularly the Great Depression, allowed aggressive, nationalistic movements led by figures like Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy to rise to power by promising to restore national pride and strength.
Expansionist aggression: Seeking resources and empire, imperialist nations, including Japan, Italy, and Germany, pursued aggressive territorial expansion.
Failure of appeasement: In the 1930s, the League of Nations proved powerless to stop these acts of aggression, and European powers adopted a policy of appeasement towards Hitler's expansion, which only emboldened him further.
Invasion of Poland: The war in Europe officially began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war two days later.

Major events of World War II

The war was fought on a global scale across two main theaters, Europe and the Pacific.

European Theater

The Battle of Britain (1940): The Royal Air Force successfully defended the United Kingdom from a large-scale aerial attack by the German Luftwaffe, forcing Hitler to postpone his plans for a land invasion.
Operation Barbarossa (1941): Germany broke its non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and invaded, opening a brutal and destructive Eastern Front. The German advance was ultimately stalled by the Soviet counteroffensive and the harsh winter.
The Battle of Stalingrad (1942–1943): This Soviet victory is considered a major turning point in the war, where the Red Army destroyed two German armies, marking the beginning of the end for the Third Reich.
D-Day (1944): The Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, opened a crucial second front against Germany and led to the liberation of France.
The Battle of the Bulge (1944–1945): This was Germany's final major offensive on the Western Front before the Allied forces pushed toward Berlin.
The Holocaust: The Nazi regime systematically murdered six million Jews, along with millions of other victims, in a state-sponsored genocide.

Pacific Theater

Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941): Japan's surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii brought the United States into the war.
Battle of Midway (1942): The American victory crippled the Japanese carrier fleet and is considered the turning point in the Pacific War.
Island hopping (1943–1945): The Allied strategy of taking key Japanese-held islands brought them closer to the Japanese mainland.
Atomic bombs (1945): The United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's unconditional surrender.

End and legacy of World War II

The war ended in 1945, leaving a transformed and shattered world in its wake.

End of the war: Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day), and Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945 (V-J Day).
Rise of superpowers: The United States and the Soviet Union emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War.
The Iron Curtain: Europe was divided between the U.S.-led Western Bloc and the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc.
United Nations: The UN was created to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.
Decolonization: The weakened European powers began to lose control of their colonial empires, leading to independence movements in Africa and Asia.
Marshall Plan: The U.S. launched a massive aid program to help rebuild war-torn Western Europe.
The atomic age: The development of nuclear weapons created a new and terrifying reality of global warfare.
War crimes trials: German and Japanese leaders were prosecuted for war crimes in the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials.

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