Scribd
Upload
26 views1 page

The Second World War

The Second World War (1939-1945) was a devastating global conflict involving over 30 countries, resulting in millions of deaths and significant geopolitical changes. It began with Germany's invasion of Poland and saw major battles across multiple continents, culminating in the use of atomic bombs on Japan. The war's aftermath established the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers and led to the formation of the United Nations to promote international cooperation.

Uploaded by

Niroshan Meemanage
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
26 views1 page

The Second World War

The Second World War (1939-1945) was a devastating global conflict involving over 30 countries, resulting in millions of deaths and significant geopolitical changes. It began with Germany's invasion of Poland and saw major battles across multiple continents, culminating in the use of atomic bombs on Japan. The war's aftermath established the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers and led to the formation of the United Nations to promote international cooperation.

Uploaded by

Niroshan Meemanage
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

The Second World War

The Second World War (1939-1945) was one of the most catastrophic conflicts in
history, involving over 30 countries and resulting in millions of deaths. It reshaped
global politics, economies, and societies and had lasting effects on international
relations.

The war began on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded
Poland. This prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany. Over time, more
countries joined either the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) or the Allied Powers
(including the United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom).

The causes of the war included aggressive expansionism by totalitarian regimes. Hitler
sought to overturn the Treaty of Versailles and expand Germany’s territory, while Japan
pursued imperial ambitions in East Asia. These actions sparked tension, leading to the
outbreak of war.

Throughout the conflict, major battles took place in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the
Pacific. Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics enabled quick conquests across much of Europe,
but the tide turned in 1941 with the German invasion of the Soviet Union and the attack
on Pearl Harbour by Japan, prompting the U.S. to enter the war.

The war witnessed horrific atrocities, notably the Holocaust, in which millions of Jews
and others were murdered by the Nazis. It also saw the involvement of the Soviet Union
in defeating Germany on the Eastern Front, and the Allied invasion of Normandy (D-
Day) in 1944, which marked the beginning of the liberation of occupied Europe.

In the Pacific, the U.S. island-hopping campaign gradually weakened Japanese forces.
The war ended after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
August 1945, leading to Japan’s surrender. In Europe, Germany surrendered
unconditionally in May 1945.

World War II caused an estimated 70-85 million deaths, both military and civilian, and
led to significant changes in the global balance of power. The United States and the
Soviet Union emerged as superpowers, while European empires began to disintegrate.
The war’s aftermath led to the creation of the United Nations in 1945, designed to
prevent future global conflicts.

The war remains a powerful reminder of the horrors of violence and the importance of
international cooperation.

You might also like