World War II Overview
Key Facts:
- Duration: 1939 to 1945
- Main Belligerents: Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) vs. Allied Powers (France, Great Britain, United States, Soviet Union, China)
Causes of World War II
- Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939
- German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact - division of Poland between Germany and the U.S.S.R.
- Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7/8, 1941
Major Events:
- Outbreak of War (1939): Britain and France declare war on Germany following its invasion of Poland.
- Operation Barbarossa (1941): German invasion of the Soviet Union.
- Pearl Harbor Attack (1941): Japan attacks U.S. naval base, leading to U.S. entry into the war.
Important Battles:
- Battle of France (1940): German forces defeat French forces.
- Battle of Britain (1940): Air battle where the RAF defends the UK from the German Luftwaffe.
- Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943): Turning point in Europe; Soviet victory against Germany.
- Battle of Midway (1942): Turning point in the Pacific; U.S. victory over Japan's carrier force.
- Normandy Invasion (1944): Allied forces land in France, beginning liberation of Western Europe.
- Battle of the Bulge (1944-1945): Last major German offensive on the Western Front.
Key Leaders:
- Allies: Winston Churchill (UK), Joseph Stalin (USSR), Franklin D. Roosevelt/Harry Truman (USA)
- Axis: Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), Hideki Tojo (Japan)
Technological Advances:
- Mechanization and motorized artillery
- Development of radar and advanced aircraft
- Use of tanks in larger formations
End of the War:
- VE Day (Victory in Europe) on May 8, 1945
- VJ Day (Victory over Japan) after atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945
Human Impact:
- Estimated casualties: 35,000,000 to 60,000,000
- Significant loss of life in the Soviet Union and China
Aftermath and Legacy:
- Shift in global power to the United States and Soviet Union
- Establishment of the United Nations
- Start of the Cold War era
These notes provide a summary and reference for the major aspects and events of World War II as covered in the Britannica article.