The Second
World War
The Second World War was a global war that lasted
from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's
countries—including all of the great powers—
eventually formed two opposing military alliances:
the Allies and the Axis.
Causes of the War
1 Treaty of Versailles 2 Economic Depression
The harsh terms of the Treaty The Great Depression of the
of Versailles, imposed on 1930s led to widespread
Germany after World War I, economic hardship and
created resentment and political instability.
instability.
3 Rise of Fascism 4 Appeasement Policy
The rise of fascist and The appeasement policy of
totalitarian regimes in Britain and France towards
Germany, Italy, and Japan Germany's aggressive
challenged the existing world actions emboldened Hitler.
order.
The Rise of Fascism in
Europe
1 Italy
Benito Mussolini rose to power in 1922, establishing a
fascist dictatorship.
2 Germany
Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi Party, seized power in
1933, leading to a totalitarian regime.
3 Spain
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) saw the rise of General
Francisco Franco's fascist regime.
Germany's Invasion of
Poland
September 1, 1939
Germany invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II.
British and French Response
Britain and France declared war on Germany, but their initial
response was limited.
Poland's Defeat
Poland was quickly overrun by the German military.
The Allied Response and the War in Europe
Early Years Turning Point Victory
The war in Europe was The Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943) The Allied forces gradually
characterized by a stalemate marked a turning point in the war in pushed back the Germans,
on the Western Front. the East. The D-Day invasion of culminating in the surrender of
Germany conquered much of Normandy (1944) opened a second Nazi Germany in May 1945.
Western Europe, including front in Western Europe.
France.
The War in the Pacific
1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into the
war.
1942-1945 A long and brutal conflict ensued in the Pacific, with key battles
in the Philippines, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima.
1945 The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to Japan's
surrender in August 1945.
The Holocaust and Nazi
Atrocities
Systematic Genocide Concentration Camps
The Holocaust was the systematic, Jews and other targeted groups were
bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution imprisoned in concentration camps, where
and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi they were subjected to forced labor,
regime and its collaborators. starvation, and mass killings.
Crematoria Dehumanization
The Nazis built crematoria at the Nazi propaganda and ideology
concentration camps to dispose of the dehumanized Jews and other targeted
bodies of those who were murdered. groups, making it easier to justify their
persecution.
D-Day and the Allied Advance
June 6, 1944 Operation Overlord Liberation of France
Allied forces landed on the beaches of The invasion, code-named Operation The D-Day landings marked a turning point
Normandy, France, opening a second front Overlord, involved a massive coordinated in the war in Europe, leading to the eventual
in Western Europe. effort by land, air, and sea. liberation of France and other occupied
countries.
The Atomic Bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
August 6, 1945 August 9, 1945
The United States dropped an A second atomic bomb was
atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, dropped on Nagasaki, Japan,
killing an estimated 80,000 killing an estimated 40,000
people. people.
Japan's Surrender
The bombings, coupled with the Soviet Union's declaration of war on
Japan, led to Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945.
The End of the War and the
Aftermath
1 Devastation 2 Formation of the United
The war resulted in millions of
Nations
deaths, widespread destruction, The United Nations was
and lasting political and social founded in 1945 to promote
changes. international cooperation
and prevent future wars.
3 Cold War 4 Legacy
The end of World War II led to The Second World War remains
the beginning of the Cold War, one of the most significant
a period of geopolitical tension events in human history,
between the United States and shaping the modern world in
the Soviet Union. profound ways.
