The bloodiest conflict in history, World War II consumed the globe from 1939 to 1945. World war II was fought predominantly in Europe and across the Pacific and eastern Asia, and pitted the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan against the Allied nations of Great Britain, France, China, the United States, and Soviet Union. While the Axis enjoyed early success, they were gradually beaten back, with both Italy and Germany falling to Allied troops and Japan surrendering after the use of the atomic bomb.
World War II Europe: Causes
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The seeds of World War II were sown in the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. Crippled economically by the terms of the treaty and the Great Depression, Germany embraced the fascist Nazi Party. Led by Adolf Hitler, the rise of the Nazi party mirrored the ascent of Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy. Taking total control of the government in 1933, Hitler remilitarized Germany, stressed racial purity, and sought "living space" for the German people. In 1938, he annexed Austria and bullied Britain and France into allowing him to take the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. The following year, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and invaded Poland on September 1, beginning the war.
World War II Europe: Blitzkrieg
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Following the invasion of Poland, a period of quiet settled over Europe. Known as the "Phoney War," it was punctuated by the German conquest of Denmark and the invasion of Norway. After defeating the Norwegians, the war moved back to the Continent. In May 1940, the Germans surged into the Low Countries, quickly compelling the Dutch to surrender. Defeating the Allies in Belgium and Northern France, the Germans were able to isolate a large segment of the British Army, causing it to evacuate from Dunkirk. By the end of June, the Germans forced the French to surrender. Standing alone, Britain successfully fended off air attacks that August and September, winning the Battle of Britain and eliminating any chance of German landings.
World War II Europe: The Eastern Front
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On June 22, 1941, German armor attacked into the Soviet Union as part of Operation Barbarossa. Through the summer and early fall, German troops scored victory after victory, driving deep into Soviet territory. Only determined Soviet resistance and the onset of winter prevented the Germans from taking Moscow. Over the next year, both sides battled back and forth, with the Germans pushing into the Caucasus and attempting to take Stalingrad. Following a long, bloody battle, the Soviets were victorious and began to push the Germans back all along the front. Driving through the Balkans and Poland, the Red Army pressed the Germans and ultimately invaded into Germany, capturing Berlin in May 1945.
World War II Europe: North Africa, Sicily, and Italy
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With the fall of France in 1940, the fighting shifted to the Mediterranean. Initially, combat largely occurred at sea and in North Africa between British and Italian forces. Following their ally's lack of progress, German troops entered the theater in early 1941. Through 1941 and 1942, British and Axis forces battled in the sands of Libya and Egypt. In November 1942, US troops landed and aided the British in clearing North Africa. Moving north, Allied forces captured Sicily in August 1943, leading to the fall of Mussolini's regime. The next month, the Allies landed in Italy and began pushing up the peninsula. Battling through numerous defensive lines, they succeeded in conquering much of the country by the war's end.
World War II Europe: The Western Front
Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval Historical Center
Coming ashore in Normandy on June 6, 1944, US and British forces returned to France, opening the western front. After consolidating the beachhead, the Allies broke out, routing the German defenders and sweeping across France. In an attempt to end the war before Christmas, Allied leaders launched Operation Market-Garden, an ambitious plan designed to capture bridges in Holland. While some success was achieved, the plan ultimately failed. In a final attempt to stop the Allied advance, the Germans launched a massive offensive in December 1944, beginning the Battle of the Bulge. After defeating the German thrust, the Allies pressed into Germany forcing its surrender on May 7, 1945.
World War II Pacific: Causes
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World War II Pacific: The Tide Turns
Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval Historical Center
World War II Pacific: New Guinea, Burma, & China
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World War II Pacific: Island Hopping to Victory
Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval Historical Center
World War II: Conferences & Aftermath
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The most transformative conflict in history, World War II impacted the entire globe and set the stage for the Cold War. As World War II raged, the leaders of the Allies met several times to direct the course of the fighting and to begin planning for the postwar world. With the defeat of Germany and Japan, their plans were put into action as both nations were occupied and a new international order took shape. As tensions grew between East and West, Europe was divided and a new conflict, the Cold War, began. As a result, the final treaties ending World War II were not signed until forty-five years later.
