World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving many of the

world's nations and resulting in significant changes in the political and social structure of the
world. The war is generally considered to have been fought between two major alliances: the
Axis, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allies, led by the United Kingdom, the Soviet
Union, China, and the United States.

The war began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, prompting Britain and
France to declare war on Germany. This expanded to include much of Europe, and battles
soon spread to North Africa, East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The conflict was
marked by significant events such as Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, and the subsequent entry of the United States into the war.

Key turning points included the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Midway, and the
Normandy Invasion (D-Day). The war in Europe ended with the unconditional surrender of
Germany in May 1945, after Soviet forces captured Berlin. In the Pacific, the war concluded
with the surrender of Japan in September 1945, following the U.S. atomic bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, resulting in an estimated 70 to 85
million fatalities, including the Holocaust and the use of nuclear weapons for the first time. It
had profound effects on the geopolitical and social structures of the world, leading to the rise
of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers and setting the stage for the Cold
War. The war also led to the establishment of the United Nations, intended to foster
international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.

 Start of the War: Began on September 1, 1939, with Germany's invasion of Poland.
Britain and France declared war on Germany shortly after.
 Major Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan.
 Major Allied Powers: United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and the United States.
 Global Spread: Expanded to include battles across Europe, North Africa, East and
Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.
 Key Events:
o 1941: Operation Barbarossa, Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.
o 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to the U.S. entering the war.
o 1942-1943: Battle of Stalingrad, a significant turning point in the Eastern
Front.
o 1942: Battle of Midway, turning point in the Pacific Theater.
 o 1944: D-Day (Normandy Invasion), Allied forces land in France to begin
liberation of Western Europe.
 End of the War in Europe: Germany surrenders unconditionally in May 1945 after
Soviet forces capture Berlin.
 End of the War in the Pacific: Japan surrenders in September 1945 following the
U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 Casualties: Estimated 70 to 85 million fatalities, making it the deadliest conflict in
human history.
 Aftermath:
o Major shifts in global power with the rise of the United States and the Soviet
Union as superpowers.
o Establishment of the United Nations aimed at preventing future global
conflicts.
o Onset of the Cold War due to ideological differences between the U.S. and
Soviet Union.
o Decolonization movements gain momentum in Asia and Africa following the
war.