World War II

World War II (1939-1945) was a global conflict involving most of the world's nations. It was characterized by widespread military engagements across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The war can be traced back to the rise of aggressive expansionist powers, including Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler, fascist Italy led by Benito Mussolini, and militarist Japan under Emperor Hirohito.

The war officially began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany. The conflict quickly escalated as Germany conquered much of Western Europe and Japan expanded in the Pacific. The Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, fought against the Allied Powers, including the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, United States, and others.

Key events and theaters of the war included the Holocaust, in which millions of Jews and others were systematically murdered by the Nazis, the Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point on the Eastern Front, and the D-Day landings in Normandy, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

The war concluded in 1945 with the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. The conflict had devastating consequences, resulting in an estimated 50 million fatalities, widespread destruction, and significant social, political, and economic changes worldwide. The war also led to the establishment of the United Nations, an international organization aimed at promoting peace and cooperation among nations to prevent such a global conflict from happening again.