World war ii, in brief
World War II was one of the bloodiest wars the world had ever seen. Spanning from 1939 to 1945, is killed more than 38 million people worldwide, and involved more than 50 countries. The decisions in World War II would change the world forever, and human rights would be altered as a result for the atrocities that humans faced for 6 years, and the carnage which took the world by storm. Many different reasons backed different countries getting involved with the war. For America, it was to fight the death and brutality brought by the German Nazis, lead by Adolf Hitler. The Nazis were a fascist dictatorship, determined to wipe out minorities, specifically Jews, and to raise up the Aryan Race, a fictional white, pure blooded, blue-eyed German race which would require “living space” in order to exist comfortably. Aswell as most of Europe being embroiled by Germany, there were many other continents involved as well. Asia, specifically imperialistic Japan, invaded country after country, eventually ending in the United States dropping an atomic bomb on two major cities- causing immeasurable damage. regardless of motivation, World War II proved to be a messy, tangled, violent and important war that is incredibly relevant to current events and life as we know it.
World War II was officially declared on September 3rd, after the September 1st invasion of Poland by Germany. Britain and France were appalled at the violence and carnage brought by Adolf Hitler’s trained armies and promptly decided to involve itself in trying to withhold the forces that threatened Europe. Hitler’s army was incredibly skilled. They were skilled (unlike the Russians) and possessed an unimaginable amount of weaponry revolutionary at the time. On top of all this, the invention of the “lightning war” of Blitzkrieg, made the Nazis prolific and terrifying. Lightning warfare involved lots of surprising, forceful attacks by tanks, infantrymen, and plane bombs. This war tactic was incredibly successful and contributed to the takedown of lots of different countries in Europe, including Poland and France Denmark, and Norway. After their surrenders, he turned towards Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. This allowed Hitler to gain access to France, by going through the thick Ardennes, they avoided direct contact with the giant walls protecting France from attacks. The French surrendered to the Germans on June 22, 1940, which lead Hitler to turn to Great Britain.
World War II was officially declared on September 3rd, after the September 1st invasion of Poland by Germany. Britain and France were appalled at the violence and carnage brought by Adolf Hitler’s trained armies and promptly decided to involve itself in trying to withhold the forces that threatened Europe. Hitler’s army was incredibly skilled. They were skilled (unlike the Russians) and possessed an unimaginable amount of weaponry revolutionary at the time. On top of all this, the invention of the “lightning war” of Blitzkrieg, made the Nazis prolific and terrifying. Lightning warfare involved lots of surprising, forceful attacks by tanks, infantrymen, and plane bombs. This war tactic was incredibly successful and contributed to the takedown of lots of different countries in Europe, including Poland and France Denmark, and Norway. After their surrenders, he turned towards Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. This allowed Hitler to gain access to France, by going through the thick Ardennes, they avoided direct contact with the giant walls protecting France from attacks. The French surrendered to the Germans on June 22, 1940, which lead Hitler to turn to Great Britain.
In Japan, since the 1930's, as a result of new found trade with America and modernization, Japan had been attempting to spread their influence across Asia. This reached its peak during World War II when Japan had invaded China, taken control of the East Indies, and eventually bombed Pearl Harbor. This was a day that would "live in infamy", on December 7th, 1941. This attack resulted in the American intervention in the war, and ultimately led to the defeat of Japan by the Allied Powers as a result of the dropping of the A-Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.
Winston Churchill would not let England be lost to the Nazis. Commanding with a strong grasp on Britain's public, he urged England to protect itself in any situation. Great Britain's strength would ultimately save it, and prove the Nazis were not unbeatable. Thus, Hitler turned to North Africa and the Balkans instead. General Erwin Rommel was stationed in North Africa to lead the Afrika Korps. In April 1941, Hitler invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. Hitler eventually turned his attention towards Stalin and the Soviet Union, during Operation Barbarossa. The Germans invaded Russia on June 1922, betraying the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939. HItler's victories continued, until the Allied Powers seized North Africa in "Operation Torch" in 1942. Stalin battled Hitler on the Eastern Front, and managed to fend of the nazis in Battle of Stalingrad, due to a harsh winter that Hitler was unprepared for. The D-Day invasion was deciding victory for the Allies in Europe. June 6, American and British soldiers arrived at the beaches of Normandy. The invasion went really well, and the Allied Powers were able to liberate France. The Axis were on a downward spiral, and with the Battle of the Bulge being a failure, the Germans surrendered at Reims, France on May 7th, 1945.
Who was to blame? Immediately, civilians turned to the Nazi-higher ups. This lead to the Nuremberg trials, where 22 Nazi officials were put on trial for crimes against humanity. In 1946, the trial occurred, sentencing 12 Nazi leaders to death by hanging. In Japan, 2 million people had been lost, and the devastation was tangible. The atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had left confusion and horrific results. Like the Nuremberg Trials, 25 officials of the Japanese military were put on trial, 7 were hung. A peace treaty in 1951 signed by the United States and 48 other countries brought hope and calm to the world.
Who was to blame? Immediately, civilians turned to the Nazi-higher ups. This lead to the Nuremberg trials, where 22 Nazi officials were put on trial for crimes against humanity. In 1946, the trial occurred, sentencing 12 Nazi leaders to death by hanging. In Japan, 2 million people had been lost, and the devastation was tangible. The atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had left confusion and horrific results. Like the Nuremberg Trials, 25 officials of the Japanese military were put on trial, 7 were hung. A peace treaty in 1951 signed by the United States and 48 other countries brought hope and calm to the world.