The Story of Second
World War:Summarised
1) It was a global war that lasted from
1939-1945.
2) The two opposing military alliances were, The
Axis and The Allies.
3) Involvement of 30 countries and 100
million people
4) Sectors affected were industrial,
economical and scientific.
5) Main calamities were, holocaust, strategic
bombing of industrial and population centres, including use of two nuclear
weapons.
6) 50 – 85 million fatalities
The story began with Japan aspiring to dominate Asia and at war with Republic
of China in 1937
But the war actually began on 1 September, 1939, with the invasion of Poland
by germany.
And subsequent declarations of war on Germany by France and United
Kingdom.
From 1939-1941, Germany formed Axis Alliance with Italy and Japan and ,
conquered and controlled much of the continental Europe, in a series of
campaigns and treaties.
Following the Motolov- Ribbentrop pact, Germany and the Soviet Union,
partitioned and annexed the territoties of the European Neighbours, including Poland
, Finland and Baltic States
Now the only Allied Forces fighting against Axis were, United Kingdom and
British Commonwealth. They continued
their campaigns On, in North Africa, Horn Of Africa and log running battle of
Atlantic.
In June 1941, European Axis Powers launched , an invasion of the Soviet Union,
opening the largest land theatre of war in history.
In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European
Territories in the Pacific Ocean, and conquered much of the Western Pacific.
Axis advance halted in 1942, when Japan lost critical battle of Midway
near Hawaii, Germany was defeated in North Africa and then decisively at
Stalingrad in the Soviet Union,
In 1943, with a series of German defeats on Eastern Frontier, the Allied
invasion of Italy, brought about Italian surrender and Allied victories in the
pacific
Axis lost initiative ad undertook strategic retreat on all frontiers. In
1944, the western Allies invaded France.
Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany
and its Allies
During 1944-1945, Japanese suffered
major reverses in mainland Asia in South central China and Burma.
The war in Europe ended with invasion of Germany by Western Allies.
Following the Postdam declaration by Allies on 26 July 1945, United
States dropped Atomic Bombs on
the Japanese Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th and 9th
August respectively.
Japan surrendered on 15th August 1945. Thus ended the war in
Asia and final destruction of Axis bloc.
World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the
world.
United Nations was established on 24th October 1945 to foster
the international co-operation and prevent
the future conflicts. The United States, The Soviet Union, China , The United
Kingdom and France became the permanent members of United Nations Security
Council.