Second World War , an Insight

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 6^th and 9^th August respectively.

Japan surrendered on 15^th 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 24^th 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.