World War IIBy: Chris Raymond

General Overview

World War II was a global conflict between multiple nations from across the world

War officially began September 1st, 1939

War lasted 6 years and 1 day officially ending September 2nd, 1945

Who was Involved???

World War II was fought between the Axis and the Allied Powers

The Allies include: United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union

Axis Powers include: Nazi Germany, Japan, and Italy (Tripartite Pact signed by all 3 Axis powers to further world domination)

Leaders/Dictators

Allies leaders include: Winston Churchill (Great Britain), Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), & Joseph Stalin (USSR)

Axis leaders include: Adolph Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), & Emperor Hirohito (Japan)

Start of the War

In July of 1937 Japan invades China

January 30th, 1939 Adolph Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

September 1st, 1939 German forces attack Poland

September 3rd, 1939 France and Great Britain declare war against Germany

Early Stages of WWII

May 10th, 1940 German forces invade Belgium, Luxemburg, France, and the Netherlands

June 10th, 1940 Italy invades France officially declaring war on both France and the United Kingdom

12 days later France surrenders to Axis powers and is split up into German & Italian occupation zones

United States Involvement

Until December of 1941 the US remained neutral supplying war material to China, Great Britain, & the Soviet Union

Due to advances in China the US decided to cut off it’s oil supply to the Japanese

In response to it’s reduced supply of oil Japan decides to bomb Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 quickly triggering the United States entry into WWII

War Becomes Global

After attack on Pearl Harbor the USA along with Great Britain, Australia, and other allied powers declare war on Japan

Due to an agreement with the Japanese, on December 11th, 1941 Germany officially declares war on the USA

The USA along with Great Britain, the USSR, China, and 22 other countries issue the Declaration of United Nations

War In Europe

In May 1942 British Royal Air Force bombs city of Cologne, Germany with 1,000 bombers

September 11th, 1944 the first US troops enter Germany, with the Soviets following one month later

April 16th, 1945 the Allies surround the German capital Berlin

War In the Pacific

Battles took place on many different islands throughout the Pacific

Japan takes control of Guam, the Philippines, the Dutch Indies, Burma, Hong Kong, and Singapore by 1942

By late 1942 British forces in India and New Zeeland’s forces in New Guinea halt the Japanese advance

Major Battles of WWII

Most famous American battle “D-Day” took place June 6th, 1944 in an assault on the German controlled beaches of Normandy, France

Other famous battles of World War II include the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Battle of Midway

The Holocaust

Genocide of approximately 6 million Jews by the Nazi’s

About 2/3 of the Jewish population in Europe at this time was killed in the Holocaust, along with over 1 million Jewish children

US & Soviet Forces reached and liberated thousands of concentration camps towards the latter part of WWII

Hiroshima/Nagasaki

One of the most controversial topics of the United States involvement in WWII

Occurred in final stages of WWII in 1945 with atomic bombs being dropped on the 2 Japanese cities

Was the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare to date

Fall of Axis Leaders

Adolph Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945 by gunshot in his bunker in Berlin, Germany

Benito Mussolini was captured and executed by his own people on April 28th, 1945

End of WWII

December 16th, 1944 Germany launches final counter-attack against Allies which fails

German forces surrendered in Italy on April 29th, 1945

September 2nd, 1945 Japanese forces surrender and Emperor Hirohito later apologizes for attack on Pearl Harbor before his death in 1989

Death Tolls of WWII

Estimated 55 million deaths overall

Largest/most destructive conflict in history to date

Allies- over 16 million military casualties

Axis- over 8 million military casualties

Works Cited- Images

Goza, John. “Rising Sun.” Photo bionicbong.com 9 April 2010 <http.bionicbong.com>.Bale, Adam. “Adolph Hitler.” Photo 666blacksun.org 15 July 2009

<http.666blacksun.org>.US Navy Photograph. “Pearl Harbor.” Photo history.navy.mil 3 July

2006<http.history.navy.mil>.

Block, Kenneth “American’s Raising Flag.” Photo matterhorntravel.com 22 November 2008<http.matterhorntravel.com>.

Reece, Bill “D-Day.” Photo ushmm.org 6 January 2011 <http.ushmm.org>.

Johnston, Allen “Army Men with Wives.” Photo library.miami.edu 16 March 2006<http.library.miami.edu>.

Works Cited- Information "World War II." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.

<http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii>.

"Holocaust History." World War II in Europe. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005137>.

"The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline." The History Place. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm>.

”HIROSHIMA :." Hiroshima: Was It Necessary? The Atomic Bombing of Japan. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.doug-long.com/>.

"WW2, Pacific War." WW2, Pacific War. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ww2pacific.com/>.

"World War Two Leaders." Woodlands Junior School, Tonbridge, Kent UK. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/war/leaders.html>.