"The peace we seek and need means much more than mere absence of war. It means the acceptance of law, and the fostering of justice, in all the world."-Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Overview of WWII:
Surpassing the terror of the Great War, World War II was a cataclysmic conflict that swept across the far-reaching corners of Europe and beyond. Its roots laid in Germany’s bitter resentment towards the Treaty of Versailles and the National Socialist movement. After Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Nazi fervor spread throughout the beleaguered nation. Tensions between the major European powers rose when Germany annexed Austria (1938) and Czechoslovakia (1939). As the war edged closer, a confounding agreement passed between Hitler and one of his biggest enemies, Joseph Stalin. In 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact, which stated that they wouldn’t invade each other’s territories. Secretly, they decided that Poland would be divided evenly between them. On September 1, Hitler invaded Poland, initiating an inevitable war. Two days later, both France and Great Britain—committed to protecting Polish territory—declared war on Germany, unleashing a six-year war of terror.
Hitler's infamous blitzkrieg ("lightning war") was first introduced in Poland in 1939. The German troops used weapons, such as tanks and airplanes to launch surprise attacks against enemy forces. Once they penetrated their opponents’ territory, chaos ensued. Their victims could not call on reinforcements, and were often forced to surrender. Over the duration of a few weeks, German tanks crossed the Polish borders, while Stukas bombed soldiers and civilians. The city of Warsaw, Poland was destroyed. Hitler continued to use the blitzkrieg tactics to target Denmark (April 1940) and Norway (April 1940). After their surrenders, he turned towards Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. By taking control of these three small nations, Hitler hoped to penetrate France's defenses and claim their territory for the Axis powers. During May 1940, he marched his troops towards the Maginot Line. To avoid directly destroying the concrete walls protecting France, they went around them through the Ardennes. The French did not know how to respond to the blitzkrieg tactics. On June 22, 1940, the French surrendered to the Germans. French general Charles de Gaulle fled to London, setting up the Free French Military forces. On June 10, 1940, Mussolini joined forces with the Nazis. With reassurance from Italy’s alliance with Germany, Hitler then tried to terrorize Great Britain—particularly with his bombing of London—into submission in September. However, Churchill refused to surrender, and the British fiercely resisted the Nazis. Thus, Hitler abandoned the fight on the small island and tried to seize control of North Africa and the Balkans instead. He sent General Erwin Rommel to North Africa to lead the Afrika Korps. One of their main missions was to capture Egypt and the Suez Canal from Great Britain. In April 1941, Hitler invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. Finally, he turned his attention towards Stalin and the Soviet Union, the ultimate prize. On June 22, 1941, the Germans invaded Russia, betraying the nonaggression pact of 1939. The Russian air force was no match for the Luftwaffe. Eventually, Hitler tried to invade Leningrad, initiating a siege. The Axis were dominating the European battlefields.
Meanwhile in the East, Japan's conquest for the Pacific was well underway. The US was not yet active in World War II, though this would soon change. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese struck the Hawaiian island of Oahu with air forces as well as naval forces, destroying multiple military bases. The attack came as a complete surprise to the American troops on Oahu, due to the US’s neutrality. However, there had been, since the 1930s, a rise in anti-Japanese sentiment in the US as a response to the horrendous war Japan was fighting with China. Japan was not expected to enter the war with an attack on the US, due to its inconvenient location and the risk of the attack. Unsurprisingly, this attack prompted US President Roosevelt to formally declare war on Japan, thus entering World War II. On the following day, German newspapers reported a huge victory for the Japanese and marked the day as one for celebration. On December 8, Roosevelt gave his "Day of Infamy" speech, responding to the horrors of the bombing. In the speech, Roosevelt confirmed that the attack had been deliberate. The bombing of Pearl Harbor led to a string of violence with Japan’s newfound confidence. In May 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea began off the coast of Australia and New Guinea near the Solomon Islands. The only fighting that took place was between aircrafts. Although there was no clear victor, the Allies managed to prevent their enemies from expanding southwards in the Pacific. Following Pearl Harbor was the attack on Midway Island and Wake Island. The battle was led by General Yamamoto (of the Japanese forces) and General Nimitz (of the American forces). Despite being severely outnumbered, Nimitz was determined to defeat the Japanese. He staged a series of ambushes against the Japanese when they arrived on the island. The battle was a huge success for the Americans. General Douglas MacArthur also played a vital role in the outcome of the war with Japan. Nevertheless, Japan's attempts to wage war with the US—one of the world's strongest nations--confirmed Japan’s success with their quest for imperialism.
As the end of 1941 approached, Hitler prepared to solve the "Jewish problem" in Europe permanently. He wanted to purge Germany, along with the rest of Europe, of the Jews. He sought to promote the "Aryan race," which he believed were Europe's racial superiors. The four other methods he had devised to remove Jews from society—expulsion, emigration, ghettoization, deployment of the Einsatzgruppen—were simply not enough for the Führer. He was ready to enact the "Final Solution". The primary goal of the plan was to remove the Jews from their homes or ghettos, deport them to foreign camps, and murder them. The mass extermination of European Jews and other minority groups became known as the Holocaust. Initially, in 1941, the Nazis sent the Jews to concentration camps, forcing them to carry out exhausting labor. They suffered from starvation, disease, and inhumane treatment. The ones who were too sickly or weak to work—mainly children and the elderly—often faced the wrath of firing squads. However, many German soldiers had qualms about killing people at a close range. Thus, the Nazis formulated new methods of extermination, using carbon monoxide, "Hell vans," and Zyklon B. Eventually, gas chambers and crematories developed, effectively killing larger amounts of Jews. The six main extermination camps, located in Poland, were: Chelmno, Belzec, Treblinka, Sobibor, Majdanek, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Scientific studies also played a large role in the Holocaust. Victims were selected to participate in fatal experiments to advance German medicine and improve methods of treatment for injured soldiers. They included high-altitude experiments, freezing experiments, and limb or joint transplants. When the Jews were liberated in 1945, approximately six million had been murdered (not including the deaths of other minority groups).
The years of 1939-1941 were particularly good years for the Axis powers. Hitler and his troops had gained much of the territory he had hoped to seize during the war. They won the majority of battles against the Allied powers. Japan, too, was continuing to carry out their plans of imperialism in the Pacific. However, the arrival of 1942 considerably altered Hitler’s good fortune. After the devastation of the Pearl Harbor attack, and the US declaration of war on Japan, Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt met to discuss an Atlantic first strategy in December 1941. They considered attacking Germans in Western Europe. However, the probability of success was minimal. Thus, the Allied leaders turned their attention towards North Africa instead. Together, the two leaders prepared for a battle plan known as "Operation Torch" in 1942. The objective of Operation Torch was to invade North Africa, ambush and trap General Rommel, and seize complete control of the region from the Axis. Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the North African campaign was a success. The Battle of El Alamein was a pivotal victory for the Allies. In the East, Stalin and his troops were also battling the Nazis. During the Battle of Stalingrad, Stalin and his troops managed to prevent the Germans from seizing the city. As a result, the battle was a decisive victory for the Soviet Union in 1943. Following the German defeat in Russia was the invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland. Then in 1944, the D-Day invasion was the penultimate victory for the Allies in Europe. Once again, General Eisenhower was appointed the commander of Operation Overlord. On the dawn of June 6, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. The invasion was a success, and the Allies liberated German-occupied territories, including Paris, France. The Axis were on the brink of defeat, but Hitler decided to launch a counterattack in Ardennes. He hoped to divide the Allied forces. Ultimately, the Battle of the Bulge was a failure for the Axis. On May 7, the Germans surrendered at Reims, France.
Shortly after Germany’s surrender, President Truman, Roosevelt’s successor, approved the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan to end the war in the Pacific. The bombs were the most destructive force the world had ever seen. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, bringing the war to a close. However, the devastation of Europe and Japan would endure far beyond the war. In 1945, the Jews and minority groups were freed from the concentration camps. Soldiers were revolted by the conditions of the camps and the emaciated, sickly states of the victims. Then, the Nuremberg Trials commenced. Nazi leaders were convicted of a wide range of crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Allies also initiated the process of "denazification" in Germany to remove members of the Nazi party from public office. The US, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union divided the nation into occupation zones, each governing their zones differently. Furthermore, in Japan, General MacArthur received the authority to carry out the Tokyo War Crime Trials, in which Japanese military leaders were also convicted of crimes in the Pacific. However, despite the Allies' "ambitions" to punish Germany and Japan for their crimes, the victors, particularly the US, also sought to help citizens recover from the devastation of the war. Starvation and homelessness were rampant throughout Germany, as in much of Europe. Japan’s cities, including Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki were demolished from bombings. In order to rehabilitate Japan, MacArthur had his associates write a new constitution in 1947, giving the majority of power to the Japanese people. The quest for spreading democracy intensified, particularly due to the rising tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. However, one thing was for certain: neither a world war nor the Holocaust would ever occur again. Thus, similar to World War I, World War II's lasting legacy disrupted the political and economic orders of the entire globe, for better and for worse.
The years of 1939-1941 were particularly good years for the Axis powers. Hitler and his troops had gained much of the territory he had hoped to seize during the war. They won the majority of battles against the Allied powers. Japan, too, was continuing to carry out their plans of imperialism in the Pacific. However, the arrival of 1942 considerably altered Hitler’s good fortune. After the devastation of the Pearl Harbor attack, and the US declaration of war on Japan, Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt met to discuss an Atlantic first strategy in December 1941. They considered attacking Germans in Western Europe. However, the probability of success was minimal. Thus, the Allied leaders turned their attention towards North Africa instead. Together, the two leaders prepared for a battle plan known as "Operation Torch" in 1942. The objective of Operation Torch was to invade North Africa, ambush and trap General Rommel, and seize complete control of the region from the Axis. Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the North African campaign was a success. The Battle of El Alamein was a pivotal victory for the Allies. In the East, Stalin and his troops were also battling the Nazis. During the Battle of Stalingrad, Stalin and his troops managed to prevent the Germans from seizing the city. As a result, the battle was a decisive victory for the Soviet Union in 1943. Following the German defeat in Russia was the invasion of Sicily and the Italian mainland. Then in 1944, the D-Day invasion was the penultimate victory for the Allies in Europe. Once again, General Eisenhower was appointed the commander of Operation Overlord. On the dawn of June 6, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. The invasion was a success, and the Allies liberated German-occupied territories, including Paris, France. The Axis were on the brink of defeat, but Hitler decided to launch a counterattack in Ardennes. He hoped to divide the Allied forces. Ultimately, the Battle of the Bulge was a failure for the Axis. On May 7, the Germans surrendered at Reims, France.
Shortly after Germany’s surrender, President Truman, Roosevelt’s successor, approved the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan to end the war in the Pacific. The bombs were the most destructive force the world had ever seen. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, bringing the war to a close. However, the devastation of Europe and Japan would endure far beyond the war. In 1945, the Jews and minority groups were freed from the concentration camps. Soldiers were revolted by the conditions of the camps and the emaciated, sickly states of the victims. Then, the Nuremberg Trials commenced. Nazi leaders were convicted of a wide range of crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Allies also initiated the process of "denazification" in Germany to remove members of the Nazi party from public office. The US, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union divided the nation into occupation zones, each governing their zones differently. Furthermore, in Japan, General MacArthur received the authority to carry out the Tokyo War Crime Trials, in which Japanese military leaders were also convicted of crimes in the Pacific. However, despite the Allies' "ambitions" to punish Germany and Japan for their crimes, the victors, particularly the US, also sought to help citizens recover from the devastation of the war. Starvation and homelessness were rampant throughout Germany, as in much of Europe. Japan’s cities, including Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki were demolished from bombings. In order to rehabilitate Japan, MacArthur had his associates write a new constitution in 1947, giving the majority of power to the Japanese people. The quest for spreading democracy intensified, particularly due to the rising tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. However, one thing was for certain: neither a world war nor the Holocaust would ever occur again. Thus, similar to World War I, World War II's lasting legacy disrupted the political and economic orders of the entire globe, for better and for worse.
Timeline:
September 1-3 1939: Germany invades Poland, launching the start of World War II. Maintaining their promise to protect Poland’s borders, France and Great Britain declare war on Germany two days later.
May 10-June 22, 1940: Adolf Hitler initiates the Blitzkrieg ("lightning war"). He quickly gains control of Luxembourg (May 10), the Netherlands (May 14), Belgium (May 28), and finally, France (June 22).
June 10, 1940: Benito Mussolini enters World War II, joining forces with Hitler and the Nazis.
June 22, 1941: Hitler invades the Soviet Union under the plan of Operation Barbarossa. He eventually targets the cities of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad.
December 7-8, 1941: Japanese military planes fly over Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, destroying 18 ships and killing more than 2,400 people. The next day, the US declares war on Japan.
August 23, 1942-February 2, 1943: The Battle of Stalingrad begins in the Soviet Union. After six months of fighting and the return of a bitter, Russian winter, the Germans surrender.
June 6, 1944: American, British, French, and Canadian armies launch "Operation Overlord," also known as the invasion of Normandy.
December 16, 1944: Hitler tries to launch a counterattack against the Allies along the front in Ardennes. It is unsuccessful, and the Allies push the Germans back.
May 7, 1945: Germany surrenders to the Allies.
August 6, 1945-September 2, 1945: The US drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9). On September 2, Japan surrenders, officially ending World War II.