World War II, the largest armed conflict in human history, involved tens of millions of fighters from around the world. It was a deadly war that had a profound impact on humanity.
At the end of World War One, Germany and its allies were defeated and held responsible for the war. Heavy sanctions were imposed on Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires were dismantled. Germany was also burdened with an unreasonable debt and lost some of its territories and colonies.
These sanctions were seen as a humiliation by the German people, and the German economy suffered from excessive debt and hyperinflation. In an attempt to stabilize the economy, radical measures were taken, but the Wall Street Crash in 1929 caused the worst economic crisis of the 20th century, which further weakened Germany.
In 1933, nationalism rose in Germany, allowing the Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, to come to power. Despite the strict conditions imposed on Germany after World War One, the new totalitarian regime reset the country and restored military service. Germany also began an aggressive foreign policy with the dream of uniting all German-speaking people.
Italy, ruled by the fascist party of Benito Mussolini, also pursued a colonial policy by seizing Ethiopia and preparing for a future invasion in Albania. In Spain, a civil war broke out, with the Republican government supported by the USSR and international brigades, and the Nationalist Camp led by Francisco Franco and aided by Italy and Germany.
In Asia, Japan continued its expansionist policy, taking advantage of the civil war in China to invade new territories. The Japanese Army used chemical and biological weapons and committed massacres of populations. Germany, now powerful enough, launched its territorial expansion, annexing Austria and invading Czechoslovakia.
The world was on the brink of war, and in 1939, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with the USSR and a plan to carve up Europe. Germany then attacked Poland, provoking the United Kingdom and France to declare war, marking the beginning of World War II.
The German forces concentrated in the East, while the Allies tried to cut the strategic iron ore route passing through Norway. Germany reacted by invading Denmark and Norway, capturing Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Hitler’s new military strategy, Blitzkrieg, surprised opposition defenses with rapid high-intensity attacks.
British forces retreated, and the German Army advanced on Paris. The French army was defeated, and Germany occupied the north and west of France. Germany indirectly controlled French colonies without sending an army there. However, part of the French colonies and the Belgian Congo chose to stay in the camp of the Allies.
Germany’s territorial expansion continued, with the occupation of Lithuania and the signing of a non-aggression pact with the USSR. Germany then invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. Resistance movements emerged all over Europe, organizing strikes, demonstrations, and acts of sabotage.
In the East, the Soviet Union launched a counter-attack and pushed the German forces back. Japan occupied French Indochina and China, committing atrocities against the civilian population. The United States entered the war after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and the Allies began liberating territories in Europe.
The war took a heavy toll, with at least 60 million dead, mostly civilians. Many cities were completely destroyed. Germany and Austria were carved up among the victors, and European powers were left exhausted and ruined. The United States and the USSR emerged as the remaining global superpowers.
Despite the establishment of the United Nations to maintain peace and international security, both sides engaged in indirect confrontations around the world.
