World War II (1939-1945)

World War II (1939-1945)
Reasons: Treaty of Versailles: It brought harsh conditions to Germany after World War I. This situation created discontent among the German people. Economic Problems: The Great Depression caused unemployment and economic difficulties in many countries. Fascism and Nazism: The fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini in Italy and the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party in Germany accelerated the process leading to war.

• Start and Expansion: German attack on Poland (September 1, 1939) led to the beginning of the war. The Soviet Union invaded Poland in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. He quickly invaded Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France with the Blitzkrieg (shock war) tactic (1940). England resisted German air raids (1940-1941).
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Eastern Front and Operation Barbarossa: With the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa, June 1941), heavy clashes began on the Eastern Front. The Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943) was the period when the Germans suffered a major defeat against the Soviets.

Pacific Theater and the Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 dragged the United States into war. The Battle of Midway (1942) and the Guadalcanal Landing (1942-1943) were important turning points in the Pacific Theater.

Holocaust and Genocide: The Holocaust, which occurred as a result of the racist policies of the Nazis, included the genocide of the Jews. In total, 6 million Jews died.


Allied Landings: The Normandy Landings (D-Day) on June 6, 1944, was a major Allied offensive against Europe. The Battle of Cassino in Italy and the moves against Japan in the Pacific Theater affected the war.

End of War: In 1944-1945 the Allies advanced into Germany. The Soviets surrounded Berlin, Hitler committed suicide (1945). The US dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945) caused Japan to surrender. On September 2, 1945, Japan officially surrendered with the instrument of surrender signed aboard the USS Missouri.


Results: The establishment of the UN (1945) marked the beginning of the Cold War. War crimes were tried at the Nuremberg Trials. With its devastating effects, the war is considered one of the largest and most destructive conflicts in history.

World War II is considered one of the greatest wars in world history and permanently changed the global order and political map.