The Second World War It is the largest conflict that has occurred in the history of humanity, the war with the lowest casualties, a global war that left millions dead and enormous political and social consequences. Today in Sobrehistoria, we talk about the Second World War.
In this article we are going to tell you everything about World War II, background, World War II step by step, important dates, protagonists and consequences.
World War II Background
It is important to know the situation that existed in Europe before September 1, 1939 when Germany began its attack on Poland and in this section we are going to comment on the world war ii background.
Political background of World War II
The political causes. The peace treaties of World War I were weak and unfair to the Central Powers. Germany had to pay compensation and reparations for almost 100 years (in 2010 it paid for the last time). Without forgetting that in the Treaty of Versailles Germany also had to reduce its fleet and army and the German people did not like it.
On the other hand, the German and Austro-Hungarian territory was fragmented, many Germans were left outside the German Weimar Republic. Next Germany and Italy started with fascist governments with Hitler and Mussolini and they started with expansionist policies.
Economic background of World War II
With the Crack of 29 in New York began the bankruptcy of many companies popularly known as the Great Depression but it not only affected the USA, it also reached Europe, especially Germany, which was badly hit economically after World War I. Causing great discontent among the population.
In the face of this Great Depression, the United States manages to improve its economy with the methods known as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. After seeing his recovery, the Nazi economy minister Hjalmar Schachtboosts the German economy boosting the war industry as civil aircraft that in the future could be used as bombers.
Ideological background of World War II
New political ideologies begin, nationalist ideologies in many countries, of which we highlight Germany, Italy and Japan. They want to show that they are the greatest economic and military powers, so they begin to compete with the main European powers.
Also born the communism in the soviet union After overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II with the Bolshevik Revolution, Soviet industry rises from the hands of Lenin and Stalin.
On the other hand appears the antisemitismespecially in Germany where Hitler considers that the Jews are to blame for all the ills of the German people. After this occurs the largest genocide known to date, the Holocaust.
Demographic background of World War II
After World War I and before the Crack of 29 happened in Europe, there was a good time economically and socially, causing there to be a population increase.
Many authors comment that the population increase was so high that a reduction in people was necessary in Europe because there were no resources for so many people.
Military history of World War II
There were several wars and assaults that also influenced the start of World War II, these are:
- Assault of Italy to the territories of Albania and Ethiopia
- Intervention of the German and Italian troops in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939
- United States intervention in the Sino-Japanese War to help the Chinese
- In 1938 with the Munich Pact Germany invaded Austriathe next year Poland and this was the start of world war ii.
Second World War
The 2nd World War It was a war of unprecedented dimensions, which took place in all the continents of the globe. Two >sides clashed: the allies (Britain, France, Soviet Union, USA Y China) and the Axis (Germany, Italy Y Japan).
More than seventy countries took part in the fighting, but the conflict undoubtedly affected the entire world, including those that remained neutral states.
During the six years that World War II lasted around 60 million people lost their lives (2% of the world population). Mostly civilians, victims of some of the most terrible massacres in history: the bombing to cities, concentration campsthe atomic bombs.
Behind the victory of the allied countriesgreat changes would take place in the world, a new stage in history would open: the Cold War.
Important dates of the 2nd World War
- September 1, 1939 – Invasion of Poland: It is considered as the start date of the War. Nazi Germany invades Poland and shows that it is serious about its imperialist desires. The invasion of Poland implies the immediate declaration of war by France or Great Britain.
- September 1939 – Defense of Poland, The Pomorska Brigade: It was one of the main troops in charge of defending Poland. It was made up of 5 divisions and its mission was to delay the German advance as much as possible. Their forces were severely depleted during the Battle of Bzura, after which they surrendered to the might of the German offensive.
- April 2, 1942 – Doolittle Raid, bombing of Japan: It was the first air raid carried out by the US Army during the conflict. It left 50 dead, 300 wounded and a good number of provision buildings and infrastructures destroyed.
- January 27, 1945 – The liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp: In January 1945, Soviet troops arrive at Auschwitz I and free the prisoners who, being too weak, were no longer in a position to undertake the “death march”, the forced escape of prisoners to the concentration camps inland.
- February 4, 1945 – The Yalta Conference: It was a meeting between the three great allied powers (USA, Soviet Union and Great Britain) held in February 1945. The agreement established that Europe was already a liberated continent and that democratic elections were allowed in the member countries. It was a controversial conference that is considered by many to be the start of the Cold War.
- February 13, 1945 – Bombing of Dresden (Germany): It was a bombing of the German city of Since carried out by British and North American aviation. It left more than 35,000 dead. Although the allies claimed that the bombings were carried out out of strategic interest, some theories hold that it was a simple retaliation against the Nazi regime.
- May 7, 1945 – surrender of Germany: Germany offered the surrender of its troops after realizing that the war was lost. Hitler also understood this a week earlier, committing suicide in his bunker with Eva Braun on April 30, 1945.
- August 6, 1945 – Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima
- August 9, 1945: Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki: The American army placates the Japanese troops by launching the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They left some 250,000 dead and left a deep scar on the Japanese people.
- August 14, 1945 – surrender of japan: Only six days after the launch of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan announced its withdrawal from the war and signed the three anti-nuclear principles, that is, it promised not to carry out nuclear retaliation.
Protagonists of the 2nd World War
Background and Consequences of the 2nd War:
Books, movies, museums, visits and curiosities about the 2nd War:
- Museums: Imperial War Museum London
- Books: A World At War- Oral History Of World War II
- Books: Franco and Hitler- Spain, Germany, World War II…
- Books: Berlin 1945, The Fall
- Books: The Executioners and the Victims, The Black Pages of History…
- Books: Alliance Against Hitler, The Secret History…
- Movies: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
- War tourism: the Normandy landings
- Curiosities: The Kilroy cartoon and the North American Army
Consequences of World War II
The Second World War had an enormous variety of impact at all levels, especially political, economic and social. Europe was devastated as a result of the war, the economy of many of the affected countries took years to recover, the death of millions of people due to the war and the problems resulting from it caused major political and economic problems and the social fracture that led to the rise and fall of extreme political currents such as Nazism and fascism, leaving wounds among the population that are still open today, in the middle of the 20th century. Therefore, the consequences of World War II were enormously extensive, which is why we are only going to mention some of the most outstanding below.
At the level of international policyWorld War II caused the appearance of two powerful well-differentiated forces, United States and Russia. These two countries had been allies during the war and had fought together with the aim of defeating the Axis forces, but once it was over, their differences soon became noticeable. Their growing confrontation was already noticeable during the peace talks of 1945 and 1946 and did not stop increasing during the following years, finally creating two opposing political blocs at practically all levels during what is known as Cold War.
War-torn Europe was also divided into two camps and while the countries of Western Europe began to be rebuilt thanks to the economic and political support of the United States (leaving Spain and Portugal aside, which, immersed in right-wing dictatorships , still took years to normalize their political-diplomatic relations with the rest of the continent and with the United States), the territories of Eastern Europe became part of the so-called Soviet bloc, with the city of berlin and his famous Wall as the most palpable sign of the existing division. This situation of confrontation did not begin to normalize until the 1970s and, despite the fact that the USSR fell in 1989, important embers of this confrontation can still be seen in the international relations between the United States and Russia today.
On the other hand, and with the desire to prevent another conflict of the same dimensions from ever taking place, Western countries created the organization known as the United Nations. The main objective of this body was to promote collaboration and diplomatic communication between the different countries in order to bring positions closer together and resolve international political problems of all kinds without resorting to violence. The founding of the United Nations, a supranational body unprecedented, was the seed that later led to the agreements that led to the creation of the European Economic Community and, finally, of the European Union years later.
Finally, in the realm of politics…