World War2

World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the majority of the
world’s countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing military
alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war resulted in over 61 million fatali es, making it the
deadliest conflict in history. The causes of the war are debated; contribu ng factors included the
rise of fascism in Europe, the Spanish Civil War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet–Japanese
border conflicts, and tensions in the a ermath of World War I.

Causes
The causes of World War II have been analyzed by historians from different perspec ves,
such as poli cs, diplomacy, economy, and ideologies. The war was precipitated by the
invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany on September 1, 1939, but also by the aggressive
moves of other countries, such as Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union, and by the poli cal
and economic condi ons of the interwar period.
Primary themes in historical analysis of the war’s origins include the poli cal takeover of
Germany in 1933 by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party; Japanese militarism against China,
which led to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the Second Sino-Japanese War;
Italian aggression against Ethiopia, which led to the Second Italo-Ethiopian War; the
consent of Western countries to Germany’s ac ons on the annexa on of Austria and the
par on of Czechoslovakia; and Germany’s ini al success in nego a ng the Molotov–
Ribbentrop Pact with the Soviet Union to divide the territorial control of Eastern Europe
between them.
The Treaty of Versailles, which punished Germany for its role in World War I with heavy
financial repara ons and severe limita ons on its military that were intended to prevent it
from becoming a military power again, also contributed to the deep anger that arose in
the Weimar Republic during the interwar period. During the worldwide economic crisis of
the Great Depression in the 1930s, many people lost faith in liberal democracy and
countries across the world turned to authoritarian regimes. In Germany, resentment over
the terms of the Treaty of Versailles was intensified by the instability of the German
poli cal system, as many on both the Right and the Le rejected the Weimar Republic
liberalism. The most extreme poli cal aspirant to emerge from that situa on was Adolf
Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party.

Events
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the majority
of the world’s countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing
military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war resulted in over 61 million fatali es,
making it the deadliest conflict in history.
World War2

The events of World War II are vast and complex, but here is a brief meline of some of
the most significant events:

 1939: Germany invades Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany.
 1940: Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
Italy enters the war on the side of Germany.
 1941: Germany invades the Soviet Union. Japan a acks the United States at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, bringing the U.S. into the war.
 1942: The Allies launch a counteroffensive in North Africa. The Ba le of Stalingrad
begins.
 1943: The Allies invade Italy. The Ba le of Kursk is fought on the Eastern Front.
 1944: The Allies invade France on D-Day. The Soviet Union launches a massive
offensive on the Eastern Front. The Ba le of the Bulge is fought in Belgium.
 1945: The Allies capture Berlin. Germany surrenders on May 7. The United States
drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Japan surrenders on
August 15, ending the war.

Strategy and Tac cs

World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the majority
of the world’s countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing
military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war resulted in over 61 million fatali es,
making it the deadliest conflict in history.
The strategies and tac cs used in World War II were diverse and complex. The following
are some of the most significant strategies and tac cs used during the war:

 Blitzkrieg: A military tac c used by the Nazis in World War II, Blitzkrieg was rooted
in the concept of speed and surprise. The objec ve was to break enemy lines as
quickly as possible through a dense concentra on of armored vehicles, air strikes,
and then eventually the infiltra on of ground troops. The tac c can be broken
down to a 3 step process; first armored and motorized vehicles break through the
opponent’s line of defense via swi , short, yet powerful a acks. Second, relies on
the element of surprise via air strike. Finally, ground forces are employed,
confusing the enemy and making it more difficult for them to respond to the
con nuously changing ba lefronts.
 Kamikaze: A tac c used by the Japanese in World War II, Kamikaze involved suicide
a acks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels.
The a acks were intended to cause damage to the enemy fleet, even at the cost of
the pilot’s life 2.
 U-Boats: German submarines, known as U-boats, were used to a ack Allied
shipping during World War II. The U-boats were highly effec ve and were
responsible for sinking a significant number of Allied ships 2.
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 Cryptography: Cryptography played a crucial role in World War II. Both the Allies
and the Axis powers used cryptography to encode their messages and keep them
secret from the enemy.

Land Warfare in World War 2

Land warfare in World War II involved a wide range of tac cs and strategies, including
infantry, armor, and ar llery. The German military employed a tac c called Blitzkrieg,
which involved a swi and powerful a ack using armored and motorized vehicles, air
strikes, and ground troops. The Japanese used a tac c called Kamikaze, which involved
suicide a acks by military aviators against Allied naval vessels. The Allies used a variety of
tac cs, including amphibious landings, airborne assaults, and armored warfare.
Some of the most significant land ba les of World War II include the Normandy Invasion,
which was the Allied invasion of western Europe and was launched on June 6, 1944 4. The
Ba le of Stalingrad, fought between Germany and the Soviet Union, was one of the largest
and deadliest ba les in history. The Ba le of Kursk, also fought between Germany and the
Soviet Union, was the largest tank ba le in history.

Naval Warfare in World War 2

Naval warfare played a significant role in World War II. The Royal Navy was the strongest
navy in the world at the beginning of the war, with the largest number of warships built
and with naval bases across the globe 1. The United States Navy grew rapidly during the
war and played a central role in the Pacific theater in the war against Japan 1. The Imperial
Japanese Navy sought naval superiority in the Pacific by sinking the main American ba le
fleet at Pearl Harbor, which was built around its ba leships. The December 1941 surprise
a ack on Pearl Harbor did knock out the ba le fleet, but it did not touch the aircra
carriers, which became the mainstay of the rebuilt fleet 1.
The naval ba les of World War II were fought across the globe, from the Atlan c to the
Pacific. Some of the most significant naval ba les of the war include:

 Ba le of the Atlan c: Fought between German U-boats and Allied convoys, the
Ba le of the Atlan c was the longest con nuous military campaign of World War II.
 Ba le of Midway: Fought between the United States and Japan in June 1942, the
Ba le of Midway was a decisive victory for the United States and marked a turning
point in the Pacific theater of the war.
 Ba le of the Coral Sea: Fought between the United States and Japan in May 1942,
the Ba le of the Coral Sea was the first naval ba le in history in which the
opposing fleets never came within sight of each other.
 Ba le of Leyte Gulf: Fought between the United States and Japan in October 1944,
the Ba le of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval ba le of World War II and marked the
end of Japan’s naval power.
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Air Warfare in World War 2

Air warfare played a significant role in World War II. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and the
United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) were the two primary air forces of the Allies, while
the German Lu waffe and the Japanese Imperial Army Air Force were the primary air
forces of the Axis.
Air warfare was a major component in all theaters of World War II and consumed a large
frac on of the industrial output of the major powers. The Allies used a variety of tac cs,
including strategic bombing, tac cal air support, and airborne opera ons. The Axis powers
relied heavily on air forces that were closely integrated with land and naval forces.
Some of the most significant air ba les of World War II include the Ba le of Britain, fought
between the RAF and the Lu waffe in 1940. The Dooli le Raid, carried out by the USAAF
in 1942, was a retaliatory air raid against Japan following the a ack on Pearl Harbor. The
Ba le of Midway, fought between the USAAF and the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1942, was
a decisive victory for the United States and marked a turning point in the Pacific theater of
the war.
Ba le of Alam Halfa 1942
The Ba le of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 August and 5 September 1942, south of
El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The
Panzerarmee Afrika, led by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, a empted an
envelopment of the Bri sh Eighth Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Bernard
Montgomery.
In this ba le, Montgomery knew of Axis inten ons through Ultra signals intercepts and
le a gap in the southern sector of the front, knowing that Rommel planned to a ack
there. He deployed the bulk of his armour and ar llery around Alam el Halfa Ridge, 20
miles (32 km) behind the front. Unlike in previous engagements, Montgomery ordered
that the tanks were to be used as an -tank guns, remaining in their defensive posi ons on
the ridge.
When Axis a acks on the ridge failed and short on supplies, Rommel ordered a
withdrawal. The 2nd New Zealand Division conducted Opera on Beresford against Italian
posi ons, which was a costly failure. Montgomery did not exploit his defensive victory,
preferring to con nue the methodical buildup of strength for his autumn offensive, the
Second Ba le of El Alamein.
This ba le was significant as it was Rommel’s last offensive in Egypt, and Montgomery’s
first victory a er taking command of the Eighth Army. It was a Bri sh victory that removed
any chance of Rommel reaching Alexandria or the Suez Canal.