WORLD WAR II
A Brief Summary
BACKGROUND
• Some speculate that the cause of WWII was the way in which WWI was settled.
Germany emerged in turmoil, a weak league of nations was created and in the
1930’s the Great Depression hit.
• Dictators rose to power to restore and expand their homeland.
- Mussolini  Itay
- Hitler  Germany
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FACTS
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38 million people died
Most destructive war in history
50+ nations were involved
Hitler’s Nazi army aimed to cleanse Europe of Jews through genocide,
believing that the Arian race was superior.
• The U.S. took action to enter the war after Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941 and the Pacific did not end the war until the U.S.
dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945.
• Germany surrendered May 7, 1945 when Hitler committed suicide.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/world-war-ii-overview