Name __________________________________________ Core ____________ Date _____________________
World War II
three became the Axis powers. Leaders of the Axis
powers were Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito and
Benito Mussolini.
The countries that made up the
Allied powers included Russia, France, British
Empire, Italy, United States, Rumania, Serbia,
Belgium, Greece, Portugal and Montenegro. Major
Leaders of the Allies were Joseph Stalin, Franklin
D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The war
covered territories in Europe, the Pacific, the
Atlantic, South-East Asia, China, Middle East, the
World War II was a military conflict that
lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved nearly all the
Mediterranean and Africa.
On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl
nations of the world. World War II was caused by
Harbor in the Hawaiian Island. The United States
the Treaty of Versailles and the German people's
entered the war. The number of U.S. soldiers who
resentment toward the League of Nations. The
served in World War II was 16,112,566, and the
Treaty of Versailles was created in 1919 to ensure
number wounded was 671,846. Over 100,000
peace in Europe following World War I. The treaty
Allied bomber crewmen were killed over Europe.
said that land was to be taken away from Germany.
Nearly 62 million people died during and leading up
It also stated that Germany would pay for damages
to the war. The Allies dropped 3.4 million tons of
caused by the war, and that Germany could only
bombs, averaging of about 27,700 tons of bombs
have a small army with no air force, submarines or
each month. On August 6, 1945, the United States
tanks. Adolph Hitler was able to convince the
dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. A
German people to give him the power to improve
B29 super fortress bomber, called the 'Enola Gay'
conditions in Germany and restore the country's
dropped the bomb. On August 9, 1945, another
strength and dignity. He vowed to tear up the Treaty
atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
of Versailles.
Over 225,000 people were killed or later died from
Hitler began invading Austria and
Czechoslovakia. He also built up the German army
and their weapons. On September 1, 1939,
radiation poisoning in both these attacks. These
attacks virtually ended the war with Japan.
Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30,
Germany invaded Poland. When that happened,
1945. Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945. On
Britain and France declared war on Germany.
August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered. World War II
Germany made treaties with Italy and Japan. The
ended on August 15, 1945. The war not officially
over until President Harry Truman issued a
homes and property. The legacy of the war would
"proclamation of formal cessation of World War II
include the spread of communism from the Soviet
hostilities". This occurred on December 31, 1946.
Union into eastern Europe as well as its eventual
In conclusion World War II proved to be the most
triumph in China, and the global shift in power from
devastating international conflict in history, taking
Europe to two rival superpowers–the United States
the lives of some 35 to 60 million people, including
and the Soviet Union–that would soon face off
6 million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis.
against each other in the Cold War.
Millions more were injured, and still more lost their
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Question: Compare World War I to World War II, identifying similarities in the causes, development, and
outcomes of the wars. Your answer should be at least 200 words.