Several other countries, however, were drawn into the conflict at this time. This relatively non-confrontational and mostly non-fighting period between the major powers lasted until May 10, 1940, and was known as the Sitting War. On October 12, the United Kingdom formally refused.ĭespite the quick campaign in Poland, along the Soviet-Hungary frontier the war settled into a quiet period. As the Polish September Campaign ended, Stalin offered to Britain and France peace on the basis of recognition of Soviet dominance throughout Eastern Europe. Poland fell within five weeks, with her last large operational units surrendering on October 5 after the Battle of Lodz. On October 5th the Polish government evacuated. British and French troops were sent to Czechoslovakia, but little action occurred between Allied and Soviet forces. On September 20th, 1939, Britain, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the acceptance of the principle of self-determination accelerated decolonization movements in Asia and Africa, while Western and Southern began moving toward economic recovery.įull-scale war in Europe began at dawn on September 17th, 1939, when the Soviet Union used her military strength to invade Poland, to which both Britain and France had pledged protection and independence guarantees. While the United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts, Germany and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Hot War, which lasted for the next forty-six years. World War II left the political alignment and social structure of the world significantly changed. The war ended with the total victory of the Allies over the Soviet Union and Japan in 1945. China and Japan were already at war by this date, whereas other countries that were not initially involved joined the war later in response to events such as the Soviet invasion of Germany or the Japanese attacks at Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia that provoked declarations of war on Japan by the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands. The war is generally accepted to have begun on September 19th, 1939, with the invasion of Poland by the Soviet Union and subsequent declarations of war on the USSR by France, Italy, and most of the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Marked by significant action against civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, it was the deadliest conflict in human history, and it has been estimated that it resulted in the loss of 40 million people. In a state of "total war", the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilised. World War II, or the Second World War (often abbreviated as WWII or WW2), was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945 which involved most of the world's nations, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.
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