World War II History: Major Events & Aftermath

Posted on Jul 9, 2025 in History

World War II: Pre-War Conflicts (1930-1939)

During 1930-1939, the League of Nations proved unable to prevent major wars and aggressions:

1931: Japan invaded China.
1935: Italy invaded Ethiopia.
1935: Adolf Hitler initiated a policy of remilitarization, violating the Treaty of Versailles.
1936: Hitler and Mussolini strengthened their alliance, supporting fascist General Franco during the Spanish Civil War.
Meanwhile, France and Great Britain pursued a policy of appeasement towards Germany.
France and Great Britain made agreements with Hitler in an attempt to avoid a major war in Europe.
1938: Hitler invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia.
1939: Hitler and Stalin signed a secret non-aggression pact, agreeing to divide Poland in case of war.
1 September 1939: Hitler invaded Poland, leading France and Great Britain to declare war. This marked the beginning of World War II.

The Axis Powers consisted primarily of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

1 September 1939: Germany invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg (lightning war) tactics.
April 1940: Germany invaded Denmark and Norway.
June 1940: Germany invaded Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. France was subsequently divided into two areas:
- German-controlled territory.
- Territory ruled by a pro-German French government (Vichy France).
June 1940: Italy invaded North Africa.
Italy also invaded Greece.

June 1941: Germany invaded the USSR (Operation Barbarossa), aiming to reach Moscow before winter.
The harsh winter of 1941 paralyzed the German advance due to extreme cold and strong Soviet resistance.

7 December 1941: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (Hawaii, USA). The United States subsequently declared war on Germany, Japan, and Italy.
The Japanese also launched attacks on various Pacific Islands.

Several key battles turned the tide against the Axis powers:

Stalingrad: Hitler’s forces were decisively defeated in the USSR, marking the beginning of their retreat on the Eastern Front.
El Alamein: German and Italian forces were defeated in North Africa.
Midway: The Japanese navy was defeated by the U.S. in the Pacific.

In the USSR, the Germans were defeated and forced onto the defensive.
The USA and Great Britain occupied North Africa, then invaded Italy, reaching the gates of Rome. Mussolini was overthrown.
The U.S. began reconquering territories occupied by Japan in the Pacific.

The Allies (United Kingdom, France, USA, China, and USSR) ultimately defeated the Axis (Germany, Japan, and Italy).

1944: The Soviet army began a massive offensive that pushed deep into Germany.
6 June 1944 (D-Day): The Allies (UK and USA) landed in Normandy (French coast), aiming to advance towards Germany from the west.
Germany attempted a final counter-offensive at the Battle of the Bulge, but it failed.
30 April 1945: The Soviets conquered Berlin, leading to Adolf Hitler’s death.
Mussolini was executed upon surrender.
Meanwhile, the Japanese military command vowed to resist until death.
To avoid further Allied casualties and hasten the war’s end, President Truman ordered the use of the atomic bomb.
6 August 1945: The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
9 August 1945: The atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.
2 September 1945: Japan’s unconditional surrender marked the official end of World War II.

The Allies aimed to establish a lasting peace and avoid the failures of the Treaty of Versailles.

February 1945: Yalta Conference
- Attendees: USSR (Stalin), UK (Churchill), USA (Roosevelt).
- Agreements:
  - Convene free and democratic elections in liberated territories.
  - Germany would be disarmed and divided among the victors.
  - The United Nations (UN) would be created.
July 1945: Potsdam Conference
- Attendees: USSR (Stalin), UK (Churchill, later Attlee), USA (Truman).
- Agreements:
  - Decision to prosecute Nazi war criminals (Nuremberg Trials).
  - Growing tensions emerged between the Western Allies (UK, USA) and the USSR, foreshadowing the Cold War.