World War II: A Concise History
Fascist Aggression
The League of Nations failed to curb international aggression. Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 marked a turning point. Italy invaded Abyssinia and Albania, while Germany remilitarized the Rhineland. The Spanish Civil War, with intervention from Mussolini and Hitler, became a precursor to World War II.
The Policy of Appeasement
Hitler’s annexation of Austria in 1938 violated the Treaty of Paris. A policy of appeasement, rooted in inaction against fascist aggression in Spain, emboldened Hitler. Britain and France abandoned Czechoslovakia, allowing Nazi occupation. Hitler then seized Memel and threatened Poland.
The Invasion of Poland
Following a non-aggression pact with Stalin, Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. France and the UK declared war on Germany. The USSR occupied the Baltic states, attacked Finland, and annexed eastern Poland.
Blitzkrieg
Germany launched blitzkrieg attacks, occupying neutral Norway and Belgium. France fell, leading to an armistice and the Vichy regime. General de Gaulle established Free France in London.
The Battle of Britain and the Balkans
Germany focused on an air assault against Britain, led by Winston Churchill. Italy attacked Greece.
The World at War
Europe was divided, with totalitarian regimes dominating. Democracy persisted in the UK, some neutral countries, and Finland.
The Invasion of the USSR
Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 was a strategic blunder. Despite initial setbacks, the Soviets resisted fiercely. The brutality of the German occupation hindered Nazi efforts to exploit anti-Stalinist sentiment.
U.S. Intervention
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to U.S. entry into the war. Japan’s Pacific offensives, including the capture of Singapore, weakened British power and signaled the decline of European colonialism in Asia.
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad marked a turning point. The German defeat was a major setback for the Axis powers.
The Defeat of the Axis
The Allied landing in Sicily led to the collapse of the fascist regime in Italy. The Normandy landings in 1944 opened a second front. The Allies liberated France and advanced into Germany, despite a Nazi counteroffensive. Internal resistance in Germany grew, culminating in a failed attempt on Hitler’s life.
The End of the War
Germany, invaded from east and west, faced imminent defeat. At the Yalta Conference, Allied leaders planned the postwar order. Hitler’s suicide preceded Germany’s unconditional surrender in May 1945. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced Japan’s surrender, ending World War II.