1. World War II

2. When? September 1, 1939 – Germany invades Poland
May 8, 1945 – Germany surrenders
August 15, 1945 – Japan surrenders
Sep 2, 1945 – Japan signs official surrender document, officially ending the war

3. Who? Axis – Germany, Italy and Japan
Allies – France, Britain, USSR and later the US

4. Where
All over Europe and North Africa between the European countries and US (Allies)
The Pacific Ocean between Japan and the Allies

5. Why? The Treaty of Versailles!!
Germany built up its army in defiance of the Treaty
Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935
Spanish Civil War broke out in July, 1936 with various countries supporting both sides (as a preview to the way the countries would divide in WWII)
Japan invades China in 1937
1938 – Germany takes Austria (also forbidden by the Treaty)
1939 – Germany takes the German parts of Czechoslovakia

6. Why? Continued
1938 – September, Britain and Germany have the Munich Agreement, allow Germany to keep its conquered land but don’t take any more
March, 1939 – Germany takes the rest of Czechoslovakia
Britain and France promise to defend Poland from German aggression
April, 1939 – Italy conquers Albania, F and B promise to protect Greece and Albania like they did Poland
August, 1939 – Germany and USSR sign their non-aggression pact, guaranteeing that they would split Poland evenly and that Germany wouldn’t have to fight USSR to their east, only the rest of Europe to their West

7. Why? Continued
WAR ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1939!!!

8. Effects
Allies Axis
Military dead: Over 16,000,000 Civilian dead: Over 45,000,000 Total dead: Over 61,000,000 (1937–45)
Military dead: Over 8,000,000 Civilian dead: Over 4,000,000 Total dead: Over 12,000,000 (1937–45)

9. Atomic Bombs “Little Boy” dropped on Hiroshima August 6, 1945
“Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki August 9, 1945
LB killed around 90,000 – 166,000 in the 1st 4 months after it dropped
FM killed around 39,000 – 80,000

10. Holocaust
Killed about 6,000,000 Jews (including about 1,000,000 kids!)
Killed about 5,000,000 non-Jews (mentally/physically disabled, Polish, gypsies, Catholics, Communists, etc)