World War II
Clockwise from top: Allied landing on Normandy beaches on D-Day, the gate of a Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, Red Army soldiers raising the Soviet flag over the Reichstag in Berlin, the Nagasaki atom bomb, the 1936 Nuremberg Rally
Date: September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945 Location: Europe, Pacific, South-East Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Result: Allied victory. Emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers. Creation of First World and Second World spheres of influence in Europe leading to the Cold War. Casus belli: German invasion of Poland and the USSR, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Combatants
Allied Powers: Soviet Union United States United Kingdom Canada et al	Axis Powers: Germany Japan Italy et al
Commanders
Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Winston Churchill William Lyon Mackenzie King	Adolf Hitler Hideki Tojo Benito Mussolini
Casualties
Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000	Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead: 12,000,000

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers (see below), from 1939 until 1945. It is the largest armed conflict the world has ever seen involving air, land and sea battles spanning much of the globe, and including military forces from most nations. The Allies won in 1945. Image File history File links This is a picture I created for the World War II Main Page in Wikipedia. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Bernard Montgomery Bertram Ramsay Trafford Leigh-Mallory Gerd von Rundstedt Erwin Rommel Friedrich Dollmann Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in France by early June, but split up over the entire... Prior to and during World War II Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps (Konzentrationslager or KZ) throughout the territory it controlled. ... Auschwitz, Konzentrationslager Auschwitz-Birkenau, KL Auschwitz, Nazi German Concentration Camp of Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi German extermination camps, along with a number of concentration camps, comprising three main camps and 40 to 50 sub-camps. ... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ... Soviet Flag: 1:4 ratio July 1923-November 13, 1923 The first official flag of the Soviet Union was adopted in December of 1922 at the First Congress of Soviets of the USSR. It was agreed that the red banner was transformed from the symbol of the Party to the... The Reichstag building. ... Combatants Nazi Germany Soviet Union (incl. ... The Fat Man mushroom cloud resulting from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rises 18 km (11 mi, 60,000 ft) into the air from the hypocenter. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... The Nuremberg Rally (officially, Reichsparteitag, literally National Day of the (Nazi)Party - referring to the Nazi Party) was the annual rally of the NSDAP (Nazi Party) in the years 1923 to 1938 in Germany. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting from 1939 to 1945 during World War II. // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles... US landings in the Pacific, 1942–1945 The Pacific War was the part of World War II that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, 1937 to 1945. ... The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... The Mediterranean region. ... The name African campaigns of World War II refers to actions which took place in World War II between Allied forces and Axis forces, between 1940 and 1943 both on the African mainland and in nearby waters and islands. ... An American B-2 bomber in flight. ... The terms First World, Second World, and Third World were used to divide the nations of Earth into three broad categories. ... A map of countries often considered to make up the Second World. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... The Cold War (Russian: Холодная Война Kholodnaya Voina) was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between capitalism and communism, centering around the global superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union, and their military alliance partners. ... Casus belli is a modern Latin-based expression meaning occasion of war, used officially to refer to the grievances section of a formal Declaration of war. ... Combatants Poland Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South) Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions 16 brigades 4,300 guns 880 tanks 400 aircraft Total: 1,000,000[1] 56 German divisions, 33+ Soviet... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes Casualties... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Stalin redirects here. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC(Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, LL.B, Ph. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Hitler redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_-_variant. ... Hideki Tojo (KyÅ«jitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機; ) (December 30, 1884 – December 23, 1948) was a General in the Imperial Japanese Army, a ultranationalist thinker, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan; he served as prime minister during much of World War II, from October 18, 1941 to July 22, 1944. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946). ... Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (July 29, 1883 – April 28, 1945) led Italy from 1922 to 1943. ... Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting from 1939 to 1945 during World War II. // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles... The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in central and eastern European regions from June 1941 to May 1945. ... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... The Mediterranean region. ... US landings in the Pacific, 1942–1945 The Pacific War was the part of World War II that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, 1937 to 1945. ... Combatants Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy United States Navy Kriegsmarine Regia Marina Commanders Sir Percy Noble Sir Max K. Horton Ernest J. King Erich Raeder Karl Dönitz Casualties 30,248 merchant sailors 3,500 merchant vessels 175 warships 28,000 sailors 783 submarines The Second Battle of the Atlantic... A world war is a military conflict affecting the majority of the worlds major nations. ... The United States detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Overview

Europe

The war started in Europe on September 1, 1939 when Germany led by Adolf Hitler invaded Poland. The United Kingdom and France responded by declaring war on Germany two days later. The Soviet Union, in fulfilment of the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, invaded Eastern Poland on 17 September. Later that year Stalin attacked Finland in the Winter War, and seized the Baltic states. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Hitler redirects here. ... Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 200,000 men, 32 tanks, 119 aircraft (In the beginning), 250,000 men, 30 tanks, 130 aircraft (At the end) 460,000 men, 1,500 tanks, 1,000 aircraft (In the beginning), 1,000,000... Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ...

Vast areas of Europe and North Africa, as well as the oceans, became battlefields. The German Blitzkrieg rapidly overwhelmed Poland in 1939, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France in 1940, and Yugoslavia and Greece in 1941. By summer 1941, Germany had conquered France and most of Western Europe, but it had failed to subdue the United Kingdom. One of the defining characteristics of what is commonly known as Blitzkrieg is close co-operation between infantry and tanks. ...

Hitler then opened another front, on June 22, 1941, with the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. This was bogged down upon reaching the outskirts of Moscow in late 1941. The Soviets later encircled and captured the German Sixth Army at the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43), decisively defeated the Axis during the Battle of Kursk, and broke the Siege of Leningrad. The Red Army then pursued the retreating Wehrmacht all the way to Berlin, and won the street-by-street Battle of Berlin, as Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker on 30 April 1945. June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Combatants Axis Powers Soviet Union Commanders Friedrich Paulus Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Georgy Zhukov Vasily Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength German Sixth Army German Fourth Panzer Army Romanian Third Army Romanian Fourth Army Hungarian Second Army Italian Eighth Army 500,000 Germans Unknown number Reinforcements Unknown number Axis-allies Stalingrad... The word axis has several meanings: In mathematics, axis can mean: A straight line around which a geometric figure can be rotated. ... Combatants Germany Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein, Günther von Kluge, Walther Model Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Nikolai Vatutin Strength 800,000 infantry, 2,700 tanks, 2,000 aircraft 1,300,000 infantry, 3,600 tanks, 2,400 aircraft Casualties 500,000 dead, wounded, or captured 500 tanks 200... Combatants Axis Powers, Spanish Blue Division Soviet Union Commanders Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Georg von Kuechler Kliment Voroshilov Georgy Zhukov Strength 725,000 930,000 Casualties Unknown 300,000 military, 16,470 civilians from bombings and estimated 1 million civilians from starvation The Siege of Leningrad (Russian: блокада Ленинграда) was the German... German cavalry and motorized units entering Poland from East Prussia during the Polish Campaign of 1939 Wehrmacht (Defence force) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... Combatants Nazi Germany Soviet Union (incl. ...

Meanwhile, the western Allies invaded North Africa (1942) and Italy (1943), then liberated France following amphibious landings in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Repulsing a German counterattack at the Battle of the Bulge in December, the Allies crossed the Rhine River, and linked up with the Soviets at the Elbe River in central Germany. Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Bernard Montgomery Bertram Ramsay Trafford Leigh-Mallory Gerd von Rundstedt Erwin Rommel Friedrich Dollmann Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown, probably some 1,000,000 in France by early June, but split up over the entire... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower George Patton Bernard Montgomery Walther Model Gerd von Rundstedt Strength Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery. ...

The naval war in the North Atlantic was the failed attempt by German U-boats to stop the flow of equipment and supplies to Britain. It was defeated by convoys and systematic patrols, using improved sonar, radar, and by directing destroyers to the U-boats' locations by breaking the German naval code.

The Luftwaffe tried and failed to defeat the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain (1940). The British and American air forces bombed German facilities in France and cities in Germany. The Allied used large-scale strategic bombing tactics, systematically destroying all major cities inside Germany. For a representative case study see Ludwigshafen am Rhein, the city targeted because it was the center of Germany's chemical industry. The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: air force, literally Air Arm or Air Weapon, IPA: [luftvafə]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Albert Kesselring Strength 700 fighters 1,260 bombers, 316 dive-bombers, 1,089 fighters Casualties 1,547 aircraft, 27,450 civilian dead, 32,138 wounded 2,698 aircraft One of the major campaigns of the early part of World War... Map of Germany showing Ludwigshafen am Rhein Panorama from the west Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a city in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, with about 162,000 inhabitants. ...

Asia and the Pacific

In Asia, Japan had invaded China in 1937. The United States supported China, cut off Japan's oil and scrap metal supplies (1941), and was in turn attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. After six months of sweeping successes, including victory in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese were decisively defeated in the Battle of Midway, in which they lost four aircraft carriers. American submarines gradually cut off supply of oil and raw materials to Japan. After the close-fought Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942, the Americans achieved victory in a series of great naval battles such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944, and invasions of key islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa in 1945. The Americans and Allies had over a million infantry poised to invade the home islands of Japan in late 1945. December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes Casualties... Combatants United States, Australia Japan Commanders Chester Nimitz Frank Jack Fletcher Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Aritomo Goto Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 small carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 large carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker, 543 personnel 1 small carrier, 1 destroyer, 1,074 personnel... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Chester Nimitz, Frank J. Fletcher, Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto, Chuichi Nagumo, Tamon Yamaguchi† Strength Three carriers, ~50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft Four carriers, Seven battleships, ~150 support ships, 248 carrier aircraft, 16 floatplanes Casualties 1 carrier and... Operation Watchtower On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division performed an amphibious landing east of the Tenaru River. ... Combatants Allies Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Jisaburo Ozawa Strength 17 aircraft carriers 18 escort carriers 12 battleships 24 cruisers 141 destroyers and destroyer escorts Many PT boats, submarines and fleet auxiliaries About 1,500 planes 4 aircraft carriers 9 battleships 19 cruisers 34 destroyers About 200 planes... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Holland Smith Tadamichi Kuribayashi† Strength 100,000 Marines 20,700 soldiers Casualties 6,821 dead 20,000 wounded 18,000 dead 216 captured Battle of Iwo Jima (Operation Detachment) was fought between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan during... Combatants United States United Kingdom (naval involvement only) Empire of Japan Commanders Simon Bolivar Buckner† Joseph Stilwell Mitsuru Ushijima† Strength 548,000 marines 107,000 regulars 24,000 militia Casualties 12,500 killed or missing 38,000 wounded 33,096 non-combat wounded 38 ships lost 763 aircraft lost 110...

The Japanese in October 1944 started using Kamikaze aircraft on suicide missions. Loaded with explosives, the pilots dived into warships, a far more effective tactic than trying to drop a bomb. Kamikaze pilot Hachiro Hosokawa during World War II. He survived the war, because he belonged to a covering fighter squadron. ...

The American strategic bombing campaign against Japan depended on development of the very long-range B-29 bomber, which by 1945 burned out Tokyo and most of Japan's larger cities with fire bombs and ended with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Boeing Model 341/345) was a four-engine heavy bomber flown by the United States Army Air Force. ... The Fat Man mushroom cloud resulting from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rises 18 km (11 mi, 60,000 ft) into the air from the hypocenter. ...

Aftermath

About 62 million people, or 2.5% of the world population, died in the war, though estimates vary greatly (refer to the Casualties section). The war concluded with the surrender and occupation of Germany and Japan. The United Nations was founded in 1945. After World War II, Europe was informally split into Western and Soviet spheres of influence, which set the stage for the Cold War. In Asia however, the defeat of Japan led to its democratization and independence for China and Korea. China's civil war was finally won by the Communists under Mao Zedong, who created the People's Republic of China. The war also resulted in many ideological revolutions, the establishment of new states, technological innovations, and changes in society. Piechart showing percentage of military and civilian deaths by alliance during World War II. World War II was the single deadliest conflict the world has ever seen, causing many tens of millions of deaths. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A sphere of influence (SOI) is an area or region over which an organization or state exerts some kind of indirect cultural, economic, military or political domination. ... The Cold War (Russian: Холодная Война Kholodnaya Voina) was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between capitalism and communism, centering around the global superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union, and their military alliance partners. ... Democratization is the transition from an authoritarian or a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic political system. ... Combatants Chinese Nationalist Party Chinese Communist Party Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Mao Zedong Strength 3,600,000 circa June 1948 2,800,000 circa June 1948 The Chinese Civil War (Traditional Chinese: 國共内戰; Simplified Chinese: 国共内战; Pinyin: guógòng neìzhàn; literally Nationalist-Communist Civil War) was a conflict in... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Causes

Benito Mussolini (left) and Adolf Hitler.

Main articles: Causes of World War II, Events preceding World War II in Europe, and Events preceding World War II in Asia

Commonly held general causes for WWII are the rise of nationalism, the rise of militarism, and the presence of unresolved territorial issues. Fascist movements emerged in Italy and Germany during the global economic instability of the 1920s, and consolidated power during the Great Depression of the 1930s. In Germany, resentment of the Treaty of Versailles — specifically article 231 (the "Guilt Clause") —, the belief in the Dolchstosslegende, and the onset of the Great Depression fueled the rise to power of the militarist National Socialist German Workers Party (the Nazi party) of which Adolf Hitler was the leader. Meanwhile, the Treaty's provisions were laxly enforced from fear of another war. Closely related is the failure of the UK and French policy of appeasement, which sought to avoid or postpone another war but actually encouraged Hitler to become bolder. The Soviet Union's signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact freed Germany of fear of reprisal from the Soviet Union when Germany invaded Poland. The League of Nations, despite its efforts to prevent the war, relied on the Great Powers to enforce its resolutions and was unable to prevent the start of The Second World War. Image File history File links Hitlermusso. ... Image File history File links Hitlermusso. ... Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (July 29, 1883 – April 28, 1945) led Italy from 1922 to 1943. ... Hitler redirects here. ... The immediate Causes of World War II are generally held to be the German invasion of Poland, and the Japanese attacks on China, the United States, and British and Dutch colonies. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... This article is concerned with the events that preceded World War II in Asia. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix Nationalism is an ideology [1] that holds that a nation is the fundamental unit for human social life, and takes precedence over any other social and political principles. ... Militarism or militarist ideology is the doctrinal view of a society as being best served (or more efficient) when it is governed or guided by concepts embodied in the culture, doctrine, system, or people of the military. ... Fascism is a radical political ideology that combines elements of corporatism, authoritarianism, nationalism, militarism, anti-anarchism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism. ... The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 (although its effects were not fully felt until late in 1930) and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ... Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles was the “Guilt Clause” or the War Guilt Clause, in which Germany was forced to take complete responsibility for starting World War I or face renewed warfare. ... Magazine title from 1924, example of a propaganda illustration in support of the legend The Dolchstoßlegende or Dolchstosslegende, (German dagger-thrust legend, often translated in English as stab-in-the-back legend) refers to a social mythos and persecution-propaganda and belief among bitter post-World War I German... The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 (although its effects were not fully felt until late in 1930) and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; NSDAP), generally known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ... Hitler redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Appeasement of Hitler be merged into this article or section. ... Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... The Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, built between 1929 and 1938, was constructed as the Leagues headquarters. ...

Japan in the 1930s was ruled by a militarist clique devoted to becoming a world power. Japan invaded China in 1937 to bolster its meager stock of natural resources. The United States and the United Kingdom reacted by making loans to China, providing covert military assistance, and instituting increasingly broad embargoes of raw materials against Japan. These embargoes would have eventually forced Japan to give up its newly conquered possession in China because the Japanese would not have enough fuel to run their war machine. Japan was faced with the choice of withdrawing from China or going to war with the United States in order to conquer the oil resources of the Dutch East Indies. It chose the latter, and went ahead with plans for the Greater East Asia War in the Pacific. Combatants Republic of China Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-Tung, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Hideki Tojo, Matsui Iwane, Jiro Minami, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Yasuji Okamura. ... This article concerns the American Volunteer Group, a World War II unit usually known as the Flying Tigers. For other uses of the term see Flying Tigers (disambiguation). ... The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, (Dutch: Nederlands-Indië) was the name of the colonies set up by the Dutch East India Company, which came under administration of the Netherlands during the 19th century (see Indonesia). ... The Greater East Asia War was a term used, at least publicly in December of 1941, by Japans Imperial General Headquarters (Imperial GHQ) to refer to the conflict that followed (and ultimately reversed) Japans invasions in the 1930s and early 1940s of other nations in eastern Asia and...

Chronology

Main articles: European Theatre of World War II, Eastern Front (World War II), Middle East Theatre of World War II, Pacific War, and Mediterranean Theatre of World War II

Main articles: The Holocaust, End of World War II in Europe, and Strategic bombing during World War II

Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting from 1939 to 1945 during World War II. // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles... The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in central and eastern European regions from June 1941 to May 1945. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... US landings in the Pacific, 1942–1945 The Pacific War was the part of World War II that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, 1937 to 1945. ... The Mediterranean region. ... Selection procedure of Hungarian Jews at the Auschwitz camp on 26 May 1944, where the Nazis chose whom to kill immediately and whom to use as slave labor or for medical experimentation. ... The final battles of the European Theatre of World War II and the German surrender took place in late April and early May 1945. ... Strategic Bombing during World War II was unlike anything the world had previously witnessed. ...

Second Sino-Japanese war 1937-1945

Main article: Second Sino-Japanese War

The Second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937 when Japan attacked deep into China from its foothold in Manchuria. On July 7, 1937, Japan, after occupying Manchuria since 1931, launched another attack against China near Beiping (now Beijing). The Japanese made initial advances but were stalled in the Battle of Shanghai. The city eventually fell to the Japanese in December 1937, and the capital city Nanjing (Nanking) also fell. As a result, the Chinese government moved its seat to Chongqing for the remainder of the war. The Japanese forces committed brutal atrocities against civilians and prisoners of war in the Rape of Nanking, slaughtering as many as 300,000 civilians within a month. By 1940, the war had reached a stalemate with both sides making minimal gains. The United States provided heavy financial support for China and set up the Flying Tigers air unit to bolster Chinese air forces. Combatants Republic of China Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-Tung, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Hideki Tojo, Matsui Iwane, Jiro Minami, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Yasuji Okamura. ... Combatants Republic of China Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-Tung, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Hideki Tojo, Matsui Iwane, Jiro Minami, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Yasuji Okamura. ... Manchuria (Manchu: Manju; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Simplified Chinese: 满洲; pinyin: Mǎnzhōu, Russian: ) is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Manchuria (Manchu: Manju; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Simplified Chinese: 满洲; pinyin: Mǎnzhōu, Russian: ) is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (盧溝橋事變; also known as 七七事變, 七七盧溝橋事變) was a battle between Japans Imperial Army and Chinas National Revolutionary Army, marking the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ... Beijing (Chinese: ; pinyin: Běijīng; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Combatants Republic of China Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Chu Shao-liang, Chang Fa-kuei Heisuke Yanagawa, Iwane Matsui Strength 600,000 troops in 75 divisions and 9 brigades, 250 airplanes 300,000 troops in 8 divisions and 6 brigades, 3000 airplanes, 300 tanks, 130 warships... Nanjing (Chinese: 南京 [ ]; Romanizations: Nánjīng (Pinyin) , Nan-ching (Wade-Giles), Nanking (Postal System Pinyin) ) is the capital of Chinas Jiangsu Province and a city with a prominent place in Chinese history and culture. ... Chongqing (Simplified Chinese: 重庆; Traditional Chinese: 重慶; pinyin: Chóngqìng; Wade-Giles: Chung-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Chungking) is the largest and most populous of the Peoples Republic of Chinas four provincial-level municipalities, and the only one in the less densely populated western half of China. ... The term Japanese war crimes refers to events which occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... This article concerns the American Volunteer Group, a World War II unit usually known as the Flying Tigers. For other uses of the term see Flying Tigers (disambiguation). ...

War breaks out in Europe: 1939

Appeasement and Pre-war alliances

Main articles: Appeasement, Franco-Polish Military Alliance, Polish-British Common Defence Pact, Munich Agreement, and Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

The chief aim of the German expansionist policy at the time was the acquisition of Lebensraum (living space) for a greater German Empire at the expense of the peoples of Eastern Europe. As the war developed and military victory became more and more unrealistic, the German leadership focused its attention to a more sinister project, the elimination of European Jewry (see Casualties, civilian impact, and atrocities). It has been suggested that Appeasement of Hitler be merged into this article or section. ... The term Franco-Polish Military Alliance refers to the military alliance between Poland and France that was active between 1921 and 1939. ... The Polish-British Common Defence Pact was an annex to the Franco-Polish Military Alliance signed on August 25, 1939 between representatives of the United Kingdom and Poland. ... Chamberlain holds the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Germany in September 1938. ... Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... Lebensraum is the German term for habitat; used both in ecological and sociological contexts, it literally means living room. ...

The UK and French governments followed a policy of appeasement, in order to avoid a new European war. This policy culminated in the Munich Agreement in 1938, in which the seemingly inevitable outbreak of the war was averted when the United Kingdom and France agreed to the annexation and immediate occupation of the German-speaking regions of Czechoslovakia. UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared that the agreement represented "peace in our time". In March 1939, Germany invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia, effectively killing appeasement. Less than a year after the Munich agreement, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. It has been suggested that Appeasement of Hitler be merged into this article or section. ... Chamberlain holds the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Germany in September 1938. ... Sudetenland (German: Sudetenland; Czech: Sudety, Polish: Sudety) was the name used in the first half of the 20th century for the regions inhabited mostly by Germans in the various places of Bohemia, Moravia, and parts of Silesia. ... Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940) was a Conservative British politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. ...

The failure of the Munich Agreement showed that deals made with Hitler at the negotiating table could not be trusted and that his aspirations for power and dominance in Europe went far beyond anything that the western democracies could tolerate. Poland and France pledged on May 19, 1939 to provide each other with military assistance in the event either was attacked. The British had already offered support to Poland in March. On August 23, 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The Pact included a secret protocol which would divide Central Europe into German and Soviet areas of interest, including a provision to partition Poland. Each country agreed to allow the other a free hand in its area of influence, including military occupation. The deal provided for sales of oil and food from the Soviets to Germany, thus reducing the danger of a UK blockade such as the one that had nearly starved Germany in World War I. Hitler was then ready to go to war with Poland and, if necessary, with the United Kingdom and France. He claimed there were German grievances relating to the issues of the "free city" of Danzig and the "Polish corridor", but he planned to conquer all Polish territory and incorporate it into the German Reich. The signing of a new alliance between the United Kingdom and Poland on August 25 did not significantly alter his plans. Chamberlain holds the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Germany in September 1938. ... May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... Regions of Europe Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ...

Enigma
On 25 July 1939 the Polish Cipher Bureau revealed its Enigma-decryption achievements to intelligence representatives of France and Britain. Former Bletchley Park mathematician-cryptologist Gordon Welchman has written: "Ultra would never have gotten off the ground if we had not learned from the Poles, in the nick of time, the details both of the German military... Enigma machine, and of the operating procedures that were in use." The Biuro Szyfrów ( (?), Polish for Cipher Bureau) was the Polish agency concerned with cryptology between World Wars I and II. The Bureau enjoyed notable successes against Soviet cryptography during the Polish-Soviet War, helping to preserve Polands independence. ... Look up enigma in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... During World War II, codebreakers at Bletchley Park solved messages from a large number of Axis code and cipher systems, including the German Enigma machine. ... William Gordon Welchman (15 June 1906–8 October 1985) was a British mathematician and World War II codebreaker at Bletchley Park. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ...

Invasion of Poland

Polish infantry during the Invasion of Poland, September 1939.

Main article: Invasion of Poland (1939)

On September 1, Germany invaded Poland, using the false pretext of a faked "Polish attack" on a German border post. Image File history File links Polish infantry File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Polish infantry File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Combatants Poland Nazi Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-Śmigły Fedor von Bock (Army Group North) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South) Ferdinand Čatloš (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions 16 brigades 4,300 guns 880 tanks 400 aircraft Total: 950,000[1] 56 German divisions 4 German... Combatants Poland Nazi Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-Śmigły Fedor von Bock (Army Group North) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South) Ferdinand Čatloš (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions 16 brigades 4,300 guns 880 tanks 400 aircraft Total: 950,000[1] 56 German divisions 4 German... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... The Gleiwitz incident was the simulated attack on 31 August, 1939 against the German radio station Sender Gleiwitz (Polish: Radiostacja Gliwicka) in Gleiwitz, Germany (now Gliwice, Poland) on the eve of World War II in Europe. ...

On September 3, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany, followed quickly by Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The French mobilized slowly, and then mounted only a token offensive in the Saar, which they soon abandoned, while the British could not take any direct action in support of the Poles in the time available (see Western betrayal). Meanwhile, on September 8, the Germans reached Warsaw, having slashed through the Polish defenses. With an area of 2570 km² and 1. ... Western betrayal is a popular term in several Central European nations (including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, the Baltic States) which refers to the foreign policy of several Western countries during the period from the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 through World War II and to the Cold War. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... Warsaw (Polish: , (?), in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto StoÅ‚eczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ...

On September 17, the Soviet Union, pursuant to its agreement with Germany, invaded Poland from the east, throwing Polish defences into chaos by opening the second front. A day later the Polish president and commander-in-chief both fled to Romania. On October 1, hostile forces, after a one-month siege of Warsaw, entered the city. The last Polish units surrendered on October 6. Poland, however, never officially surrendered to the Germans. Some Polish troops evacuated to neighboring countries. In the aftermath of the September Campaign, occupied Poland managed to create a powerful resistance movement and contributed significant military forces to the Allies for the duration of World War II. September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Battle of Warsaw Conflict Polish Defence War of 1939 Date 8 to September 28, 1939 Place Warsaw, Poland Result Polish defeat The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army (Armia Warszawa) garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland (Warsaw) and the German Army. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... The Romanian Bridgehead (Polish Przedmoście rumuńskie) was an area in South-Eastern Poland, nowadays located in Ukraine. ... Polish Secret State (also known as Polish Underground State; Polish Polskie Państwo Podziemne) is a term coined by Jan Karski in his book Story of a Secret State; it is used to refer to all underground resistance organizations in Poland during World War II, both military and civilian. ... Poland: First to Fight (poster, 1939). ...

Phony War

Main article: Phony War

After Poland fell, Germany paused to regroup during the winter of 1939-1940 until April 1940, while the British and French stayed on the defensive. The period was referred to by journalists as "the Phony War," or the "Sitzkrieg," because so little ground combat took place. British Ministry of Home Security Poster The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland. ... British Ministry of Home Security Poster The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland. ...

Battle of the Atlantic

Main articles: Second Battle of the Atlantic and Battle of the River Plate

The U-Boat U-47 returns from sinking HMS Royal Oak, the battleship Scharnhorst is in the background

Meanwhile in the North Atlantic, German U-boats operated against Allied shipping. The submarines made up in skill, luck, and courage what they lacked in numbers. One U-boat sank the UK aircraft carrier HMS Courageous, while another U-boat managed to sink the battleship HMS Royal Oak in its home anchorage of Scapa Flow. Altogether, the U-boats sank more than 110 vessels in the first four months of the war. The most damaging effect of the U-boats was in sinking transatlantic merchant shipping. Combatants Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy United States Navy Kriegsmarine Regia Marina Commanders Sir Percy Noble Sir Max K. Horton Ernest J. King Erich Raeder Karl Dönitz Casualties 30,248 merchant sailors 3,500 merchant vessels 175 warships 28,000 sailors 783 submarines The Second Battle of the Atlantic... Combatants Nazi Germany United Kingdom New Zealand Commanders Hans Langsdorff Henry Harwood Strength 1 pocket battleship (Panzerschiffe) Admiral Graf Spee 1 heavy cruiser 2 light cruisers Casualties 1 pocket battleship scuttled 36 killed 1 heavy cruiser Exeter heavily damaged 72 killed The Battle of the River Plate (December 13, 1939... Image File history File links Scharnhorst-8. ... Image File history File links Scharnhorst-8. ... Unterseeboot 47 (U-47) was a German type VII B U-Boat (submarine). ... Seven (or eleven, depending on how one counts) vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Royal Oak. ... Gerhard von Scharnhorst was a Prussian general. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... HMS Courageous was a warship of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Royal Oak was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, sunk early in World War II. She was laid down at Devonport, Devon on 15 January 1914 and launched on 17 November of that year. ... Scapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. ...

After 1943 Germany had no serious chance of victory at sea. The Allies produced ships faster than they were sunk, and lost fewer ships by adopting the convoy system. Improved anti-submarine warfare meant that the life-expectancy of a typical U-boat crew would be measured in months. The vastly improved Type 21 U-boat appeared as the war ended, but too late. A convoy is a group of vehicles or ships traveling together for mutual support. ... Anti-submarine warfare is a term referring to warfare directed against submarines. ... Type XXI U-boat U 3008, postwar photo Type XXI U-boats, also known as the Elektroboote, were the first submarines designed to operate entirely submerged, rather than as surface ships that could submerge as a temporary means to escape detection or launch an attack. ...

Germany used only a few surface raiders, most notably the pocket battleship Graf Spee. It sank 9 merchant ships, won the Battle of the River Plate, then was scuttled by its crew at Montevideo, Uruguay in December, 1939. Admiral Graf Spee was a Deutschland class heavy cruiser which served with the Kriegsmarine of Germany during World War II. Originally classified as an armored ship (Panzerschiff), she was later reclassified as a heavy cruiser, and was referred to as a pocket battleship by the British. ... Combatants Nazi Germany United Kingdom New Zealand Commanders Hans Langsdorff Henry Harwood Strength 1 pocket battleship (Panzerschiffe) Admiral Graf Spee 1 heavy cruiser 2 light cruisers Casualties 1 pocket battleship scuttled 36 killed 1 heavy cruiser Exeter heavily damaged 72 killed The Battle of the River Plate (December 13, 1939... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

War spreads: 1940

Soviet-Finnish War and occupation of Baltic Republics

Main articles: Winter War and Occupation of Baltic Republics

In a secret Soviet-German agreement, Finland was designated an SU buffer zone, and the Soviets attacked on November 30, 1939, which started the Winter War. Despite outnumbering Finnish troops by 4:1, the war proved embarrassingly difficult for the Red Army, and the Finnish defence prevented an all-out invasion. Finally, however, the Soviets prevailed and the peace treaty saw Finland cede strategically important border areas near Leningrad. The war triggered an international outcry and on December 14 the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations. In June 1940 the Soviet Union occupied Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, sending the local leadership to the Gulag; it annexed Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina from Romania. Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 200,000 men, 32 tanks, 119 aircraft (In the beginning), 250,000 men, 30 tanks, 130 aircraft (At the end) 460,000 men, 1,500 tanks, 1,000 aircraft (In the beginning), 1,000,000... This term is generally used for the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) in the first phases of World War II. // History of the occupation Before the beginning of World War II Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed an ostensible non-aggression treaty known as... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 200,000 men, 32 tanks, 119 aircraft (In the beginning), 250,000 men, 30 tanks, 130 aircraft (At the end) 460,000 men, 1,500 tanks, 1,000 aircraft (In the beginning), 1,000,000... 1927 map of Bessarabia from Charles Upson Clarks book Bessarabia or Bessarabiya (Basarabia in Romanian, Besarabya in Turkish) was the name by which the Imperial Russia designated the eastern part of the principality of Moldavia ceded by the Ottoman Empire to Russia in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish... Bukovina (Ukrainian: Буковина, Bukovyna; Romanian: Bucovina; German and Polish: Bukowina; see also other languages) is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains. ...

Invasion of Denmark and Norway

Main article: Norwegian Campaign

Germany invaded Denmark and Norway on April 9, 1940, in Operation Weserübung, in part to counter the threat of an impending Allied invasion of Norway. Denmark did not resist, but Norway fought back. The United Kingdom, whose own invasion was ready to launch, landed in the north. By late June, the Allies were defeated and withdrew, Germany controlled most of Norway, and the Norwegian Army had surrendered, while the royal family escaped to London. Germany used Norway as a base for air and naval attacks on Arctic convoys headed to the Soviet Union. German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign led to the first direct confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for Germany seeking the occupation of Norway was Germanys... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Operation Weserübung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... Ranks Norwegian military ranks The Norwegian Army (Norwegian: Hæren) is Norways military land force. ... The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United States and the United Kingdom to the northern ports of the Soviet Union - Archangel and Murmansk. ...

Invasion of France and the Low Countries

Main articles: Battle of France and Battle of the Netherlands

On May 10, 1940, the Germans invaded Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, ending the Phony War. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Army advanced into northern Belgium and planned to fight a mobile war in the north while maintaining a static continuous front along the Maginot Line further south. The Allied plans were immediately smashed by the most classic example in history of Blitzkrieg. The Dutch city of Rotterdam was destroyed in a bombing raid. Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Australia New Zealand Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand (French) Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) H.G. Winkelman (Dutch) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H... Combatants Kingdom of the Netherlands Nazi Germany Commanders Henry G. Winkelman, Jan Joseph Godfried baron van Voorst tot Voorst Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Strength 9 divisions, 676 guns, 1 tank (inoperational), 124 aircraft Total: 350,000 men 22 divisions, 1,378 guns, 759 tanks, 1150 aircraft Total: 750... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maʒino], named after French minister of defense André Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy in the wake of World War I. Generally the term... One of the defining characteristics of what is commonly known as Blitzkrieg is c