History & Culture
World War II
World War II was a global conflict fought from 1939 to 1945 between the Allied powers and the Axis powers.
World War II was a global conflict fought primarily between the Allied powers and the Axis powers. In Europe, the war began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Fighting spread across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and other regions, involving military forces and civilian populations on an enormous scale.
Germany surrendered in May 1945, ending the war in Europe. The conflict continued in Asia and the Pacific until Japan formally surrendered on September 2, 1945. The war included the Holocaust, widespread destruction, mass displacement, and the first wartime use of atomic bombs, and it profoundly reshaped international politics.
Quick facts
- Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, beginning the war in Europe.
- The major Axis powers included Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan.
- Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into the war.
- Germany's surrender in May 1945 ended the war in Europe.
- Japan signed its formal surrender on September 2, 1945, ending the global conflict.
A surprising fact
The name "World War II" became the official United States government designation only after the conflict had ended in 1945.