essay on world war 1 and 2

World War I vs. World War II

The First World War (WWI) was fought from 1914 to 1918 and the Second World War (or WWII) was fought from 1939 to 1945. They were the largest military conflicts in human history. Both wars involved military alliances between different groups of countries.

World War I (a.k.a the First World War, the Great War, the War To End All Wars) was centered on Europe. The world warring nations were divided into two groups namely ‘The Central Powers’ and ‘The Allied Powers’. The central powers group consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria. The Allied powers group consisted of France, Britain , Russia, Italy, Japan, Canada and (from 1917) the U.S.

World War II (a.k.a the Second World War), the opposing alliances are now referred to as ‘The Axis’ and ‘The Allies’. The Axis group consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allies group consisted of France, Britain, the U.S., the Soviet Union, Canada and China. World War II was especially heinous because of the genocide of Jewish people perpetrated by the Nazis .

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Causes of the war, world war i trigger.

• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on 28 June 1914, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was the trigger for the war. He was killed by Serbian nationalists.
• Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia.
• At same time Germany invaded Belgium , Luxembourg and France
• Russia attacked Germany
• Several alliances formed over the past decades were invoked, so within weeks the major powers were at war; as all had colonies, the conflict soon spread around the world.

This video from Yale explains the events that led to World War I:

Causes of World War II

The Versailles Treaty signed at the end of World War I not only lay the moral blame of the conflict on Germany but also forced the Germans to make huge payments to the victors of the war. France and Britain needed these reparations payments in order to pay down their own debts. But they were highly onerous, arguably unjustifiably so, and were deeply unpopular in Germany. Hitler seized on this growing resentment and promised to "undo this injustice and tear up this treaty and restore Germany to its old greatness". In fact, the payments demanded were so large that Germany was able to repay the final installment of interest on this debt only on October 3, 2010. [1] The following causes of World War II are generally acknowledged:

• Treaty violations and acts of aggression on various fronts.
• Political and economic instability in Germany, combined with bitterness over its defeat in World War I and the harsh conditions of the Treaty of Versailles.
• Rise of power of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. In the mid-1930s Hitler began secretly to rearm Germany, in violation of the treaty.
• Adolf Hitler signed alliances with Italy and Japan to oppose the Soviet Union
• German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939

The following documentary delves into the causes of World War II:

Sequence of events

World war i.

The sequence of events for World War I began in 1914 with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on 28 July 1914 in a bid to reassert its authority as a Balkan power. With war breaking out between Austria-Hungary on one side and Serbia on the other, Europe quickly fell back to the alliances nations had formed. Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies. Serbia was allied with Russia; as was France. Russia aided Serbia and attacked Austria. So Austria-Hungary was fighting in two fronts with Serbia and with Russia and consequently lost on both fronts. In a bid to aid Austria-Hungary against Russia, and fearing an attack from France, Germany mobilized its army and attacked France.

• The French, redeploying round Paris, together with the British, checked the now extended German armies on the Marne. In March and April 1915 British sea and land forces attacked the Dardanelles. The Turks countered both threats, causing the British to evacuate the Gallipoli peninsula at the end of 1915.
• A joint Austro-German offensive at Gorlice-Tarnow (2 May 1915) unlocked Russian Poland and the tsar's shattered armies fell back
• In 1915 the Allies agreed that simultaneous attacks on all fronts were the way to drain the reserves of the Central Powers
• On 21 February 1916 Germans attacked the Verdun salient; however this attack was stalled in June. Austrians' independent offensive against the Italians in the Trentino also stalled.
• Germany finally adopted unrestricted submarine warfare in February 1917, and in doing so drove America into the war.
• The Germans extended their front while reducing their strength by almost a million men. Simultaneously they continued to advance in the east, competing with their Austrian allies in the Ukraine and the Turks in the Caucasus. * The French counter-attacked in July and the British in August. Together with the Americans, they drove the Germans back in a series of individually limited but collectively interlocking offensives.
• On 15th September the Anglo-French forces at Salonika attacked in Macedonia, forcing the Bulgars to seek an armistice by the end of the month.
• The whole of the Central Powers' Italian front crumbled after the Austrian defeat on the Piave in June.
• The German high command initiated the request for an Armistice on 4 October. After the war Germany claimed that the army was ‘stabbed in the back’ by revolution at home. The people of Germany and Austria-Hungary were battered by food shortages and inflation.
• On 11 November an armistice with Germany was signed in a railroad carriage at Compiègne. At 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918 a ceasefire came into effect.

1919 A formal state of war between the two sides persisted for another seven months, until signing of the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on 28 June 1919

World War II

The war that broke out in 1939 was a war for the European balance of power. The immediate cause of the conflict was the German demand for the return of Danzig and part of the Polish ‘corridor’ granted to Poland from German territory in the Versailles Treaty of 1919. Poland refused to agree to German demands, and on 1 September 1939 overwhelming German forces launched the Polish campaign and defeated her in three weeks. Russia also invaded eastern Poland. Poland thus got divided into two parts. In March 1939 Britain and France had guaranteed Polish sovereignty, and in honor of that pledge first demanded that German forces withdraw, and then on 3 September declared war on Germany. America was committed by the Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1937 of non-intervention in overseas conflicts.

This video presents a concise history of the events of World War II:

• German armies invaded Belgium, Luxembourg, and northern France and within six weeks defeated western forces.
• Britain was able to resist German air attacks in the battle of Britain in August and September 1940, and survived a German bombing offensive (the ‘Blitz’) in the winter of 1940-1, but it was not possible for Britain to defeat Germany unaided.
• On 10 June 1940 Mussolini's Italy declared war on Britain and France.
• In December 1940 Hitler turned attention away from Britain and approved BARBAROSSA, the large-scale invasion of the USSR.
• America started giving increasing economic assistance to Britain and China following President Roosevelt's pledge to act as the ‘arsenal of democracy’.
• BARBAROSSA was launched on 22 June 1941 when three million German, Finnish, Romanian, and Hungarian soldiers attacked the whole length of the Soviet western frontier. Soviet Union was shattered.
• In North Africa, Commonwealth forces stationed in Egypt drove Italian armies back across Libya by February 1941
• In Abyssinia and Somaliland Italian forces were forced to surrender by May 1941.
• Italy's complete defeat in Africa was avoided only by Hitler's decision to send German reinforcements under Rommel, and the weak logistical position of Commonwealth forces.
• The US navy became closely involved in the battle of the Atlantic in efforts to break the German submarine blockade of shipping destined for Britain. In March 1941 Congress approved the Lend-Lease Bill which allowed almost unlimited material aid, including weapons, for any state fighting aggression. In the autumn of 1941 this came to include the USSR, despite strong American anti- communism . Throughout 1940 and 1941 the USA tightened an economic blockade of Japan which threatened to cut off most Japanese oil supplies.
• American actions provoked both Japanese and German retaliation. On 7 December 1941 Japanese naval aircraft attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, followed by the rapid conquest of western colonies in south-east Asia and the southern Pacific.
• On 11 December Germany declared war on the USA.
• Russia made a remarkable recovery and in November Germany and her allies attacking Stalingrad (now Volgograd) were cut off by a massive Soviet encirclement, URANUS.
• In November 1942 at Alamein a predominantly Italian force was defeated by Montgomery.
• The USA fought a largely naval and air war between 1942 and 1945, using its very great naval power to deploy troops in major amphibious operations, first in the Solomon Islands to halt the Japanese Pacific advance, then in TORCH, a combined American-British landing in Morocco and Algeria in November 1942.

The entry of the USA signaled a change in the political balance of the war of great significance. German forces in Stalingrad surrendered in January 1943and by May 1943 Italian and German forces finally surrendered in Tunisia, enabling the Allies to mount the invasion of Sicily and then Italy. Italy sued for an armistice in September 1943.

American economic might and political interests helped to bind together the different fronts of conflict, while America's worldwide system of supply and logistics provided the sinews of war necessary to complete the defeat of the aggressor states. A major intelligence deception operation and declining air power weakened the German response and by September 1944 German forces had been driven from France.

• German surrendered on 7 May 1945 following Hitler's suicide on 30 April.
• A long-range bombing campaign destroyed the Japanese cities and most of the Japanese navy and merchant marine. America’s newest weapon, the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
• Soviet forces destroyed the Japanese army in Manchuria; Japan finally capitulated on 2 September.

War strategies

Many of the weapons that dominate military operations today were developed during World War I, including the machine gun, the tank and specialized combat aircraft. This is a great video that explains the military strategies and tactics used during World War I.

• After the war, the Paris Peace Conference imposed a series of peace treaties on the Central Powers. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles officially ended the war. Building on Wilson's 14th point, the Treaty of Versailles also brought into being the League of Nations on 28 June 1919. In signing the treaty, Germany acknowledged responsibility for the war, agreeing to pay enormous war reparations and award territory to the victors. It caused a lot of bitterness.
• Austria–Hungary was partitioned into several successor states.
• The Russian Empire lost much of its western frontier as the newly independent nations of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland were carved from it.
• The war ended with the total victory of the Allies over Germany and Japan in 1945. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.
• The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers.
• Although the totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan were defeated, the war left many unresolved political, social, and economic problems in its wake and brought the Western democracies into direct confrontation with their erstwhile ally, the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin, thereby initiating a period of nearly half a century of skirmishing and nervous watchfulness as two blocs, each armed with nuclear weapons , faced each other probing for any sign of weakness.
• The European economy had collapsed with 70% of the industrial infrastructure destroyed.
• A rapid period of decolonization also took place within the holdings of the various European colonial powers. These primarily occurred due to shifts in ideology, the economic exhaustion from the war and increased demand by indigenous people for self-determination.
• Wikipedia: World War II
• Wikipedia: World War I
• Wikipedia: World War I casualties
• Wikipedia: World War II casualties
• World War I - Encyclopædia Britannica
• What are some interesting facts about the Second World War? - Quora

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Anonymous comments (5).

September 13, 2012, 2:37pm this is awesome — 152.✗.✗.49

May 13, 2014, 5:05pm This is actually really helpful if you'r learning about the ww1 and ww2- it makes things a lot easier. Thxs — 2.✗.✗.119

April 7, 2014, 1:27pm So helpful good for a nerd like me. — 182.✗.✗.155

April 18, 2013, 4:07pm this helped a lot — 150.✗.✗.200

October 7, 2013, 8:12pm Genocide by Germany, was carried out on more than those listed. — 204.✗.✗.1

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World War 1 and World War 2, Essay Example

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The two world wars made significant impacts in the world, which are experienced in various regions and by various groups even today. One of the greatest similarities evident in the two wars is the parties involved in the wars. In both cases, the war was between two parties. While the Allies and the Central Powers were the parties in the First World War, the Axis and the Allies were the parties in the Second World War. The Allies of the First World War included Russia, France, United Kingdom, and Triple Entente. The Central Powers included Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. However, Italy later withdrew from the war after Austria-Hungry took the offensive

World War I was triggered by the death of Austria-Hungary’s Archduke F. Ferdinand. He was the successor of the reigning ruler. The assassination was done by a Yugoslav nationalist. This was seen as war against Austria-Hungary. Therefore, the kingdom’s allies were gathered in readiness for retaliation. On the other hand, the Second World War was triggered by German’s invasion of Poland because it wanted to expand its empire. Subsequently, France and most of the commonwealth countries had declared war on Italy and Germany. Thus, the Second World War began. However, China and Japan were already at war prior to these incidences.

In both wars, the United States’ first attempt was to stay neutral to all parties. However, this attempt did not last long after the United States was pressured to take a stand by the other countries. In both wars, the United States ended up aiding the Allies. President Woodrow Wilson aided the WW1 while Franklin Roosevelt oversaw the second one. This occurred after the United States realized that the Germans were acting as the villains. The United States aided in military and weaponry resources, funds, healthcare and food, amongst other resources. In both cases, the country was on the winning party.

While the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and the Holocaust are the most memorable war crimes in the Second World War, the genocides in Greek, Assyria and Armenia are the most memorable in the First World War. Armenian genocide occurred under ethnic cleansing. This was done by the Ottoman Empire because they perceived the Armenians as the enemy. The Russians were also involved in the death Jews, and Germans because they killed them in thousands. In the Second World War, the Holocaust involved the death of many Jews who were said to be in millions. These Jews were in concentration camps. The Atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima killed more than 166, 000 people within the first four months. These bombings were done by the United States, the China republic and the United Kingdom, which had urged Japan to surrender from the Pacific War, a continuation of the Second World War, without any success. The aftermath of these bombings are still experienced even today.

While the first world War resulted to the change of larger entities (empires/countries) such as imperialistic foreign policies of Italy, French Republic, Ottoman, Austria-Hungarian, British, Russian, and the German Empires, the Second World War influenced individuals. For example, the women in the United States and other significant regions were significantly impacted towards working and fighting for their rights. During the warring period, they had taken up the factory jobs and other jobs to safeguard their families as the majority of the men were in the warring countries. When the war ended, they still wanted to work. This led to the women’s campaigns for their right to work and do other activities that were limited to the men.

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Home — Essay Samples — History — Adolf Hitler — WW1 vs WW2 Comparison

Ww1 Vs WW2 Comparison

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Published: Mar 25, 2024

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The causes of world war i and world war ii, the nature of warfare, the global repercussions, in conclusion.

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Historyplex

A Definitive Comparison Between World War 1 and World War 2

World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) were two of the most important events in world history. Almost all the continents were involved in the wars, and they led to a massive destruction all over the world. Millions lost their lives.

Switzerland maintained neutrality during both the world wars.

Is war necessary, we wonder sometimes. Can the world not live in peace? While some argue that wars are necessary to establish peace, others say that they are fought out of the hunger for power. Conflicting ideologies between countries, and their ambitions to gain supremacy, may take the ugly shape of a war, which may involve only those countries, or sometimes, the whole world. That’s exactly what was seen in both the world wars. There were millions of casualties and the outcomes were disastrous. Here, we try to compare the two world wars on the basis of their causes, effects, and the tactics and strategies used in the two.

During World War I, with several claiming hierarchical control and princely states refusing to shed their independence, the differences peaked. Some countries refused to come to the table to negotiate peace terms. The economic instability brought by the First World War led to the rise of Fascism in Europe, which is one of the factors that further led to the Second World War. Also, the way in which peace settlement was done at the end of the first war, became a major contributing factor to the second one. Here, we try to compare to the two world wars with respect to their causes and effects.

World War I

► The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was one of the events that triggered the war. Austro-Hungarians waged war against Serbia.

► The imperialistic and territorial rivalries between Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary were another cause of the war.

► German U-boats sank US submarines which led to the United States declaring war on Germany.

► The alliances between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed the Central Powers to stop the triple alliance between France, Britain, and Russia called the Allied Powers. This too, played a major role in triggering the war.

World War II

►The Treaty of Versailles was an important cause of the Second World War. Though it was meant for establishing peace, it did not satisfy the Germans. Germany lost territory and had to face economic problems. The treaty had weakened Germany and hence proved to be a trigger for the rise of Fascism and Hitler’s dominance in the country.

► Adolf Hitler and the Nazis made unreasonable demands. Nazi ideologies created tension. Britain and France, allied with Poland, threatened Germany with a war. Germany and USSR came together, thus dividing Europe.

► The war in Europe that started on September 1, 1939 was triggered by the Danzig crisis.

► Japan joined the war to prove its might and invaded Manchuria in China.

►The bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan in 1944 gave the United States of America, a reason to join the war.

► Each soldier would be given a rifle, a bayonet, and 3 grenades.

► Tanks were first introduced in the war with the British Mark V.

► The Germans introduced machine guns with each battalion having a minimum of 6. The Russians had 8 machine guns while the British had two.

► Mortars were explosive bombs that were shot in a projectile motion.

► Heavy artillery was used. It would be rarely successful because of its weak aiming and speed of reloading.

► Gases were commonly used to occupy enemy trenches.

► In 1915, Germany employed flamethrowers against the French.

► Barbed wire would be placed near enemy camps to prevent enemy soldiers from entering. Artillery shot at barbed wire would explode and injure soldiers on both sides.

► Light machine guns were used against low-flying aircraft and cannons on carriers were used against heavy aircraft.

► The bazooka was used as an anti-tank missile against the German Army which could travel at a range of 400 yards.

► Guided bombs were used by the Germans against anti-aircraft guns in the form of the Fritz-X bomb.

► The Panther tank was used by the German Army and formed the backbone of the Blitzkrieg tactic.

► The atom bomb was used to wipe out the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

► Germany used U-boats to sink American ships.

► During World War I, between the trench battles of the Ottomans and British, the Ottomans had run out of cigarettes. The British spread cigarettes wrapped in propaganda. The Ottomans threw them away. At the last minute, the British spread cigarettes laced with heroin which turned the tide of the war.

► The way a trench would be attacked was that about a hundred men ran into machine guns and barbed wire. And to defend a trench, men would stand along it, and shoot at the approaching men.

► Light flares were launched on a half-hourly basis to spot enemy soldiers to spot and shoot them.

► Germany used mustard gas in September 1917 claiming 1,976 British soldiers’ lives.

► Infiltration tactics included letting soldiers occupy enemy sentry points and then bombarding them with heavy artillery.

► Germany used air warfare to bomb cities with the help of its secret air force called the Luftwaffe.

► Fighter-bombers were used to strike enemy outposts and destroy supply and communication centers.

► The Germans were the first to use an airborne invasion during the Battle of Flanders on the island of Crete.

► 700 gliders, loaded with troops and equipment, and three divisions of paratroops were used by the Allies during the Normandy division.

► Germany deployed submarines homing torpedoes to target enemy submarines.

► The US Marines developed methods for landing troops near defended shores, which were used in the Normandy landings.

► The introduction of tanks changed the landscape of the war. The Soviet P-34 and the Panther were the most fearsome opponents on land.

► The German V-2 ballistic missile was used as a long-range artillery weapon.

► The Allies were equipped with semi-automatic weapons.

► Operation Mincemeat was carried out to deceive the Germans by Great Britain in believing they were attacking Sardinia instead of Italy. They used a corpse of a homeless man stuffed with false documents of the war and alerted the Spanish. The Spanish quickly alerted the Germans who repositioned their troops.

► The British had captured Nazi POWs and placed them in a country mansion, instead of prison. They were supplied with lavish food and other material comforts, turning a blind eye to the fact that the house was bugged and their conversations were used to find more information about German tactics.

► The Blitzkrieg was used extensively by the German Army to raze Poland and Czechoslovakia.

► Communism spread among the Soviet Union resulting in the Russian revolution of 1917.

► The Treaty of Versailles blamed the war on the Germans and the German Army was forced to pay $31.5 billion dollars as reparation.

► The empire of Austria-Hungary split their union and formed independent countries of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

► Colonies such as India and Nigeria started asserting their independence.

► There was a Great Depression in America.

► The war lasted for 4 years.

► The war ended with the victory of the Allies against Germany and Japan in 1945.

► The European economy had collapsed with 70% of the industrial infrastructure destroyed.

► Germany split into two, with East Germany adopting a communist policy and West Germany, a democratic state.

► Japan was under military rule of the United States (temporarily).

► Hitler and his closest associates committed suicide but many associates, especially Hermann Göring was sentenced to life imprisonment for hate crimes.

► The United Nations was formed on 24th October 1945, promising to uphold the peace.

► The duration of the war was of 6 years.

Though the wars spanned four and six years respectively, the consequences they had were severe and lasted for years.

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Comparison Essay: World War 1 vs. World War 2

To gain power or control is a concept as old as time. Generations through generation have all garnered and lost power whether it is through the land, political influence, or religion. Through this, war is a common entity that power and control have flowed through ever since weapons have been created, in any way shape, or form, or man has found ways to gain power one another. Whether it is through combat, diplomacy, or combinations of such ideas, the concept of war is not a new one. A raging fire throughout history, war has engulfed several nations into its burning flame involving even multiple nations into a global effort. While such a large-scale war is rare, a worldwide, multi-national showcase of power, is not rare but has appeared in several forms. As such wars are indeed recurrent, the idea of total war would prove to be more d such as the two back-to-back world wars that occurred throughout the early 20th century. While these two catastrophic and destructive wars are rooted in different grounds, sources of opinion and several voices might place the context that they are one of the same war, or, in other words, the same war but split in-between time. Again, the two world wars are part of the same total war that spanned multiple nations, ethnicities, and powers. However, the argument can be proven invalid for several different reasons. While the argument can stand independent and true, it is inherently flawed because the two wars started because of contrasting reasons, and the key actors within them had different reasonings for their overall existence, or motivation for the wars.

To start, the two wars are not the same, as their beginnings are not one of the same or a continuation of one another, but instead rooted in two entirely different sources of motivation. To put into context, the growth of the two wars is one of the reasons for how the wars would turn out and how they would become two distinct efforts. Moreover, the first world war started differently than the second one, which, in the end, makes them two contrasting reasons for war, a considerable point for why they are two separate wars. According to Document A, it states that "In June of 1914, a young Bosnian Serb opposing the Austro-Hungarian Empire assassinated a key political figure in Sarajevo." This short key point shows the central initiation that sent the first world war into action. However, as the document later proves, "The assassination may have been a surprise, but everyone's desire to fight was not" (Document A). This section shows that not only was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, that is, a catalyst, but an overall reason to engage in war. Now, why is this information crucial? It is important to know that before this, European nations were ready to take action and take imperialist efforts within the continent prior to the assassination, as the document quotes, "Europeans had big plans beyond Europe where they sought resources and markets to build wealth through imperialism" (Document A). This differentiates from the beginning of the second world war, as it was a product of shame, humiliation, and the collapse of the German nation after the first war. Furthermore, this was a direct result of the problematic Treaty of Versailles, the final product of the Paris Peace Conference, held after World War I. As said in Document F, "Despite noble aspirations for peace, the outcome of the Paris Peace Conference did more to reinforce hostility by singling out Germany as the sole instigator of the First World War. The Great Depression and the economic protectionism it engendered would then serve as the catalyst for the hostility to manifest itself in the rise of the Nazi Party and increasing imperialist ambitions among world nations." This lengthy quote showed that because of the blame placed upon Germany after the first world war, it gave instability and humiliation to the people, which Hitler would later build upon to grant himself more influence and power within Germany. Specifically, "That seed was Article 231, which with its label 'the war guilt clause' placed sole blame for the war on Germany and its need to make reparations payments as punishment" (Document F). With this specification, it showed reason for the German party to seek power, land, and economic reparations as the Treaty of Versailles would dismantle their country, in which the second world war would arise from Hitler's newfound, and extreme nationalist approach, unlike the first world war when Europe was seeking imperialism as a majority. In the end, the two world wars are not one of the same because of these two reasons of their beginnings, showing that the roots of the war are a direct correlation to their events.

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The World War II: Impact and Consequences Essay

World War II had a great impact on social order and international relations between the nations and continents. A major influence on international policies was the relations between the two opposite camps, the Allies and the Axis, and the views each held of the other. The Allies and the Axis were reluctant to follow any line that risked running into the antagonism of the other for fear of alienating their ally and therefore endangering one of the precepts of their distant policies (Gordon 32). In an epoch of growing international anxiety and doubt, Germany remained one of the few relatively sure supports upon which they could depend on. Certainly, in the formulation and conduct of international war policy the significance attached to the views and position of the other was considerable, indeed the contacts and discussions between them were often decisive. The history of World War II suggests that the greatest impact this war had in African and Asian countries was through the processes of decolonization and modernization coming to these geographical regions.

World War II changed the landscape of North Africa and opened new opportunities for independence. The countries became independent immediately after the end of the war, but the war changed the national consciousness and self-determination of the nations. For either to be successful the cooperation of their partner across North Africa was considered imperative. Neither the Allies nor the Axis was prepared to take any initiative alone: among diplomatic, military and political circles there was a refusal to act either against Italian hostility in North Africa or German treaty violations in Europe without the guaranteed support of their partner (Hargreaves 65). This perceived incapability to operate without the backing of the other extended at several vital junctures to the point where the Allies and the Axis allowed the other, possibly willingly so, to determine their own policies (Gordon 65).

The main African countries involved in World War II were under Italian rule and included the Italian North Africa, the Italian east Africa. Also, such Asian Middle East countries as Iran, Syria and Lebanon were involved. The outcome this emphasis placed on the other’s strategy was to strengthen the case for appeasing Italy and Germany. Each was depressed from taking a firm posture by the belief that the other was not committed to a policy of confrontation. During the first months of World War II, the countries recognized that, whatever their public statements, the British were not committed to a hard line over Italian hostility (Hargreaves 77). Later, following the reoccupation of the Africa, a similar sight was held in London of French attitudes. Equally important, each knew, indeed it was explicitly stated, that their ally would not act without them and without having first received a formal promise of their support. The Allies and the Axis pacification policies were further reinforced by the denial to accept a trade-off by which support for a policy of resistance against one fascist aggressor would be exchanged for the promise of support against the other (McGowen 87). The only result of these political maneuvers was to further damage their relations, with each berating the other for failing to provide the necessary support. In fact, these often hurtful exchanges had more to do with seeking to place the onus for (in)action onto their ally’s shoulders than with any wish to adopt a policy of resistance towards fascist hostility (Gordon 63). “Between Cairo and Cape Town operational activities were at first confined to a few ports and airfields. Freetown, an important staging-post and assembly-point for naval convoys, was quickly affected” (Hargreaves 51). The outcomes drawn from these common considerations, firstly, that it was impossible to act without the backing of their ally and, secondly, that their union was no more than half- hearted in its desire to oppose Italy or Germany (and also that they lacked the means even if they had desired to accept such a policy), accentuated their already unsure policies, impeded any firm answer, and acted as a further impetus to the policies of appeasement.

When considering the African and Asian responses to Italian hostility in East Africa, a contrast has been made between ‘the complicated “game” and the determination of the English Government; of a strong-willed British administration wanting to do all it could to halt Italy and defend the League but being held back by the cynical policies of the French (Hargreaves 66). The obvious contradiction with France’s traditional record of determination in upholding the settlement and the League, and with Great Britain’s previous half-hearted and flexible approach towards both, is explained away by a supposed dual volte-face in which each at the same time assumed the mantle of the other. This actually rapid and total about-turn in policy simply cannot explain the complexity of the Allies and the Axis policies. For both there were numerous issues to be taken into account, some pushing towards opposition to the Axis ambitions and defense, others towards maintaining Italian friendship through acceptance of her expansion at Africa’s expense. Although these were not felt equally, there were strong cases made on either side of the dispute in both countries (McGowen 34). In their respective parliaments, governments and public views the war crisis produced widely divergent, and often contradictory, opinions towards the Axis. The result was that neither was firmly attached either to opposing or conniving at Italian hostility. For the Allies and the Axis leaders the importance of the Africa crisis, coming at a critical time in international affairs, lay in its repercussions beyond Africa – in the Mediterranean, in Europe, and above all in their future relations with Germany (Gordon 49). Not surprisingly, their opinion turned as much towards Berlin as towards Rome, Addis Ababa or Geneva throughout the whole affair. Faced with growing evils in Europe, complicated by an expansionist Japan in the Far East, the significance of Italy greatly increased. With Germany rearming and clearly seeking to expand to the African and Asian continents and east the value of Italian support could not be overlooked. The result was an effort, led by the French but closely followed and supported by London, to tie Italy more closely to the western camp. “Political doctrines apart, all France’s African subjects suffered new hardships in consequence of the interruption of peacetime patterns of production and trade, and of increased demands by their rulers” (Hargreaves 53).

Not only was there a concern not to estrange their union and to keep as close to them as possible but both the Allies and the Axis also considered that their own policy could not be successful without the fuIl and active participation of each other. This refusal to operate outside a joint Allies approach acted throughout the crisis as a restraint on the policy initiatives that emerged from the Allies and the Axis whether they were for greater concessions or stronger coercive measures. Although for Great Britain the issue was less one of dependence there was still a great emphasis placed on Paris (McGowen 65). This was certainly much in evidence when consideration was given to the issue of sanctions. The issue of French military support should Italy attack the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean in some ‘mad dog’ attack was repeatedly raised. Equally, there was a general insistence that France should prepare fuIl-scale armed operations against Italy before sanctions could even be considered, and any policy of opposing Italian ambitions was simply considered impossible without the full military and diplomatic support of the French (Gordon 69). The war in Asia took place between Japanese and communist Chinese armies aimed to protect their national interest and became independent.

Time and again the Allies pointed to failure to provide this as a reason for their own unwillingness to consider sanctions. At the same time they insisted on the necessity of keeping in step with France and made this principle of their policy clear to all involved. British statements that they had no understanding with African countries, their demands that before sanctions were apprised upon France must be prepared to undertake large-scale military operations (in fact, take the brunt of these as well as from any Italian retaliation) and their refusal to offer in exchange for French support over Africa a guarantee of British support for future sanctions against Germany, only added to the general suspicion in Paris (Hargreaves 74). British demands that a sanctions policy be adopted, and moreover that it be led by France, met with little support (McGowen 48). French leaders, aware of British silence on this issue, saw no reason to do anything other than drag their heels – certainly they often argued that London would be only too pleased if sanctions were avoided.

Similar to Africa, Asia was intestinally involved in the war with poor military resources and colonial state power. It has been argued that the crisis posed a straightforward, if awkward, choice for the Allies and the Axis between resistance and appeasement, between threats (backed up if necessary by collective action) and sufficient concessions to Italy to prevent her from resorting to arms combined with pressure on the Asians to concede. In this the choice that confronted Paris and London over Asian nations reflected the wider and longer-term choice over policy towards the fascist powers. The choice was not, though, so simple. The recognized pattern of appeasing Mussolini and the desire to preserve the advantages of Italian friendship pushed them in one way; concern for the League and for the widespread public support it enjoyed pushed them in another (McGowen 65). Neither Government, though, saw the option in such stark terms. For both it was an issue of attempting to balance the many demands placed on them. Nor were conciliation and coercion considered as being equally exclusive but rather as two paths to be followed simultaneously. Both the Allies and the Axis were pushed towards what were often incompatible options by conflicting advice and concerns. The understandable inclination was to seek to avoid these alternatives, to preserve both Italian co-operation in Europe and the prestige and force of the League; neither France nor Great Britain accepted that by attempting to keep both they would fall between two stools (Gordon 77). The World War II led to formation of Asian states including the Republic of China (under Communist regime,) The North and South Korea, the Taiwan, and Vietnam. The decolonization process touched Indochina, Algeria, Indonesia and Madagascar, the dominion of India and Pakistan. Such states as Israel and Palestine were created in the Middle East.

The story of the Allies and the Axis policies towards the African and Asian countries is in large part that of how the Governments sought to come to terms with this dilemma. Neither saw a simple choice between coercion and conciliation and in neither country was the eventual outcome of the debate a clear decision either to resist or to cede to Italian demands. When faced with the threat and then the fact of Italian hostility against a fellow member of the League both France and Great Britain worked fervently to find a diplomatic solution (Hock 101). The central, seemingly insoluble, problem remained how this could satisfy both the League and Italy; how Italian needs could be sufficiently fulfilled to keep her in the anti-German camp while not delivering a fatal blow to the League and to the system of collective security. Such hopes proved to be based on an unfounded optimism or, more probably, on an irresolution characteristic of both countries’ leaderships. At the heart of British and French policies lay what were to prove intractable problems arising from inherent inconsistencies (McGowen 51). Furthermore, however understandable the policies pursued, they were always poorly adapted to the nature of Mussolini’s power. Given this, it is not surprising that their open rejection of effectual sanctions and their public acceptance of Italy’s need to expand did little to convince Mussolini of the need to accept anything less than the complete annihilation of North Africa. This gulf between fascist Italy and the democracies always worked against a successful resolution of the crisis along the lines envisaged in the Allies and the Axis. The weaknesses inherent in such an approach and the basic incompatibility of the two halves of the dual-line were never fully accepted by the Allies and the Axis policy-makers (Gordon 88).

Pushed in often opposite directions by various international and domestic considerations, the Allies and the Axis policies in Asia and Africa were equally ambivalent. The first inclination for both was to temporize, to leave the problem to others, to urge conciliation all round and to attempt to avoid the awkward dilemma posed by Italy’s hostility (Hock 103). Driven by conflicting advice, interests and considerations, weakened in their formulation by the absence of decisive leadership and in their application both by material weaknesses and the lack of Anglo-French solidarity, ended in failure: the League was ruined as an instrument of peace-keeping, the Italian alliance permanently damaged and mutual relations strained almost to breaking point. “The secretary of state entered 1941 certain that he wanted no confrontation with Japan over China or Southeast Asia until the situation in Europe had improved” (Lee 14).

Having unsuccessfully turned to each other for a lead, ministers and their military advisers looked to Great Britain for a way out of their predicament. Safe in the knowledge that British opposition would rule out any military response, the new direction was instructed to open talks under the auspices of the League. The crisis was, however, far from over (Hock 107). The importance of Asian theater was that for the Allies, all hopes of improving relations with Germany were dependent on one thing – the support of France. Everything turned on first neutralizing any French demands for action and then winning her over to the appeasement of Europe. For the Government in London the present dangers, and future possibilities, all revolved around an agreement with Paris. Both approached the events from this same sense of weakness (McGowen 38). Attempts to look to other allies (in the case of France to Poland, the Little Entente, the Soviet Union and Italy; for Great Britain to her Dominions) never got off the ground. Faced with growing threats in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, Great Britain had to abandon her inclination to be the arbiter of Europe (Hock 106).

Their immediate reactions, however, were often to condemn their partner as much as the aggressor. The French attacked what they regarded as Great Britain’s lack of solidarity, their failure to provide adequate commitments to the defense of Western Europe, and for playing too much to a German tune. They also questioned the inconsistency with which the British sought to apply the Covenant against Italy while denying its value in Europe. In London French intransigence was blamed for the long-lasting failure to reach a settlement with Germany (McGowen 23). The inherent issues in relations between Britain and France in Asia were heightened by the fact that before either reached a policy decision the other’s attitude was solicited and, despite a pronounced lack of confidence, their support made an essential precondition for any diplomatic move (Kelly 81). Throughout both crises each constantly referred to the attitudes of other actors. In turn, the League, the United States, France’s Eastern European allies, British Dominions, and numerous other states as far apart as Turkey and Japan, were considered in policy deliberations. What really mattered, however, was the attitude of their partner across the Channel. Beyond the limitations imposed by material resources and the broad outlook and aims of the two leaderships, it was these considerations that each gave to the other’s position that was the major determinant of international policy (McGowen 87).

In Asia and Africa, the Allies relations were marked by requests and refusals for action against international hostility: British attempts to halt Italian ambitions in Ethiopia were blocked by French unwillingness to follow their lead; over the Asia the roles were apparently reversed, with Great Britain’s non-co-operation holding back the French. In both cases there is much in this that is simply myth. The myth, however, both at the time and since, proved to be remarkably useful. Consequently it took deep root (McGowen 47). That the Allies tensions were added to by these diplomatic exchanges is evident. Over the crisis the British disapproval of the French failure to stand by them was strongly voiced. In return, Paris attacked what many there considered to be Great Britain’s willingness to raise the stakes to dangerous levels.

Those successes offered twin rescue to a beleaguered Imperial Army. First, the colossal drain of the China “incident” might at last be ended by an occupation of French Indochina that would nearly sever the remaining flow of Western aid to Chiang Kai-shek. It was a perversion of the “total war” officers’ original attempt to achieve autarky (Lee 16).

In both cases these connections had a direct and lasting collision. In large part these divergences make clear the failure to overcome either crisis successfully (McGowen 54; McGowen 66).

In sum, African countries and Asian nations were the stronger partners is beyond doubt. The greater reliance of the Allies on ally was shown in the frequent use made of the unequal relations. None the less, the Allies retained a clear edge of political maneuver and took its own part in the policy of pacification. The direct insinuation of their recognized interdependence was a refusal to maneuver in the political arena outside the boundaries of what was jointly agreed and applied. World War II proposed great opportunities for Asian and African nations to become independent but it also ruined their cultural and social achievements. Their interdependence also meant that the world’s powers chose to bow to the other’s position. Critics told that the world’s powers would adjust their position to that of dependent nations. This is a mistaken impression and expression. The debate constantly placed Asian nations at the centre of their decisions and any action to resolve the war crisis, either along the path of further concessions or greater pressure on the Axis, was based on winning co-operation.

Works Cited

Gordon, J. W. The Other Desert War: British Special Forces in North Africa , 1940-1943 Greenwood Press, 1987.

Hargreaves, J.D. Decolonization in Africa ; Longman, 1996.

Hock, D. Legacies of World War II in South and East Asia . Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2007.

Kelly, O. Meeting the Fox: The Allied Invasion of Africa, from Operation Torch to Kasserine Pass to Victory in Tunisia . Wiley, 2002.

Lee, L.E. World War II in Asia and the Pacific and the War’s aftermath, with General Themes: A Handbook of Literature and Research . Greenwood Press, 1998.

McGowen, T. World War II. Childrens Press, 2002.

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World War II

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 13, 2024 | Original: October 29, 2009

World War II, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history, involved more than 50 nations and was fought on land, sea and air in nearly every part of the world. Also known as the Second World War, it was caused in part by the economic crisis of the Great Depression and by political tensions left unresolved following the end of World War I.

The war began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and raged across the globe until 1945, when Japan surrendered to the United States after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By the end of World War II, an estimated 60 to 80 million people had died, including up to 55 million civilians, and numerous cities in Europe and Asia were reduced to rubble.

Among the people killed were 6 million Jews murdered in Nazi concentration camps as part of Hitler’s diabolical “Final Solution,” now known as the Holocaust. The legacy of the war included the creation of the United Nations as a peacekeeping force and geopolitical rivalries that resulted in the Cold War.

Leading up to World War II

The devastation of the Great War (as World War I was known at the time) had greatly destabilized Europe, and in many respects World War II grew out of issues left unresolved by that earlier conflict. In particular, political and economic instability in Germany, and lingering resentment over the harsh terms imposed by the Versailles Treaty, fueled the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and National Socialist German Workers’ Party, abbreviated as NSDAP in German and the Nazi Party in English..

Did you know? As early as 1923, in his memoir and propaganda tract "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle), Adolf Hitler had predicted a general European war that would result in "the extermination of the Jewish race in Germany."

After becoming Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Hitler swiftly consolidated power, anointing himself Führer (supreme leader) in 1934. Obsessed with the idea of the superiority of the “pure” German race, which he called “Aryan,” Hitler believed that war was the only way to gain the necessary “Lebensraum,” or living space, for the German race to expand. In the mid-1930s, he secretly began the rearmament of Germany, a violation of the Versailles Treaty. After signing alliances with Italy and Japan against the Soviet Union , Hitler sent troops to occupy Austria in 1938 and the following year annexed Czechoslovakia. Hitler’s open aggression went unchecked, as the United States and Soviet Union were concentrated on internal politics at the time, and neither France nor Britain (the two other nations most devastated by the Great War) were eager for confrontation.

Outbreak of World War II (1939)

In late August 1939, Hitler and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin signed the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact , which incited a frenzy of worry in London and Paris. Hitler had long planned an invasion of Poland, a nation to which Great Britain and France had guaranteed military support if it were attacked by Germany. The pact with Stalin meant that Hitler would not face a war on two fronts once he invaded Poland, and would have Soviet assistance in conquering and dividing the nation itself. On September 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland from the west; two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany, beginning World War II.

On September 17, Soviet troops invaded Poland from the east. Under attack from both sides, Poland fell quickly, and by early 1940 Germany and the Soviet Union had divided control over the nation, according to a secret protocol appended to the Nonaggression Pact. Stalin’s forces then moved to occupy the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and defeated a resistant Finland in the Russo-Finnish War. During the six months following the invasion of Poland, the lack of action on the part of Germany and the Allies in the west led to talk in the news media of a “phony war.” At sea, however, the British and German navies faced off in heated battle, and lethal German U-boat submarines struck at merchant shipping bound for Britain, sinking more than 100 vessels in the first four months of World War II.

World War II in the West (1940-41)

On April 9, 1940, Germany simultaneously invaded Norway and occupied Denmark, and the war began in earnest. On May 10, German forces swept through Belgium and the Netherlands in what became known as “blitzkrieg,” or lightning war. Three days later, Hitler’s troops crossed the Meuse River and struck French forces at Sedan, located at the northern end of the Maginot Line , an elaborate chain of fortifications constructed after World War I and considered an impenetrable defensive barrier. In fact, the Germans broke through the line with their tanks and planes and continued to the rear, rendering it useless. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was evacuated by sea from Dunkirk in late May, while in the south French forces mounted a doomed resistance. With France on the verge of collapse, Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini formed an alliance with Hitler, the Pact of Steel, and Italy declared war against France and Britain on June 10.

On June 14, German forces entered Paris; a new government formed by Marshal Philippe Petain (France’s hero of World War I) requested an armistice two nights later. France was subsequently divided into two zones, one under German military occupation and the other under Petain’s government, installed at Vichy France. Hitler now turned his attention to Britain, which had the defensive advantage of being separated from the Continent by the English Channel.

To pave the way for an amphibious invasion (dubbed Operation Sea Lion), German planes bombed Britain extensively beginning in September 1940 until May 1941, known as the Blitz , including night raids on London and other industrial centers that caused heavy civilian casualties and damage. The Royal Air Force (RAF) eventually defeated the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) in the Battle of Britain , and Hitler postponed his plans to invade. With Britain’s defensive resources pushed to the limit, Prime Minister Winston Churchill began receiving crucial aid from the U.S. under the Lend-Lease Act , passed by Congress in early 1941.

Hitler vs. Stalin: Operation Barbarossa (1941-42)

By early 1941, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria had joined the Axis, and German troops overran Yugoslavia and Greece that April. Hitler’s conquest of the Balkans was a precursor for his real objective: an invasion of the Soviet Union, whose vast territory would give the German master race the “Lebensraum” it needed. The other half of Hitler’s strategy was the extermination of the Jews from throughout German-occupied Europe. Plans for the “Final Solution” were introduced around the time of the Soviet offensive, and over the next three years more than 4 million Jews would perish in the death camps established in occupied Poland.

On June 22, 1941, Hitler ordered the invasion of the Soviet Union, codenamed Operation Barbarossa . Though Soviet tanks and aircraft greatly outnumbered the Germans’, Russian aviation technology was largely obsolete, and the impact of the surprise invasion helped Germans get within 200 miles of Moscow by mid-July. Arguments between Hitler and his commanders delayed the next German advance until October, when it was stalled by a Soviet counteroffensive and the onset of harsh winter weather.

World War II in the Pacific (1941-43)

With Britain facing Germany in Europe, the United States was the only nation capable of combating Japanese aggression, which by late 1941 included an expansion of its ongoing war with China and the seizure of European colonial holdings in the Far East. On December 7, 1941, 360 Japanese aircraft attacked the major U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , taking the Americans completely by surprise and claiming the lives of more than 2,300 troops. The attack on Pearl Harbor served to unify American public opinion in favor of entering World War II, and on December 8 Congress declared war on Japan with only one dissenting vote. Germany and the other Axis Powers promptly declared war on the United States.

After a long string of Japanese victories, the U.S. Pacific Fleet won the Battle of Midway in June 1942, which proved to be a turning point in the war. On Guadalcanal, one of the southern Solomon Islands, the Allies also had success against Japanese forces in a series of battles from August 1942 to February 1943, helping turn the tide further in the Pacific. In mid-1943, Allied naval forces began an aggressive counterattack against Japan, involving a series of amphibious assaults on key Japanese-held islands in the Pacific. This “island-hopping” strategy proved successful, and Allied forces moved closer to their ultimate goal of invading the mainland Japan.

Toward Allied Victory in World War II (1943-45)

In North Africa , British and American forces had defeated the Italians and Germans by 1943. An Allied invasion of Sicily and Italy followed, and Mussolini’s government fell in July 1943, though Allied fighting against the Germans in Italy would continue until 1945.

On the Eastern Front, a Soviet counteroffensive launched in November 1942 ended the bloody Battle of Stalingrad , which had seen some of the fiercest combat of World War II. The approach of winter, along with dwindling food and medical supplies, spelled the end for German troops there, and the last of them surrendered on January 31, 1943.

On June 6, 1944–celebrated as “D-Day” –the Allies began a massive invasion of Europe, landing 156,000 British, Canadian and American soldiers on the beaches of Normandy, France. In response, Hitler poured all the remaining strength of his army into Western Europe, ensuring Germany’s defeat in the east. Soviet troops soon advanced into Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania, while Hitler gathered his forces to drive the Americans and British back from Germany in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944-January 1945), the last major German offensive of the war.

An intensive aerial bombardment in February 1945 preceded the Allied land invasion of Germany, and by the time Germany formally surrendered on May 8, Soviet forces had occupied much of the country. Hitler was already dead, having died by suicide on April 30 in his Berlin bunker.

World War II Ends (1945)

At the Potsdam Conference of July-August 1945, U.S. President Harry S. Truman (who had taken office after Roosevelt’s death in April), Churchill and Stalin discussed the ongoing war with Japan as well as the peace settlement with Germany. Post-war Germany would be divided into four occupation zones, to be controlled by the Soviet Union, Britain, the United States and France. On the divisive matter of Eastern Europe’s future, Churchill and Truman acquiesced to Stalin, as they needed Soviet cooperation in the war against Japan.

Heavy casualties sustained in the campaigns at Iwo Jima (February 1945) and Okinawa (April-June 1945), and fears of the even costlier land invasion of Japan led Truman to authorize the use of a new and devastating weapon. Developed during a top secret operation code-named The Manhattan Project, the atomic bomb was unleashed on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in early August. On August 15, the Japanese government issued a statement declaring they would accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, and on September 2, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

African American Servicemen Fight Two Wars

World War II exposed a glaring paradox within the United States Armed Forces. Although more than 1 million African Americans served in the war to defeat Nazism and fascism, they did so in segregated units. The same discriminatory Jim Crow policies that were rampant in American society were reinforced by the U.S. military. Black servicemen rarely saw combat and were largely relegated to labor and supply units that were commanded by white officers.

There were several African American units that proved essential in helping to win World War II, with the Tuskegee Airmen being among the most celebrated. But the Red Ball Express, the truck convoy of mostly Black drivers were responsible for delivering essential goods to General George S. Patton ’s troops on the front lines in France. The all-Black 761st Tank Battalion fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and the 92 Infantry Division, fought in fierce ground battles in Italy. Yet, despite their role in defeating fascism, the fight for equality continued for African American soldiers after the World War II ended. They remained in segregated units and lower-ranking positions, well into the Korean War , a few years after President Truman signed an executive order to desegregate the U.S. military in 1948.

World War II Casualties and Legacy

World War II proved to be the deadliest international conflict in history, taking the lives of 60 to 80 million people, including 6 million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust . Civilians made up an estimated 50-55 million deaths from the war, while military comprised 21 to 25 million of those lost during the war. Millions more were injured, and still more lost their homes and property. 

The legacy of the war would include the spread of communism from the Soviet Union into eastern Europe as well as its eventual triumph in China, and the global shift in power from Europe to two rival superpowers–the United States and the Soviet Union–that would soon face off against each other in the Cold War .

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World War II Research Essay Topics

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• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Students are often required to write a paper on a topic as broad as World War II , but you should know that the instructor will expect you to narrow your focus to a specific thesis. This is especially true if you are in high school or college. Narrow your focus by making a list of words, much like the list of words and phrases that are presented in bold type below. Then begin to explore related questions and come up with your own cool WWII topics. The answer to questions like these can become a good starting point for a thesis statement .

Culture and People

When the U.S. entered into war, everyday life across the country changed drastically. From civil rights, racism, and resistance movements to basic human needs like food, clothing, and medicine, the aspects of how life was impacted are immense.

• African-Americans and civil rights. What impact did the war years have on the rights of African-Americans? What were they allowed or not allowed to do?
• Animals. How were horses, dogs, birds, or other animals used? Did they play a special role?
• Art. What art movements were inspired by wartime events? Is there one specific work of art that tells a story about the war?
• Clothing. How was fashion impacted? How did clothing save lives or hinder movement? What materials were used or not used?
• Domestic violence. Was there an increase or decrease in cases?
• Families. Did new family customs develop? What was the impact on children of soldiers?
• Fashion. Did fashion change significantly for civilians? What changes had to be made during wartime?
• Food preservation. What new preservation and packaging methods were used during and after the war? How were these helpful?
• Food rationing. How did rationing impact families? Were rations the same for different groups of people? Were soldiers affected by rations?
• Love letters. What do letters tell us about relationships, families, and friendships? What about gender roles?
• New words. What new vocabulary words emerged during and after WWII?
• Nutrition. Were there battles that were lost or won because of the foods available? How did nutrition change at home during the war because of the availability of certain products?
• Penicillin and other medicine. How was penicillin used? What medical developments occurred during and after the war?
• Resistance movements. How did families deal with living in an occupied territory?
• Sacrifices. How did family life change for the worse?
• Women's work at home. How did women's work change at home during the war? What about after the war ended?

Economy and Workforce

For a nation that was still recovering from the Great Depression, World War II had a major impact on the economy and workforce. When the war began, the fate of the workforce changed overnight, American factories were repurposed to produce goods to support the war effort and women took jobs that were traditionally held by men, who were now off to war.

• Advertising. How did food packaging change during the war? How did advertisements change in general? What were advertisements for?
• Occupations. What new jobs were created? Who filled these new roles? Who filled the roles that were previously held by many of the men who went off to war?
• Propaganda. How did society respond to the war? Do you know why?
• Toys. How did the war impact the toys that were manufactured?
• New products. What products were invented and became a part of popular culture? Were these products present only during war times, or did they exist after?

Military, Government, and War

Americans were mostly against entering the war up until the bombing of Pearl Harbor, after which support for the war grew, as did armed forces. Before the war, the US didn't have the large military forces it soon became known for, with the war resulting in over 16 million Americans in service.   The role the military played in the war, and the impacts of the war itself, were vast.

• America's entry into the war. How is the timing significant? What factors are not so well known?
• Churchill, Winston. What role did this leader play that interests you most? How did his background prepare him for his role?
• Clandestine operations. Governments went to great lengths to hide the true date, time, and place of their actions.
• Destruction. Many historic cities and sites were destroyed in the U.K.—Liverpool, Manchester, London, and Coventry—and in other nations.
• Hawaii. How did events impact families or society in general?
• The Holocaust. Do you have access to any personal stories?
• Italy. What special circumstances were in effect?
• " Kilroy was here ." Why was this phrase important to soldiers? 
• Nationalist Socialist movement in America. What impact has this movement had on society and the government since WWII?
• Political impact. How was your local town impacted politically and socially?
• POW camps after the war. Where were they and what happened to them after the war? Here's a starting point: Some were turned into race tracks after the war!
• Prisoners of war. How many POWs were there? How many made it home safely? What were some long-lasting effects?
• Spies. Who were the spies? Were they men or women? What side were they on? What happened to spies that were caught?
• Submarines. Were there enemy submarines on a coast near you? What role did submarines play in the war?
• Surviving an attack. How were military units attacked? How did it feel to jump from a plane that was disabled?
• Troop logistics. How were troop movements kept secret? What were some challenges of troop logistics?
• Views on freedom. How was freedom curtailed or expanded?
• Views on government's role. Where was the government's role expanded? What about governments elsewhere?
• War crime trials. How were trials conducted? What were the political challenges or consequences? Who was or wasn't tried?
• Weather. Were there battles that were lost or won because of the weather conditions? Were there places where people suffered more because of the weather?
• Women in warfare. What roles did women play during the war? What surprises you about women's work in World War II?

Technology and Transportation

With the war came advancements in technology and transportation, impacting communications capabilities, the spread of news, and even entertainment.

• Bridges and roads. What transportation-related developments came from wartime or postwar policies?
• Communication. How did radio or other types of communication impact key events?
• Motorcycles. What needs led to the development of folding motorcycles? Why was there widespread use of military motorcycles by the government?
• Technology. What technology came from the war and how was it used after the war?
• TV technology. When did televisions start to appear in homes and what is significant about the timing? What TV shows were inspired by the war and how realistic were they? How long did World War II affect TV programming?
• Jet engine technology. What advances can be traced to WWII needs?
• Radar. What role did radar play, if any?
• Rockets. How important was rocket technology?
• Shipbuilding achievements. The achievements were quite remarkable during the war. Why and how did they happen?

"America's Wars Fact Sheet." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, May 2017.

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The Turning Point: when the United States Entered World War II

This essay about the United States’ entry into World War II highlights the nation’s shift from isolationism to interventionism. It discusses the internal and external factors leading to involvement, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. The essay explores the subsequent mobilization and battles, emphasizing America’s role in defending freedom and democracy, ultimately shaping its global influence post-war.

How it works

Throughout history, certain moments stand as defining pivots, altering the destinies of nations and the course of humanity. One such moment is the United States’ entry into World War II, an event marked by a convergence of circumstances and decisions that profoundly shaped the 20th century.

As the world descended into global conflict in the late 1930s, the United States grappled with its identity, torn between isolationism and interventionism. The painful memories of World War I were still vivid, and a significant portion of the American populace was reluctant to become embroiled in another distant war.

However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the growing menace posed by Nazi Germany and its allies, understanding the moral imperative to confront tyranny.

The journey to America’s involvement in World War II was riddled with challenges and intense debates. The nation struggled with its conscience as it observed the escalating horrors in Europe and Asia. The invasion of Poland, the Blitzkrieg, and the atrocities of the Holocaust starkly revealed the true nature of the Nazi regime, challenging global morality to respond.

Despite Roosevelt’s alignment with the Allied cause, he faced considerable resistance at home. The lingering effects of the Great Depression kept many Americans focused on domestic issues, and isolationist sentiments were strong within Congress and the public.

The pivotal moment arrived with the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The surprise offensive by the Imperial Japanese Navy not only decimated the American Pacific Fleet but also dispelled any notions of safety and distance from the global conflict. In an instant, the United States was thrust into the war, its resolve tested like never before.

Following Pearl Harbor, a surge of patriotism swept the nation. The rallying cry of “Remember Pearl Harbor!” united Americans from all walks of life in defense of their nation and its values. Roosevelt’s address to Congress on the following day immortalized December 7, 1941, as “a date which will live in infamy.”

The attack catalyzed America’s entry into World War II. Within days, the United States declared war on Japan, formally joining the global conflict. This was not merely a response to aggression but also a recognition that the fundamental principles of freedom and democracy were under threat.

With the nation fully committed to the war effort, Roosevelt’s administration launched a massive mobilization campaign. Factories were repurposed to produce military equipment at an unprecedented rate, and the draft was expanded. Millions of Americans, both men and women, volunteered for military service, prepared to defend their country.

American forces engaged in battles across multiple fronts, from North Africa’s deserts to Normandy’s beaches. The Battle of Midway in June 1942 marked a significant victory in the Pacific, crippling the Japanese fleet and shifting the balance of power. In Europe, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, set the stage for the liberation of Western Europe.

America’s entry into World War II was not only a military turning point but also a moral one. It reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to freedom, democracy, and human rights in the face of oppression. This moment highlighted the resilience of the American spirit and its capacity to rise to challenges in the darkest times.

In the subsequent years, the United States emerged as a global superpower, its influence shaping the post-war world. The sacrifices made and the lessons learned during World War II reverberated through the decades, influencing American foreign policy and its role on the global stage.

Reflecting on America’s entry into World War II, we honor the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for freedom. Their legacy serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder to uphold the principles of democracy and human rights, ensuring that we do not forget the lessons of the past.

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The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II. (2024, May 21). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/

"The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II." PapersOwl.com , 21 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/ [Accessed: 22 May. 2024]

"The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II." PapersOwl.com, May 21, 2024. Accessed May 22, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/

"The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II," PapersOwl.com , 21-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/. [Accessed: 22-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Turning Point: When the United States Entered World War II . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-turning-point-when-the-united-states-entered-world-war-ii/ [Accessed: 22-May-2024]

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