World War II: Causes, Events, and Consequences

World War II

WW2 (1939-1945) was a vast conflict between Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) and Allied Powers (Britain, USSR, France, USA). Consequences:

• Impact of WW1: Germany lost territory and economy was damaged by the need to pay war reparations.
• Rise of fascism and nationalism: Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, many feared a communist revolution.
• Weakness of democracies: Expansionism of Germany and Italy was only possible because Britain and France avoided another war.
• Great Depression: Economic crises in many countries led to extreme ideologies like Nazism.

Outbreak of WW2: Germany claimed lost territory from Poland, leading to the invasion in 1939. Advance of Fascism: Japan occupied Manchuria in 1931, while Germany and Italy made aggressive moves in Europe. Policy of Appeasement: Events like the Anschluss and Munich Agreement failed to prevent further aggression. Holocaust: A plan to exterminate Jews, Gypsies, and homosexuals. Exclusion 1933-1939: Jews faced increasing discrimination and persecution. Ghettos 1939-1940: Closed-off neighborhoods where Jews were forced to live. Extermination 1941-1945: The brutal genocide of Jews reached its peak during this period. Consequences of the War:

• Human loss: 60 million people died, causing massive displacement.
• Moral consequences: War survivors suffered intense trauma.
• Economic consequences: The USA benefited economically.
• Political and territorial changes: Western Europe saw a return to democracy and capitalism, while Eastern Europe fell under communist dictatorship.