World War II (WWII or WW2), also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. In a state of "total war", the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust (in which approximately 11 million people were killed) and the strategic bombing of industrial and population centres (in which approximately one million were killed, and which included the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki),^] it resulted in an estimated 50 million to 85 million fatalities. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history.

Learning Unit Objectives:

to identify the broader political and economic causes of the Second World War;

to explain the reasons for the British and French policy of "appeasement" when faced with Hitler's violations of international law;

to understand the German conquest and occupation for European nations and their populations and the challenges facing those who chose to resist;

to describe how the Holocaust became possible after the conquest of territory in Eastern Europe during the invasion of the Soviet Union;

to understand the military operations that led to the defeat of the Nazi regime and their allies in Europe;

to explain the main areas of conflict in Asia and the Pacific and the circumstances that led to the Japanese surrender in 1945.

to describe the origins and goals of the Bolshevik movement in Russia.