History Atlas

How The Past Is Known
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Event

World War II

The Age of Extremes
World War II

World War II was a global conflict fought from 1 September 1939 to 2 September 1945 between the Allied powers, led by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the Republic of China, and the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, the Empire of Japan, and the Kingdom of Italy. It was the deadliest conflict in human history, causing the deaths of an estimated 60 to 75 million people, the majority of them civilians, and it reshaped the postwar international order, including the founding of the United Nations.

Facts
Year
1939 1
Event Date
1939-09-01 1
Location
Global: Europe, the Asia-Pacific theater, Africa, and the Atlantic 1
Death Toll, Low Estimate (%)
3 2
Point estimate of World War II deaths as a share of the 1940 world population (about 2.3 billion), not a range; recorded in both the low and high percent fields per the same schema convention the September 11 attacks entity already uses for its own death-toll-min/max point count.
Death Toll, High Estimate (%)
3 2
Point estimate of World War II deaths as a share of the 1940 world population (about 2.3 billion), not a range; recorded in both the low and high percent fields per the same schema convention the September 11 attacks entity already uses for its own death-toll-min/max point count.
Death Toll, Low Estimate
60,000,000 to 75,000,000 1
Classification
Event Type
Military Conflict 1
Connections

Associated With

Source Wikipedia: World War II

Founded in the aftermath of World War II explicitly to make renewed war between France and Germany materially impossible.

Krupp, Organizations
Nazi Germany, Polities
Source Wikipedia: Nazi Germany
Source Wikipedia: World War II

Caused By

Additional Source Wikipedia: World War IIBackground section, aftermath of World War I

In Era

Long-Form Articles

Participant

Additional Source Wikipedia: World War IIOpening summary, invasion of Poland
Additional Source Wikipedia: Charles de GaulleLead section, led the Free French Forces
Additional Source Wikipedia: Franklin D. RooseveltWorld War II section, economic mobilization
Additional Source Wikipedia: Joseph StalinInfobox, State Defence Committee chairmanship
Additional Source Wikipedia: Winston ChurchillLead section, national government and Allied war effort

Related To

Additional Source Wikipedia: Great DepressionLead section (edge: related-to World War II)
The World Wars, Events
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: World War II
Wikipedia
  • Introduction
    World War II, or the Second World War (1 September 1939 - 2 September 1945)
  • Introduction, casualties
    causing the deaths of 60 to 75 million people
  • World War II: Event Type
    World War II was a global conflict fought from 1 September 1939 to 2 September 1945 between the Allied powers, led by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the Republic of China, and the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, the Empire of Japan, and the Kingdom of Italy.
  • Participant: Adolf Hitler, Opening summary, invasion of Poland
    Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland, after which the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany.
  • Caused By: Treaty of Versailles, Background section, aftermath of World War I
    These sentiments were especially pronounced in Germany due to the significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles.
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: World War II Casualties
Wikipedia
  • Introduction, share of 1940 world population (low-percent field)
    This represents about 3% of the estimated global population of 2.3 billion in 1940.
  • Introduction, share of 1940 world population (high-percent field)
    This represents about 3% of the estimated global population of 2.3 billion in 1940.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Nazi Germany
WikipediaAssociated With: Nazi Germany, IntroductionView the Source
Wikipedia: Winston Churchill
WikipediaParticipant: Winston Churchill, Lead section, national government and Allied war effort
Quote, Participant: Winston Churchill, Lead section, national government and Allied war effort
Churchill formed a national government and oversaw British involvement in the Allied war effort against the Axis powers, resulting in victory in 1945.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Franklin D. Roosevelt
WikipediaParticipant: Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II section, economic mobilization
Quote, Participant: Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II section, economic mobilization
Roosevelt supervised the mobilization of the American economy to support the war effort and implemented a Europe first strategy.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Joseph Stalin
WikipediaParticipant: Joseph Stalin, Infobox, State Defence Committee chairmanship
Quote, Participant: Joseph Stalin, Infobox, State Defence Committee chairmanship
1941-1945: Chairman, State Defence Committee of the Soviet Union
View the Source
Wikipedia: Charles de Gaulle
WikipediaParticipant: Charles de Gaulle, Lead section, led the Free French Forces
Quote, Participant: Charles de Gaulle, Lead section, led the Free French Forces
led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany and Vichy France in World War II
View the Source
Wikipedia: Great Depression
WikipediaRelated To: Great Depression, Lead section (edge: related-to World War II)
Quote, Related To: Great Depression, Lead section (edge: related-to World War II)
The outbreak of World War II in 1939 ended the Depression, as it stimulated factory production, providing jobs for women as militaries absorbed large numbers of young, unemployed men.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.