The Second World War
Open the interactive lesson
Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
Troops wading ashore from a landing craft on D-Day, 6 June 1944 · Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHOM) Robert F. Sargent, U.S. Coast Guard · Public domain · Source page
The story
Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. The war spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
What happened next
It was the deadliest war in history. Between 70 and 85 million people died, including six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It ended in 1945.
Remember
- The United Nations was founded in 1945 to prevent another world war
- The Soviet Union lost more people than any other country
- D-Day, 6 June 1944, was the largest invasion from the sea in history
Review question
Which invasion started the war in Europe?
Answer: Germany invading Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Pearl Harbor came in December 1941.
Image credits
- Troops wading ashore from a landing craft on D-Day, 6 June 1944 · Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHOM) Robert F. Sargent, U.S. Coast Guard · Public domain · Source page
