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'''World War II''', also known as '''The Great Patriotic War''', was a global set of conflicts beginning in 1931 in Asia, 1935 in Africa, and 1939 in Europe, all lasting until 1945, in which the [[Allies|Allied powers]], led by the [[British Commonwealth]], the [[Soviet Union]], the [[Republic of China]], and the [[United States]] among many other nations, completely defeated the [[Axis Powers]], led by [[Third Reich|Nazi Germany]], [[Japan]], [[Italy]] (until 1943), [[Hungary]], [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]]. Although Japan's war against China began in 1937, the main conflict started in September 1939 when Germany and the Soviet Union divided [[Poland]]; [[Britain]] and [[French Third Republic|France]] then [[declared war]] on Germany.  France was quickly knocked out of the war and became divided between the collaborationist [[Vichy regime]] occupying the continent, the so-called "[[Free French]]" in exile in England and North Africa, and the allied French Communist Party aa a member of the "[[French Resistance]]".

'''World War II''', also known as '''The Great Patriotic War''', was a (global set of conflicts beginning in 1931 in Asia, 1935 in Africa, and) Nazi initiated 1939 in Europe, all lasting until 1945, in which the [[Allies|Allied powers]], led by the [[British Commonwealth]], the [[Soviet Union]], the [[Republic of China]], and the [[United States]] among many other nations, completely defeated the [[Axis Powers]], led by [[Third Reich|Nazi Germany]] in quest of global domination headed by the "Aryan" race , [[Japan]], [[Italy]] (until 1943), [[Hungary]], [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]]. Although Japan's war against China began in 1937.

 

The main defensive war against the Axis started in September 1939 when Germany and the Soviet Union divided [[Poland]]; [[Britain]] and [[French Third Republic|France]] then [[declared war]] on Germany.  France was quickly knocked out of the war and became divided between the collaborationist [[Vichy regime]] occupying the continent, the so-called "[[Free French]]" in exile in England and North Africa, and the allied French Communist Party aa a member of the "[[French Resistance]]".

The conflict was the deadliest in human history with estimated deaths ranging from 50 million to over 70 million soldiers and civilians.<ref>http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat1.htm#Second</ref>  It ended with the Soviet Union dominant in a part of Central Europe and all of Eastern Europe, and the U.S. and its allies dominant in Western Europe, a part of Central Europe and Scandinavia, setting the stage for the [[Cold War]].

The conflict was the deadliest in human history with estimated deaths ranging from 50 million to over 70 million soldiers and civilians.<ref>http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat1.htm#Second</ref>  It ended with the Soviet Union dominant in a part of Central Europe and all of Eastern Europe, and the U.S. and its allies dominant in Western Europe, a part of Central Europe and Scandinavia, setting the stage for the [[Cold War]].

==Causes==

 

==Related background==

{{See also|Second Sino-Japanese War|Causes of World War II}}

{{See also|Second Sino-Japanese War|Causes of World War II}}