| − | '''World War II''', (in part also known as '''The Great Patriotic War''': 22 June 1941 – 9 May 1945), 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. | + | '''World War II''', was the Nazi initiated 1939 war 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,<ref>[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-racism-an-overview#:~:text=Racism%20fueled%20Nazi%20ideology%20and,murder%20on%20an%20unprecedented%20scale. Nazi Racism : an Overview]. Holocaust Encyclopedia</ref> [[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 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]]. |
| | The [[Soviet Union]] made a formal proposal to the [[United Kingdom]] and [[France]] on April 17, 1939 for a mutual assistance pact should [[war]] break out between [[Nazi Germany]] and any of the parties. The proposal was rejected. After the rejection, the Soviet Union signed the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact]] with Nazi Germany in August 1939. | | The [[Soviet Union]] made a formal proposal to the [[United Kingdom]] and [[France]] on April 17, 1939 for a mutual assistance pact should [[war]] break out between [[Nazi Germany]] and any of the parties. The proposal was rejected. After the rejection, the Soviet Union signed the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact]] with Nazi Germany in August 1939. |