World War II[b] or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries …

Dec 19, 2025 · World War II, conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45. The war was in many respects a continuation, after an uneasy 20-year hiatus, of the …

It was the biggest and deadliest war in history, spanning six grueling years and involving countries in nearly every part of the world. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, World War...

Explore a detailed timeline of World War Two - the causes, events, soldiers and its aftermath. Discover facts about what happened during the most destructive war in history.

Read everything you need to know about the Second World War, by exploring our WWII archives of in-depth history articles, podcasts, slideshows and more.

World War II was the largest and most destructive conflict in history. Learn about key WWII dates in this timeline of events, including when WW2 started and ended.

On June 22, 1941, Germany broke its Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union, launching the bloodiest theater of the war. Though the estimates vary greatly, Russia suffered the most war …

Jan 22, 2021 · Sixteen million Americans served in uniform, mostly boys in their late teens and early twenties who joined U.S. allies in fighting the largest, costliest, and bloodiest war in human …

Nov 28, 2025 · Estimates for the total death count of the Second World War generally range somewhere between 70 and 85 million people.

Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. a few days later, and the nation became fully engaged in the Second World War. U.S. involvement in the Second World War was quickly followed by a …