World War II WWII Student Learning Objectives Know

World War II (WWII) Student Learning Objectives • • • Know who the two main parties in WWII were. Know when WWII was. Know where WWII took place. Understand a few reasons WWII started. Understand why WWII “officially” started. Understand what happened in WWII. Understand why WWII happened. Understand when and why WWII ended. Understand the real “Cost” of WWII.

WWII The Two Main Parties of WWII

WWII When Was WWII

WWII Where Did WWII Take Place World War II took place across the globe. Most combat actions took place in Europe, East Asia, and islands in the Pacific Ocean, but others were seen in places as far away the Aleutian Islands.

WWII A Few Reasons WWII Started

WWII Why WWII Officially Started World War II began in Europe on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The war in the Pacific, and the world war, began on December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor and other installations in Asia.

WWII…What Happened? WWII was a global war that lasted for approximately seven years, with most countries of the world involved to some extent, and killed an estimated 85 million people, or about 3% of the worlds 2. 3 billion people.

WWII…Why it Happened? Most historians will say there is no sole reason for WWII. Some say it was the unreasonable demands of the Treaty of Versailles, some say the stresses of a world depression, some say the evil ambitions of Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito, and Franco. Whatever the reason, most historians agree it was evil men of the world who cared little for others.

WWII…When and Why it Ended On May 8, 1945, WWII in Europe ended with the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers after their capture of Berlin, Germany. On September 2, 1945, Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan, after the atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

WWII…The Real Cost of the War The real cost of WWII is hardly something that can be calculated accurately or completely. But Historians often quantify war costs in terms of deaths and money spent. Here are some numbers to consider. WWII Total War Deaths (R) WWII War Billions Spent (R) 1 USA 341 2 Germany 270 3 USSR 192 4 China 190 5 UK 120 383 K 6 Italy 94 302 K 7 Japan 56 1 USSR 2 Germany 9 mil 6 mil 3 China 4 mil 4 Japan 2 mil 5 USA 420 K 6 UK 7 Italy **Only top 7 nations included.

WWII Some Final Thoughts & Questions (1) WWII is considered the 82 nd most important event in World History. (2) WWII took 85 million lives worldwide. (3) WWII changed modern culture most with the Holocaust, atomic bomb drops, medical advances, technologies, and loss of human life and limb. QUESTIONS FOR TODAY? ? ?