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Incredibly detailed documentary covering all aspects and battles of WW2 in colour.

-Added by Lina

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WWII in Color: Road to Victory S01 | Official Trailer | Netflix

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Find more below on Italy's involvement in World War 2!

Why did Italy join World War 2?

One year right after the 2nd World War started (1940), Germany began to fight against France. Then Italy joined the war on the German side, by Benito Mussolini's' decision, who was the dictator of Italy at that time.
He aimed to conquer French territory and more resources to fight against other countries such us the neighbored countries.

What significant factors did it play in the War?

After France's fall, in October 1941 Mussolini, looking for more resources he decided to attack Greece from Albania which did not go that well where the Nazi Germany was obligated to rescue the Italians and also take charge of Greece.

Later on, in 1942  Italy started another fight in the North of Africa where they got supplied again by the Nazi Germany where they got defeated by the allies (by USA and Great Britain) and led to the surrender of Italy's forces in May 1943.

After the Italians lost the troops in North Africa, 250,000 Italian troops were sent to Russia to help the Germans in which only 85,000 Italian troops made it home from Russia (USSR).

One year after, in 1943 the Fascist Grand Council, met in Rome, where they came out with a conclusion, of asking the king to resume his full constitutional powers dimissing Mussolini from his power. The majority of the members voted against the duce, and in the same day, the king dismissed Mussolini from his power.

Interesting Fact:

Benito Mussolini was the first person to describe his political movement as "Fascism" which was later partially adopted by Adolf Hitler in the War.

-Written By Adriel

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The Fiume Question: A Curtain Raiser To Fascism

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Fascism swept through Italy like a storm, but its rise was presaged by a quarrel over a small city on the Croatian coast.

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Find more below on France's involvement in World War 2!

Why did France Join World War 2?

On the 1st of September 1939 Nazi Germany began its invasion of Poland, and just 2 days later Great Britain and France Declare War on Nazi Germany to full-fill their promise of protecting and defending Poland's borders. France had strong relations with Poland and Nazi Germany believed that they were creating a Franco-Polish army alliance to surround Nazi Germany and prevent them from expanding.

What significant factors did France play in World War 2?

France participated in the alliance against the invasion of Poland, yet after Poland had been fully overthrown by German forces and surrendered, the Nazi Reich decided to turn back and invade France which partially succeeded, allowing the Capital Paris to be captured. After Paris was under Nazi rule the already "conquered" bits of France were now known as Vichy France while the rest still fighting was known as Free France, fighting alongside the allies (Great Britain, USA and later USSR). France also provided a great deal of refuge for troops coming from Great Britain and its seas were a great deal of help for Nazi Germany's Navy fleet.

"The Rhineland"
The Rhineland is an area between Germany and France, after  the 1st World War was made demilitarised but for some odd reason there was no activity in stopping the Germans from Militarising this zone and on May 10th France was invaded by the Germans through the Rhineland, all because the allies decided not to act on this situation.

Interesting Fact:

On June 23 1940 Hitler was personally flown in the early morning to Paris to inspect what he conquered and was the one and only time he visited exploring sites such as the Eiffel tower and Napoleon's Tomb.

-Written By Oscar

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In May 1940, the German Wehrmacht launched a lightning attack into France and within weeks destroyed the combined French and British armies. The rapid defeat is typically ascribed to a combination of the French High Command's attempts to refight the methodical battle of World War I against Germany's adoption of new mobile, all-arms warfare. Those philosophical factors certainly played a major role in the outcome, but something much more elemental and human may have been the deciding factor: fearless, intelligent and sometimes ruthless leadership at the point of contact.

In light of the dramatic collapse of the French armed forces in 1940, it is hard to imagine that up until that point they had been recognized-including by the Germans-as the military masters of Europe. France had emerged victorious over the Germans in the Great War, and imposed the Treaty of Versailles on Berlin, a punitive, humiliating armistice. In the first decade following the war, Germany had been limited to no more than one hundred thousand soldiers, no armored vehicles, and only one hundred "search and rescue" aircraft. France, on the other hand, rebuilt its armed forces following World War I, and in the early 1930s embarked on a major modernization drive, motorizing many of its infantry divisions and beginning to form armored units.

Focused on preventing another German incursion into French territory, Paris had formed a military doctrine giving primacy to the defensive. The intent was to first blunt any invasion, and once the enemy had been sufficiently weakened, to transition to the offensive. In support of this philosophy, they built the now infamous Maginot Line of extensive defensive pillboxes and other heavily defended fortifications between France and her western neighbors. Senior officers of the High Command were confident their doctrine and defensive preparations would be successful against any German attack, most especially Commander of the Second French Army, Gen. Charles Huntziger.

In March 1940, less than two months before the German surprise invasion, Parliamentary Army Committee member Pierre-Charles Taittinger led a parliamentary delegation to inspect the defenses in Sedan, a city for whose defense General Huntziger was responsible. Taittinger prophetically reported, "In this region, we are entirely too much taken with the idea that the Ardennes woods and the Meuse River will shield Sedan and we assign entirely too much significance e to these natural obstacles. The defenses in this sector are rudimentary." He wrote that he "trembled" at the thought the Germans might attack there. General Huntziger dismissed Taittinger's warning entirely.

The chief comptroller of the Army asked General Huntziger if he put any stock in Taittinger's report and the general replied, "Certainly not, the Germans are dead afraid of attacking." On May 9, less than twenty-four hours before the invasion, Huntziger told his troops that "the German preparations which you have observed are only an exercise. The Germans are not crazy enough to take the additional risk of facing twenty-seven Belgian divisions"-though, to be fair, the confidence of the French High Command was not entirely without justification.

Prior to May 1940, the combined French and British forces had almost one thousand more tanks than the Germans, and French tanks had better armor and more powerful main guns. France was also the recognized global leader in artillery, and had a marked advantage over Germany in this regard. The French planned to rush large numbers of infantry divisions across the border of Belgium to take on the Wehrmacht as far forward as possible. They believed the forested and mountainous terrain in the Ardennes precluded the use of armor, and, along with the Maginot defenses, felt that light forces could protect that part of the front. The Germans, on the other hand, chose to do the opposite of what was expected.

Sending in large numbers of infantry and mechanized divisions into Belgium and the Netherlands, the Germans sought to make the Franco-British alliance believe its intelligence had been correct and that the main attack was coming in the north. Meanwhile, the main German attack came further to the south, in the Ardennes, with the bulk of their Panzer divisions. One of the primary objectives of the German armor was the penetration of the Meuse River at Sedan, just inside France. Commanding the forces at the tip of this attack was a man who would later distinguish himself as among the most accomplished battle leaders of the war: Lt. Col. Hermann Balck.

Balck-later to rise to command the Fourth Panzer Army-was tasked with leading the First Rifle Regiment (of First Panzer Division) across the Meuse near Sedan. The breakthrough he made across the river came as a result of thorough preparation, rigorous field training and, at the point of attack, ruthless, courageous leadership that inspired men to accomplish tasks they thought beyond their ability.

The French had been preparing to defend the Meuse for years, but the effort had taken on an earnestness in September 1939, when the Wehrmacht had unveiled its "blitzkrieg" tactics for the first time against Poland. The Nazis had defeated the Polish armed forces in just over four weeks, using a combination of mobile troops, armored firepower and paralyzing air attacks featuring the terrifying Stuka dive bombers. The French leaders continued to believe their defensive system and plans would succeed where the Poles had failed and inexplicably took no additional measures nor changed their existing plans. Commanders like Balck would soon expose just how wrong they were.

As part of the First Panzer Division, Balck's First Rifle Regiment was selected to be the advance guard leading the division into enemy territory on the morning of May 10, 1940. After light resistance, Balck's regiment reached the approaches to the Meuse outside of Sedan two days later, near 11:00 pm. Early the morning of May 13, however, a devastating French artillery barrage opened up. According to Balck's memoir, Order in Chaos, the French bombardment was fierce and had a substantial demoralizing effect on his troops.

"I requested a Stuka attack on the French" artillery positions, he wrote, saying that the effect was overwhelming. "The French artillery was silenced and the mood of our troops turned into one of jubilation." The positive feelings didn't last long, however, as Balck ordered his men to march into the teeth of highly defended, concrete-reinforced French bunkers. The attack began to lose energy, and the troops were starting to drop from fatigue. At that point, Balck had a choice: conduct a tactical withdrawal with the frontline troops and order fresh soldiers into the fight, or press the attack and risk losing the objective.

"What was easy today, could cost a lot of blood tomorrow," he said. "I walked off a distance, thought about it, and made a decision. We had to advance another ten kilometers into the enemy. My adjutant, Braune-Krikau, a resolute and courageous man with a keen military mind, said 'sir, that would lead to the destruction of the regiment.' 'No,' I replied. 'It will lead to the destruction of the French.'" And so he was proven right.

Two days later, after pressing the attack again beyond what his men thought they could endure, Balck recorded that "there was no stopping them. With loud shouts echoing in the air, the thin, totally exhausted line of riflemen entered the village. Bouvellemont was ours. I had not miscalculated." The last of the French resistance had been broken and the Meuse crossings secured. Balck was promoted to command a panzer brigade the next day and the fight continued to the Channel coast.

German leaders like Balck and the famous Erwin Rommel provided fearless, even brutal leadership from the front, inspiring their troops to overcome their fears and push their bodies well beyond what they thought they could endure. It is worth noting, however, that French soldiers did not enjoy the same caliber of leadership. Though many French troops fought with signal bravery, the same could not be said for the bulk of their officer leadership.

No one pushed the French troops to endure the unendurable, and when the crisis moment arrived, the French leaders often froze into inaction. One event perhaps best captured the spirit of the French leadership's collapse, recorded by the Frenchman Marc Bloch (a French staff officer in 1940) in the book Strange Defeat.

Bloch was sent to the headquarters at Attiches, about eight miles from the Belgium border, to coordinate action with the British. While there, he saw a sight that haunted him. Bloch observed a French general sitting in a chair frozen "in tragic immobility, saying nothing, doing nothing, but just gazing at the map spread on the table between us, as though hoping to find on it the decision which he was incapable of taking."

Though Germany eventually lost World War II and France again ended up on the victorious side, the leadership traits demonstrated before and during the battle in 1940 are textbook examples of what makes for great leadership-and what kind of leadership leads to defeat.
Daniel L. Davis is a retired U.S. Army colonel who served multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a senior fellow with Defense Priorities. Follow him on Twitter @DanielLDavis1.

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The Super Simple Reason Nazi Germany Crushed France During World War II

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In May 1940, the German Wehrmacht launched a lightning attack into France and within weeks destroyed the combined French and British armies. The rapid defeat is typically ascribed to a combination of the French High Command's attempts to refight the methodical battle of World War I against Germany's adoption of new mobile, all-arms warfare.

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Find more below on Great Britain's involvement in World War 2!

Why did Great Britain join World War 2?

Great Britain, also known as the UK went to war on the 3rd of September 1939 to defend the balance of power in Europe, and wanted to safeguard its position in the world. Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany to honor their guarantee of Poland's borders which were invaded two days earlier on the 1st of September 1939.

What significant factors did Great Britain play in World War 2?

In world war 2 Britain played many important roles including; the Battle of Britain, the North African Campaign and the use of its own Empire (The British Empire).

The inclusion of Australia & Canada in the British War effort
It is not common knowledge to know that Both Australia and Canada had their militaries serve in World War 2, this was because at the time they were still extremely connected to their Empire, Great Britain. Within the war efforts Australia and Canada contributed a combined amount of over 1.6 million troops (1,159,000 from Canada & 500,000 from Australia). Both Canada & Australia contributed great efforts and saw lots of combat in the last year of the War and mainly fought for the British rather than themselves.

Interesting Fact

The Blitzkrieg attacks on Britain in the span of just 8 months from 7th September 1940 – 11 May 1941 caused a total estimate of 43,000 civilians Lives while the British managed to shoot down a total of 1700 Luftwaffe planes, the entire event ended because of German intelligence failing but ultimately resulted in a win for Nazi Germany.

-Written By Mughilan
-Edited By Oscar

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Find more below on Japan became involved in World War 2

Japan’s tensions with the United States and their longing for power and recognition is ultimately what involves them in WW2

In 1905 Japan won the Russo-Japanese war against imperial Russia after well over a year which allowed them to be regarded as a large military power. The Japanese had a strong drive to be considered a world power, so in 1915 (WW1) when the allies began to worry about Germany's naval base in far eastern China, Japan joined Britain in its attack. This would allow Japan to further promote itself as a global power and allow Japan some territorial gains. Japan was invited to that Paris peace conference as a fifth great power (along with the United States, UK, France and Italy) in 1919 and wanted recognition for helping win WW1. They requested racial equality and freer immigration to western countries as well as control over German colonies in China. Japan’s territorial wishes were granted however the request of racial equality was denied by the United States heightening their tensions with the countries The United States later banned the immigration of all people of color to the US.

In 1930-31 the great depression began to effect Japan severely. The economy was struggling and a nationalist movement begins, first taking over the military and then the government soon after. This movement was led by Hideki Tojo, who had a vision of an all powerful and wealthy Japan. He also believed that Western countries had to much power over Asia. In 1931 Tojo’s army invades China which begins their expansion through Asia for power and resources and continue to do so even after being urged to stop by western powers. In 1937 the second Sino Japanese war broke out between Japan and China. Up until this point, the US usually protected China however this time it was too preoccupied with the rise of Hitler and the war in Europe. US president Franklin D. Roosevelt did not want to get involved in another European war but soon realized that the allies needed assistance and provided Britain with many resources without actually getting involved as he had promised his people they wouldn’t. However, Roosevelt worried that Japan was going to use war in Europe as advantage and stationed American ships at pearl harbor (Hawaii) for intimidation and readiness despite that the ships weren’t battle ready. In 1940 Japan joins Germany and Italy in the Tripartite pact making Japan part of the axis powers. After the pact was made Japan begins taking over European colonies in Asia as Hitlers army was invading the countries they belonged to.

The United States is not happy with Japan’s continued expansion, so Roosevelt blocks oil exports to Japan (Japan received (80% of its oil from the US) to get Japan to stop. In 1941 the Japanese Prime minister Resigns and Hideki Tojo takes over the country and his ambitions are to go to war with the US and gain control over the pacific. By destroying the American base at pearl harbor, they could achieve this control. With huge help from extremely intelligent Admiral Yamamoto the Japanese designed an intricate and successful surprise attack on pearl harbor. The attack took place on December 7th 1941 and along with the fact that it was a complete surprise to the Americans, the Japanese had introduced a new type of torpedo that could be dropped in shallow waters specifically designed for the attack.

However, after what ended as victory for the Japanese (sunken battleships destroyed aircraft and 2400 US casualties) Yamamoto was dissatisfied with the outcome as the attack had failed to destroy crucial parts of Americas pacific fleet such as repair facilities and oil tanks, the US also still had their aircraft carriers that coincidentally were not at pearl harbor that day. This allowed America to strike back with the power that it did in mid-1942 in the battle of midway and reinstate their power in the pacific. Only four days after pearl harbor, Nazi Germany declared war on the United States, now also involving them in the war directly.

-Written By Lina

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Type 91 Torpedo designed by the Japanese for the attack on pearl harbor. 

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Interesting Fact: Type 91 Japanese Torpedo

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Interesting Fact: Type 91 Japanese Torpedo

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The type 91 torpedo was able to be dropped in shallow water, surprising the Americans who had thought they were safe from torpedoes at pearl harbor.

-Written By Lina

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Find more below on Nazi Germany's involvement in world war 2!

Why did Nazi Germany start World War 2?

In the late 1930s Nazi Germany was developing to a great extent and in need of expansion (Lebensraum fur die Deutsche). Before the war began in 1934 Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Poland in hopes of them not forming a Franco-Polish army alliance. This was later shattered on the 1st of September 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland and sadly mobilized late and before they knew it they were fighting to fronts Nazi Germany from the West and the USSR from the East. On September 3rd Britain and France declare war on Nazi Germany fulfilling their treaty/alliance.

What significant factors did Nazi Germany play in the War?

Within World War 2 Germany was pretty much the main source of war, beginning the war and fought many of the battles. Many significant battles and factors can be mentioned but some key examples were; "Der Blitzkrieg", Operation Barbarossa and revolutionary War-technology.

"Revolutionary War-technology"
Within World War 2 Germany had created some of the most genius designs of the modern era constantly changing the game some of the most spectacular advancements in technology include: Tanks, Planes and Weapons such as rockets and missiles.

Interesting fact:

Nazi Germany engineers created the first operational Jet-powered fighter in the world. It was known as the Me 262 (Messerschmitt Me 262). At the time the jet could fly 150mp/h faster than the US forces fastest planes!
To find out more about it go to https://youtube.com/shorts/SuWrQ_B2UUk

- Written By Oscar

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Nazi Party | Definition, Meaning, History, & Facts

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Nazi Party, political party of the mass movement known as National Socialism. Under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, the party came to power in Germany in 1933 and governed by totalitarian methods until 1945. Learn more about the history of the Nazi Party in this article.

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Find more below on The USSR's involvement in World War 2!

Why did the USSR join World War 2?

Just before the War began the Soviet union signed a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, preventing any bad relations between them. Until July 1941 when Nazi Germany leaders made their decision to invade the Soviet Union therefore the USSR declares war upon them and fascist Italy at the time.

What significant factors did it play in the War?

The Soviet Union also known as the USSR played many significant roles in World War 2 many of them drastically changing the stakes at which who would win. Some of these include; The invasion of Nazi Germany in its final months, Operation Barbarossa (Axis Powers invade USSR) and the new government form known simply as communism which became a greater threat than the war to certain countries such as Vietnam and North Korea.

"Operation Barbarossa"
The Invasion of the Soviet Union done by the axis powers also known as Operation Barbarossa took place between Jun 22, 1941 – Dec 5, 1941 and had an estimated casualties rounding to about 800,000~ for soviets and was absolutely devastating at the time for both countries.

Interesting fact:

The Soviet Union (USSR) officially declared war on Japan the Day after Little Boy (1st USA Nuke) was dropped on Hiroshima by US forces, 2 days after the Soviet Union Declared war on Japan Fat man (2nd USA Nuke) was dropped on Nagasaki. In total the Nuclear bombs killed over 200,000~ Japanese Citizens and Injured hundreds of thousands of others, 1 month later Japanese forces sundered and the war ended.

Modern Day Soviet Union (USSR) Countries would include:

Russia. ...

Ukraine. ...

Belarus. ...

Moldova. ...

Kazakhstan. ...

The Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. ...

Central Asian Countries: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. ...

Transcaucasian Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

-Written By Oscar

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Soviet-Japan and the termination of the Second World War - The National Archives blog

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75 years ago today, in the morning of Sunday 2 September 1945, the Japanese representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender, which officially ended the Second World War. The Second World War in the Far East had started with Japan's attack of the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in the morning of Sunday 7 December [...]

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Find more below on United states of America's involvement in World War 2

World War II was a defining moment in the history of the United States of America. The war, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, saw the country's involvement on two fronts: the European and Pacific theaters. The United States entered the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The country's involvement in the war was a turning point in its history, and it had a significant impact on its social, political, and economic landscape.

At the time the United States entered the war, it was still recovering from the Great Depression, which had hit the country in the 1930s. The country's economy was just beginning to show signs of recovery, and the war provided a much-needed boost to the economy. The government, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, implemented a number of policies to support the war effort. One of the most significant policies was the War Production Board, which directed the country's manufacturing industry to produce war-related goods. This policy resulted in the production of millions of tanks, airplanes, and other military equipment that were crucial to the war effort.

The United States also implemented policies to support its military personnel. The GI Bill of Rights, which was passed in 1944, provided education and training opportunities, as well as housing and job assistance to returning veterans. This policy had a significant impact on the country's social and economic landscape, as it enabled millions of veterans to access higher education and secure well-paying jobs.

The war also had a significant impact on the country's political landscape. The United States emerged from the war as a global superpower, with a dominant role in world affairs. The country's involvement in the war also marked the beginning of its rivalry with the Soviet Union, which would define much of the country's foreign policy in the post-war period.

In terms of military strategy, the United States played a key role in the defeat of Nazi Germany in Europe. The country's involvement in the war in Europe began with the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944. The invasion was a joint effort between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, and it marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. The United States also played a key role in the liberation of Paris in August 1944, and the Battle of the Bulge in December of that year.

In the Pacific theater, the United States played a crucial role in the defeat of Japan. The country's involvement in the war in the Pacific began with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The attack resulted in the United States declaring war on Japan and entering the war in the Pacific. The United States played a key role in the Battle of Midway in June 1942, which was a turning point in the war in the Pacific. The country also played a crucial role in the island-hopping campaign, which involved capturing strategic islands in the Pacific to get closer to Japan.

The war also had a significant impact on the country's society. The country's involvement in the war led to a significant increase in employment opportunities for women and minorities. Women played a key role in the war effort, working in factories and other industries to support the production of war-related goods. The war also led to the integration of the military, as African American soldiers fought alongside their white counterparts.

-Written By Arnav

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The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands on December 7, 1941 marked the official entrance of the United States into World War II.

Background

During the 1930s, Japan, having already annexed Korea in 1910, sought to further expand its empire, particularly to gain natural resources. In 1931, the Japanese invaded Manchuria, a small, resource-rich province in northern China, and set up a puppet state called Manchukuo. In 1937, Japan invaded the rest of China and by some estimates killed as many as 300,000 people during the infamous Nanking Massacre. China would lose as many as 14 million people by the end of World War II.

Western powers were distressed by Japanese expansion, particularly because it violated the "Open Door" Policy supported by the League of Nations (a precursor to the United Nations), which had been put in place to ensure equal trading opportunities with China. The League of Nations reprimanded Japan, but this did nothing to stop its expansion.

As Japan had limited natural resources, 55.4% of its imports at the time came from the United States (Rhodes 39). Beginning in 1937, the U.S. began to embargo supplies of oil, steel, and scrap iron. In December of the same year, Japanese planes sunk the Panay, an American gunboat, in the Yangtze River, killing three Americans. Although Japan said it was a mistake and paid reparations, it further stirred sympathies for China and anger against Japan in the United States.

In 1940, Japan became part of the Axis Alliance with Germany and Italy and occupied parts of French Indochina (modern Vietnam) with the permission of the Vichy government, the puppet state created after the fall of France. In response, the United States put a complete embargo on all trade with Japan. President Roosevelt also moved the majority of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from the West Coast to Pearl Harbor.

The embargo created a dilemma for Japan. The Japanese were reliant on American resources to fuel their war effort, and ultimately concluded that they needed to conquer the resource-rich territories in Southeast Asia to continue. In July 1941, Japan moved into southern Indochina, on the doorstep of colonies controlled by Western powers such as India, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, and the American-controlled Philippines. Japan knew that this move risked war with the United States.

Surprise Attack

The attack at Pearl Harbor was the idea of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, who argued that it would "give a fatal blow to the enemy fleet" (Rhodes 392). In October 1941, the attack was approved by the Japanese naval general staff. Commanded by Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, the Japanese fleet included six aircraft carriers, 24 supporting ships, and a group of submarines.

The United States was expecting an attack. Ongoing negotiations to end Japanese expansion were not producing results, particularly since the start of the American trade embargo. Only hours before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Admiral Husband Kimmel, the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, received a message from the Navy: "This dispatch is to be considered a war warning. Negotiations with Japan looking toward stabilization of conditions in the Pacific have ceased and an aggressive move by Japan is expected within the next few days. Execute an appropriate defensive deployment preparatory to carrying out the tasks assigned" (390). The message did not, however, mention Pearl Harbor as a potential attack site, as the United States was instead expecting an attack on the Philippines.

The first sign of the Japanese fleet racing towards Pearl Harbor came at 7:00 AM the morning of December 7, when two U.S. Army privates on the Hawaiian island of Oahu were just about to turn off a mobile radar station they had manned since 4:00 AM. A slight disturbance on the screen gave pause to their actions - a large yet indistinct patch of light, which appeared to the men to come from 50 planes, seemed to be heading towards the island. Confused, one of the privates called the information center across the island, reaching an army lieutenant who assured them the light was simply a fleet of American B-17s. The lieutenant had heard Hawaiian music playing on the radio station earlier that morning, a signal that typically indicated an approaching American aircraft to Hawaii, and determined that the blotch on the radar's oscilloscope screen must be the incoming fleet.

Careful Japanese precautions and comprehensive planning allowed the attack on Pearl Harbor to remain completely shielded from US intelligence. For nearly two weeks prior to the attack, Japanese battleships and destroyers had escorted 43 fighters, 51 dive-bombers, 49 high-level bombers, and 40 torpedo planes from six carriers that floated 200 miles north of Pearl Harbor. The aircraft had traveled in complete radio silence in order to catch the Americans by surprise.

At 7:58 AM, the Ford Island command center finally sent a radio alert: "AIR RAID PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NOT DRILL." Upon reaching Pearl Harbor, the Japanese torpedo bombers skillfully maneuvered themselves into the harbor in groups of twos and threes in a sudden and forceful attack lasting only minutes. In another hour, a second fleet of 167 additional Japanese aircraft bombarded the site.

American residents who watched the attack from afar observed in horror as the screams of men on the sunken battleships ripped through the air, smoke rose from the sea, and the injured and dead swam in bloody waters slick with burning oil. When the effects of the attack subsided, the grim casualties became known: 2,403 American civilians and military personnel had been killed, and 1,178 wounded. Two battleships and 188 aircraft were destroyed.

Aftermath

The attack caught American military personnel by surprise and was certainly costly, but it did not cripple the U.S. Navy as the Japanese had anticipated. By a stroke of luck, the three American aircraft carriers stationed at Pearl Harbor were not there on the morning of December 7th. The USS Lexington, the USS Enterprise, and the USS Saratoga had been sent on missions during the days before. Aircraft carriers are larger and more difficult to build than other ships, and their survival would prove vital during the Pacific War.

On December 8th, President Roosevelt gave a speech in which he famously called the attack on Pearl Harbor "a date which will live in infamy," while Congress quickly passed a declaration of war on Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The War Department completely reorganized itself, as key positions shifted to various trusted officers in order to prepare for the new conflict.

Prior to Pearl Harbor, the United States had sent large amounts of financial aid and military equipment to the Allied cause. The Japanese attack launched the U.S. into a complete struggle against Axis powers and brought American soldiers into the war for the first time. It also united the country, as a Gallup poll conducted during the days after Pearl Harbor showed that 97% of Americans approved of the declaration of war.

Thousands of young men rushed to serve in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. A New York Times article from December 9th reported that the armed forces were "receiving applicants in numbers unprecedented in the history of the nation" and that "many of the men had been in line [at recruiting stations] the whole night." The Times added the next day that the Army had received 2,684 applications in the two days since declaring war on Japan.

Pearl Harbor also had a marked effect on the Manhattan Project. The S-1 Committee, which ran atomic research prior to the creation of the Manhattan Project, formally held its first meeting on December 18, 1941. This meeting initiated an official shift from the research to the development phase of the project. As S-1 official James Conant noted, "The atmosphere was charged with excitement - the country had been at war nine days, an expansion of the S-1 program was now an accomplished matter. Enthusiasm and optimism reigned" (Rhodes 398).

Legacy

Japan quickly expanded its Pacific empire, attacking American and British territorial holdings in the Philippines, Guam, Midway Island, Wake Island, Malaya, and Hong Kong. Their tactics were brutal and many more Americans lost their lives. The attack at Pearl Harbor as well as the Bataan Death March have often been cited as justification for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. President Truman's statement notifying the American public of the bombing on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, included the following words: "The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold."

Today, a memorial exists at Pearl Harbor to honor those who lost their lives that day. It includes the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Oklahoma Memorial, the USS Utah Memorial, parts of Ford Island, and Battleship Row. Built over the battleship whose name it carries, The USS Arizona Memorial receives over 1.8 million visitors each year. You can read AHF's Alexandra Levy's account of her visit to the memorials here.

In December 2016, Shinzo Abe became the first sitting Japanese Prime Minister to visit Pearl Harbor. Abe asserted, "We must never repeat the horrors of war again. This is the solemn vow we, the people of Japan, have taken." He also spoke of "the spirit of tolerance and the power of reconciliation" and offered his "sincere and everlasting condolences to the souls of those who lost their lives."

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Attack on Pearl Harbor - 1941 - Nuclear Museum

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The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands on December 7, 1941 marked the official entrance of the United States into World War II. During the 1930s, Japan, having already annexed Korea in 1910, sought to further expand its empire, particularly to gain natural resources.

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Economy and borders

Post war Germany had millions of homeless people. Homes were destroyed in the bombing. Many people were migrating. The millions of Germans who were living in Poland and other now Soviet areas were kicked out by the Soviets. The Allies decided what would be done with Germany to avoid repeating the consequences that occurred after WW1 which allowed the Nazi party to take over. Allies decided to temporarily take over Germany, and separated it into four zones: British, American, Russian, French. It was thought over time that it would become once again a unified Germany, however as the Cold War intensified, the Soviet Union held onto Eastern Germany. Germany became two very different and separate countries, one communist and one democratic.

Guilt and Pacifism

Germany felt incredible guilt at the end of the war. All of Europe was in ruins, 60 million people had been killed, 6 million of which were Jewish. Their leader, Hitler had committed suicide and they were forced to sign an “unconditional surrender”

The national guilt Germany felt has had an effect on its population and policies up to today. There was a large amount of shame that came with the Allied powers freeing the concentration camps as the world was shown the extent of what they had done. Since the end of the war, Germany has paid reparations and tried to come to terms with their past. Today, it is illegal in Germany to deny the Holocaust. After the war, Germans began to turn towards pacifism. They joined NATO and still remain skeptical in general about military activities.

Military Today
Germans today tend to be very suspicious of their own army. Foreign deployments are rare. Communist East Germany did have a Peoples Army however west Germany created the Bundeswehr in the 1950s. The Bundeswehr is "a deliberately modest force"; they don't often fight abroad and they think of themselves as "civilians in uniform". They also removed conscription and concentrates on small special forces/groups.

-Written by Lina

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Economic Impact:

WW2 was very costly for Britain and its empire. In 1945 the country was devastated from war. Many British cities had been destroyed and there were major shortages of goods and labor for the rebuilding of the country. The government had to consider whether Britain could afford to be a global empire any more. Britain lost its economic prominence to the United States.

Ideological impact:

Because WW2 was fought against extreme nationalism and racist ideas, it became difficult for Britain to continue to push ideas that they and white Europeans in general were superior to Africans and Asians. In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter which stated that Britain accepted that countries should be free from being oppressed by other empires. In 1945, the United Nations was formed, representing ideas of equality and human rights for all people.

Psychological impact:

During WW2 the British suffered a number of defeats, including the loss of Singapore. The British had thought of Japan as one of the inferior Asian nations. Losing control of Singapore to the Japanese showed that the British were not invincible, and so should not be considered superior. This was encouraging to nationalist groups in Africa and Asia.

Decolonization:

The British empire was too costly to hold onto. At first, the British tried to hold onto Africa, thinking it’s resources could help Britain to prosper, so they first tried to establish further colonies in Africa after the war. However nationalist movements in Africa made this difficult after 1948. Between 1948- 1960 unrest in places like Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, forced the British government to accept decolonization in Africa, as well.

-Written by Lina

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Post-war, Black Americans and other people of color were often left out from opportunities and prosperity. Black Americans realized this, particularly those who had also fought or lost loved ones fighting for America in the war. Those in the segregated South in particular had been excluded from the full meaning of the “American Dream” both before and after the war. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans became more aggressive in trying to win their full freedoms and civil rights as promised by the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. The Civil rights movement in U.S. is in many ways born of WW2. Many Black Americans who fought in the war and those who worked for the war effort were compelled to fight segregation and for equal rights.

-By Lina

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Post-war: Women

With millions of men and women serving overseas in the nations armed forces, women, who had commonly worked as homemakers, took jobs in war related fields. Women were involved in other aspects of the war effort outside of factories. More than six million women took wartime jobs in factories, three million volunteered with the Red Cross, and over 200,000 served in the military. Women were not allowed in combat zones however they made valuable contributions to the military force such as becoming nurses to help the soldiers injured in combat. Though war related jobs paid far more than traditional “women’s work”, women were still frequently paid less than men doing comparable work. When the war ended there was an expectation for everything to go back to how it was before; However, women wanted to keep their jobs and new-found independence. These wishes were not granted however, as men serving in the military returned seeking work and demand for war materials decreased. Some argue that these events led to the feminist movement of the 1960’s as a result of women being dissatisfied about being pushed out of work and back into the very domesticated role they played before the war.

-By Lina

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Economic impact of WW2 on the United States 

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Economic impact of WW2 on the United States 

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Economic: WWII was what lifted the US out of the great depression. The great depression meant

jobs were extremely difficult to come by and the occurrence of WWII created 17 million new jobs.

This is because war requires extra efforts and resources that weren’t needed before such as

uniforms, guns, tanks, ships, warplanes and other weapons to fight. Millions of Americans relocated

to work at war related jobs. After the war ended, the US economy was in better condition than any

other country in the world.

- By Lina