Ivan Sillero

4-6-2016
Topic of Interest
L-L-L

World War 2
World War 2, the most brutal war to ever exist in mankind, over 60 million people died
during this 6 year catastrophe. The axis powers vs the allied powers, U.S against Japan, Germany
against the Soviets were all part of World War 2. From September 3, 1939 (when Britain and
France declared war on Germany.) To August 15, 1945 (when Japan surrendered to the allies.)
World War 1 was the first world war to ever exist. It started by the assassination of Franz
Ferdinand. It ended by Germany formally surrendering to the allies. After World War 1 Germany
had to give up land and give up armed forces. The people of Germany knew they were living in a
weak country. They needed a strong leader that would get them to power. The people voted for a
man named Adolf Hitler to be their leader. He was part of the Nazi party.
The invasion of Poland is what triggered the start of World War 2. Britain and France
declared war on Germany after that. Hitler made a peace treaty with Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)
so he won't be attacked by him while invading Poland. The Soviet Union attacked Poland and
also Germany, they divided the land. Nazis also invaded Belgium and Holland, unleashing
blitzkrieg, or lightning war.
On November 10, 1939 the Soviets also invaded Finland. With 465,000 men and 1,000
air crafts. Stalin thought it was going to be an easy invasion. It took four months for the soviets

to force Finland to give up some of its land. At the end Finland lost 48,000 soldiers, the red army
lost 125,000. Hitler did not fail to notice this weakness in Stalins army.
April 9, 1940 Hitler invaded Norway and occupied Denmark. Hitler also attacked the
Maginot Line. The Maginot Line was an elaborate chain of fortifications built after World War 1
by the French. It protected France from Germany. Hitler attacked it and they broke through it.
France was resisting the invasion. France was on the verge of falling under the power of the
Nazis. Benito Mussolini put his pact of steel into action and declared war on France and Britain.
(Italy and Germany signed a pact of steel which was when axis was formed.)
On June 14, 1940 Hitler invaded France. France was divided by two regions, one under
the Nazi Party and the other one under Marshal Philippe Petain. Hitlers priority was to invade
Britain. Because of the English Channel separating Britain and France they had the water as
there defense. The only way for them to cause damage was from above. Germany consistently
bombed Britain. This led to the Battle of Britain. The Royal Air Force vs Luftwaffe. Britain
eventually won.
More countries were now joining the axis (Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.) Hitler
needed more land to expand Germany. He needed to invade The Soviet Union. June 22, 1941
Hitler set the invasion of the Soviet Union.One of the biggest landwars to ever exist. Breaking
the pact that he and Stalin was a big move. The surprise caught Stalin off guard and the Germans
advanced 200 miles into Moscow. This led to the Battle of Stalingrad were the soviets defended
the city. They could not advance anymore. The Winter came and the Germans could not hold it
anymore. The germans surrender and taken by the soviets.

On December 7, 1941 Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. Japan came and attacked Pearl Harbor
with 360 aircrafts. The United States formally declared war on Japan. After that Germany and the
Axis powers declared war on the United States.
This made a lot of tension between Japan and the United States. Over the next years the
U.S was invading islands in Japan. Their ultimate goal was to invade Japan. Also allies invaded
Sicily which led to the fall of Italy/ Mussolini.
On June 6, 1944 the allies set a massive invasion of Europe. 156,000 British, Canadian,
and Americans troops landed on the Beaches of Normandy that day. The beaches where heavily
fortified by the Nazis. The allies lost 4,000 brave men that day. After the beach was secured
326,000 troops landed, more than 50,000 vehicles, and 100,000 tons of equipment landed. The
allies made a deception by making a phantom army. This phantom army was made to trick the
Germans that they were going to attack to the the right of Utah beach.
Hitler did not release another division to counter attack the allies because he thought it
was a distraction from an attack from the North. By the end of June 850,000 men and 150,000
vehicles where in Normandy. One battle in France was The Battle of the Bulge. It was German
resistance against the allies. Incoming mortars constantly attacked them. The cold was a big
factor because it was weakening the allies.
Hitler poured the remaining strength into the western front trying to defeat the allies.
Soviet troops soon advanced into Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania, He could not
hold the allies and they invaded Germany. The Soviets were rushing in and headed for Berlin.
Hitler knew the resistance would eventually fall. He killed himself in his bunker with his wife on
April 30, 1945.

On May 8th 1945 Germany formally surrendered to the allies. Post-war Germany was
divided into 4 occupation zones controlled by France, U.S, Soviet Union, and Britain. Japan had
not surrendered in any shape or form. As Americans were still fighting in Japanese soil they did
not want to have any more casualties. President Harry S. Truman (Franklin Roosevelt died) made
the decision of dropping two atomic bombs on Japan. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 10,
1945 Japan formally accepts the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.
At the end 35 to 60 million people died during this 6 year catastrophe. Thats including 6
million Jews who were killed by the Nazis. World War 2 led to the cold war.Which was war
between the U.S and Russia. The lives of the 60 million people who died will always be
remembered. Many of the brave troops still live to this day. Who knows what could have
happened if the Nazis would have won the war?

Math