This paper surveys the Second World War's major dimensions: its origins in the unresolved tensions of WWI, the military campaigns of the European Theater from North Africa to France and Italy, and the broader social and political consequences that reshaped the postwar world. The paper traces how the war accelerated the end of European colonialism, ignited civil rights movements in the United States and elsewhere, and produced two rival superpowers whose competition defined the Cold War era. A comparative section contrasts WWI and WWII in terms of causes, weaponry, and peace settlements, arguing that the Second World War was, in significant respects, a continuation of the first.
If there is a period that will always be remembered in the history of the twentieth century, it is the Second World War. Although it was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, it also stimulated technological advancement and prepared the world for the sweeping social changes that followed. Some of the most notable social changes include the termination of European colonial rule in several countries, the heightening of civil rights movements in the United States, and the emergence of women's movements. The programs that set the pace for the exploration of outer space also began during this period.
The warring groups were divided along two axes: Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy, and several smaller allies on one side, versus Britain and the Commonwealth nations, the Soviet Union, and the United States on the other. The Allies emerged victorious. A direct consequence of the war was the emergence of two dominant superpowers — the USSR and the USA — which were soon drawn into the conflict known as the Cold War.
The era of European colonialism was effectively brought to an end by the Second World War. The war significantly weakened European powers, and the people of these nations grew weary of prolonged conflict. Leftist movements within European-controlled colonies gained momentum after the war, ultimately forcing European nations to withdraw from the territories they had occupied. This withdrawal was not always peaceful. In many instances, guerrilla warfare was required before colonialists fully surrendered their hold. Notably, rebel movements were energized by the combat experience their members had acquired during the war itself. It has been observed that the best-armed and most experienced rebels often came from the communist wing.
The activities of these well-armed and well-trained communist rebel movements alarmed world leaders and ordinary citizens alike, raising fears that communists were poised to take over the world. These fears were intensified by the Soviet Union's absorption of most of Eastern Europe shortly after the war, and by the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. In response, Western nations supplied food and military equipment in an effort to suppress the surging communist movements — a defining feature of early Cold War strategy.
On the domestic front in the United States, African-American veterans who had fought in the war returned home to find the same racial discrimination they had left behind, with no sign of change. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a Civil Rights Movement aimed at ending officially sanctioned discriminatory practices, including employment discrimination and a broad range of social injustices. In India, it was Mahatma Gandhi who paved the way for the spread of civil rights consciousness — an influence that extended to the United States and beyond. In South Africa, conservatives narrowly defeated the wartime governing coalition, and the new regime established harsh racial policies under the banner of apartheid. This system persisted until 1994.
In an effort to strike a decisive blow against the Nazis, the United States concentrated its Allied support in England and planned an assault through the English Channel onto the European mainland. These plans were drawn up in 1942 for execution in 1943, with provisions to act even sooner if either Russia or Germany showed signs of collapse. Britain agreed to the plan in principle, and the United States began building up war supplies and troop numbers within the UK. The full assault, however, did not take place until 1944.
In mid-1942, Britain proposed an invasion through North Africa, which the Americans accepted. Following intense fighting in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, the Allies achieved victory in the North African campaign by the middle of 1943. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, meeting in Casablanca, then agreed to target Sicily as their next objective. In late July of that year, Allied forces invaded Sicily and subsequently moved onto the Italian mainland. This was a costly campaign: it resulted in the deaths of 114 Americans, and German forces in the region refused to surrender until May 1945. Strategically, however, the German decision to defend Italy proved costly to them as well, as those troops might otherwise have been deployed to resist the Allied advance in France.
"Nazi advances, fall of France, and Dunkirk evacuation"
"Origins, weapons, and peace treaties contrasted"
"UN founding, Cold War rivalry, and decolonization"
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