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 participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war.
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 disputes left unsettled by World War I.
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.
Learn all about the major events of World War II from 1918 to 1942.
From D-Day to Dunkirk; from Stalingrad to the Battle of Britain, we bring you the facts and analysis on the most important battles of the Second World War. The Normandy landings – aka D-Day – took place on 6 June 1944, when Allied forces launched a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France.
Explore this section to learn more about World War II. Learn more about World War II history through WWII scholarship from The National WWII Museum.