In the aftermath of the political divides and destruction of the first world war, nations across the glove were thrown into economic depression and social chaos. Banks across the world were failing and communities were stymied by unemployment that was shaking the foundations of governments. 

 

The Treaty of Versailles had dealt a severe blow to Germany with loss of territory and the burden of reparations. Taking advantage of the social upheaval and rise of fascism, Adolf Hitler rallied supporters to follow his nationalist vision to rebuild and reclaim pride and power for the German people.

 

Weary of war and short on resources, Britain and France had established a pattern of appeasement toward Germany naively hoping that Hitler would hold true to his agreements not to engage in conflict. In September of 1938, German forces invaded the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, populated by German-speaking citizens. Both Britain and France stood on the sidelines believing promises by Germany that this would be only a limited reclamation of territory. Within months, Germany claimed all of Czechoslovakia as German territory and then invaded Poland forcing the British and French governments to declare war on Germany.

 

On the other side of the globe, Japan, suffering from a servere economic depression and at a loss for raw materials to build up their manufacturing, invaded China and then in a brazen grab for power, Japan invaded  Korea, Vietnam and much of Southeast Asia.

 

While the United States had been reluctant to enter the war in Europe, on December 7, 1941, following the Japanese bombing of Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and Congress responded to the aerial attack by declaring war on Japan. Germany and Italy then declared war on America and within two days, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution to declare war on Germany.

 

World War II had begun and before it would end in 1945, the worldwide conflicts would prove to be the most deadliest military conflict in history. Military deaths would total an estimated 25 million. Just as incomprehensible, total casualties (both military and civilian) in conflicts that include the Battle of Britain, Leningrad, Anzio, Iwo Jimo, D-Day and more to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima – an estimated 80 million humans would lose their lives.

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