WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Germany invades Poland, marking what many regard as the start of the war, though Japan invaded China on July 7, 1937. Two days later, France and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany. German planes fly over Poland, Sept. 1939.

Detailed explanation-2: -Start and end dates. It is generally considered that, in Europe, World War II started on 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France’s declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939.

Detailed explanation-3: -World War I, also known as the Great War, began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. His murder catapulted into a war across Europe that lasted until 1918.

Detailed explanation-4: -As World War II transformed both the United States and the USSR, turning the nations into formidable world powers, competition between the two increased. Following the defeat of the Axis powers, an ideological and political rivalry between the United States and the USSR gave way to the start of the Cold War.

Detailed explanation-5: -The main combatants were the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China). Read about the Tripartite Pact, the agreement that linked Germany, Italy, and Japan in a defensive alliance.