WORLD WAR TWO 1939 - 1945

In the opinion of many, the Treaty of Versailles, after the end of WW1
sowed the seeds of a future world war by leaving many European nations
discontented. With the accession of the national Socialists to power in
Germany, the stage was set for Germany reclaiming lost territories and
due to the complex series of European alliances, with Germany's invasion
of Poland in September 1939, war became inevitable.....

1939 - Britain & France declare war on Germany
1939 - Germany & Russia invade and partition Poland
1939 to May 1940 - period of "Phony War"
1940 - Germany conquers Denmark,Holland,Norway,Luxembourg
       Belgium,France - British retreat from Dunkirk.
1940 - RAF defeat Luftwaffe in Battle of Britain....

....the war then spread to North Africa,the Atlantic (U-Boat War)
the Balkans and with Japan's attack on the U.S Pacific Fleet at 
Pearl Harbour, the war became truly world wide.

In June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, thus sparking the
greatest land war in history - and one which eventually in conjunction
with the D-Day landings of 1944 brought the destruction of the Third
Reich and the death of Hitler and other leading Nazis. The dropping
by the USA of two atom bombs on Japan, brought about the Japanese
surrender in August 1945.

Suggested further reading: Hitler's War by David Irving
                           The Foundations of WW2 - A.J.P Taylor
                           Decisive Battles of the Western World -JFC Fuller