Portal:World War II

War and the military Military of  Ancient Rome  Australia Bangladesh Canada Germany  Greece Pakistan Turkey United Kingdom (British Army Royal Air Force Royal Navy) United States (Army Marine Corps Navy Air Force Coast Guard) … Military history of  Africa France the Ottoman Empire …… American Civil War American Revolutionary War Cold War Crusades Italian Wars Napoleonic Wars War of 1812 World War I World War II …… Battleships Biological warfare Submarine Tank Weapons of mass destruction …… NATO  Terrorism edit   The World War II Portal World War II, or the Second World War, was a global military conflict. It began as the joining of what had initially been two separate conflicts, with the first beginning in Asia in 1937 (the Second Sino-Japanese War) and the other beginning in Europe in 1939 (the German and Soviet invasion of Poland). The war split the majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It involved the mobilization of over 100 million military personnel, making it the most widespread war in history, and placed the participants in a state of "total war", which erased the distinction between civil and military resources and resulted in the complete activation of a nation's economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities for the purposes of the war effort. Over 70 million people, the majority of them civilians, were killed, making it the deadliest conflict in human history. The Allies won the war, and as a result, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as the world's leading superpowers. This set the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 45 years. The United Nations was formed in the hope of preventing another such conflict. The self-determination spawned by the war accelerated decolonization movements in Asia and Africa, while Europe itself began moving toward integration. More about World War II... edit   Featured article The Invasion of Poland, 1939, which precipitated World War II, was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and a small German-allied Slovak contingent.The invasion of Poland marked the start of World War II in Europe, as Poland's western allies, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, declared war on Germany on September 3, soon followed by France, South Africa and Canada, among others. The invasion began on September 1, 1939, one week after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, and ended October 6, 1939, with Germany and the Soviet Union occupying the entirety of Poland. Although the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany soon after Germany attacked Poland, very little direct military aid was provided (see Phoney War and Western betrayal). Following a German-staged "Polish attack" on August 31, 1939, on September 1, German forces invaded Poland from the north, south, and west. Spread thin defending their long borders, the Polish armies were soon forced to withdraw eastward. edit   Selected equipment The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1941 to 1958. It is widely regarded to have been the world's best tank when the Soviet Union entered World War II, and although its armor and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it is credited as the war's most effective, efficient and influential design.First produced at the KhPZ factory in Kharkov (Kharkiv, Ukraine), it was the mainstay of Soviet armoured forces throughout World War II, and widely exported afterwards. It was the most-produced tank of the war, and the second most-produced tank of all time, after its successor, the T-54/55 series.A 1996 publication showed that the T-34 was still in service with twenty-seven countries.The T-34 was developed from the BT series of fast tanks, and was intended to replace both the BT-5 and BT-7 tanks and the T-26 infantry tank in service (Zaloga & Grandsen 1984:66, 111).At its introduction, it was the tank with the best balanced attributes of firepower, mobility, and protection in existence, although initially its battlefield effectiveness suffered from the unsatisfactory ergonomic layout of its crew compartment, lack of radios and poor tactical employment. edit   Selected battle The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, October 26, 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the Battle of the South Pacific (南太平洋海戦), was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the lengthy and strategically important Guadalcanal campaign. In similar fashion to the battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and the Eastern Solomons, the ships of the two adversaries were rarely in direct visual range of each other. Instead, almost all attacks by both sides were mounted by carrier or land-based aircraft.In an attempt to drive Allied forces from Guadalcanal and nearby islands and end the stalemate which had existed since September 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army planned a major ground offensive on Guadalcanal for October 20–October 25, 1942. edit   Selected picture General Douglas MacArthur signs the Japanese Instrument of Surrender as Supreme Allied Commander during formal ceremonies on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Behind General MacArthur are Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright and Lieutenant General A.E. Percival. edit   Selected biography Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a British Army officer and World War I veteran. He built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted for his involvement in World War II, when he commanded the forces of the British Commonwealth during the Battle of Malaya and the subsequent Battle of Singapore.Percival's surrender to the invading Imperial Japanese Army force was and remains the largest capitulation in British military history, and it permanently undermined Britain's prestige as an imperial power in the Far East.However, current knowledge about the years of under-funding of Malaya's defences and the inexperienced, under-equipped nature of the Commonwealth army makes it possible to hold a more sympathetic view of his command.Arthur Ernest Percival was born on 26 December 1887 in Aspenden Lodge, Aspenden near Buntingford in Hertfordshire, England, the second son of Alfred Reginald and Edith Percival (née Miller). edit   Did you know...? ... that the British Army changed its plans for operations in Greece during World War II on medical advice from Australian Brigadier Sir Neil Fairley? ...that U-106, was one of Germany's most successful submarines, sinking 22 Allied ships in World War II? ...that the Land Coastal Defence which defended the Polish coast during the German invasion of Poland was subordinate to the Polish Navy, not the Army? edit   Categories ▼ World War II ► World War II by country ► Lists of World War II topics ► World War II-related lists ► Aftermath of World War II ► Aviation in World War II ► Battles and operations of World War II ► World War II manufacturers of military equipment ► Chronology of World War II ► Collaboration during World War II ► Cultural history of World War II ► Military deception during World War II ► Economic history of World War II ► Friendly fire incidents of World War II ► Historiography of World War II ► Intelligence of World War II ► World War II legislation ► Military logistics of World War II ► World War II and the media ► World War II media ► Military animals of World War II ► Military discipline and World War II ► Military equipment of World War II ► Military medicine in World War II ► Military units and formations of World War II ► Naval history of World War II ► World War II non-governmental organizations ► People of World War II ► Politics of World War II ► Pope Pius XII and World War II ► World War II propaganda ► World War II resistance movements ► Science and technology during World War II ► World War II sites ► Sociology of World War II ► Unfree labor during World War II ► World War II crimes ► World War II naval ships ► World War II stubs edit   Selected quote "Fellow Australians It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that, in persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain is at war, and that, as a result, Australia is also at war... There was never any doubt as to where Great Britain stood... There can be no doubt that where Great Britain stands, there stands the people of the entire British world." — Prime Minister Robert Menzies, 3 September 1939 edit   Topics World War II Theatres Main events Specific articles Participants Prelude • Causes • in Europe • in Asia Main theatres • Europe • Eastern Europe • China • Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa • Asia and the Pacific • Atlantic General timeline • Timeline 1939 • Invasion of Poland • Winter War 1940 • Invasion of Denmark/Norway • Battle of France • Battle of Britain 1941 • Invasion of the Soviet Union • Battle of Moscow • Attack on Pearl Harbor 1942 • Battle of Midway • Battle of Stalingrad • Second Battle of El Alamein 1943 • Battle of Kursk • Guadalcanal campaign • Invasion of Italy 1944 • Battle of Normandy • Operation Bagration • Battle of Leyte Gulf • Operation Market Garden • Battle of the Bulge 1945 • Battle of Iwo Jima • Battle of Okinawa • Battle of Berlin • End in Europe • Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Surrender of Japan • more... • Blitzkrieg • Cryptography • Equipment • Home Front • Military engagements • Production • Resistance • Technology Civilian impact and atrocities • Nanking Massacre • Holocaust • Siege of Leningrad • Bataan Death March • Dutch famine of 1944 • Bengal famine of 1943 • Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Unit 731 • Strategic bombings • Comfort women • Allied war crimes • German war crimes • Japanese war crimes Aftermath • Effects • Casualties • Expulsion of Germans • Denazification • Cold War • Universal Declaration of Human Rights • Decline of the British Empire The Allies • Australia • Belgium • Brazil • British India • Canada • Czechoslovakia • Egypt • El Salvador • France (after June 16, 1940: Free France) • Greece • Netherlands • New Zealand • Norway • Philippines • Poland • Republic of China • South Africa • Soviet Union • United Kingdom • United States • Yugoslavia more... The Axis • Bulgaria • NDH • Japan • Finland • Vichy France • Hungary • Italy • Germany • Romania • Thailand • Slovakia more... edit   Things you can do From the World War II task force of the Military history WikiProject: Attention needed ...to referencing and citation  • ...to coverage and accuracy  • ...to structure  • ...to grammar  • ...to supporting materials  Popular pages Full list Cleanup needed   Battle of Kiev (1943) • Battle of Ko Chang • Raid on Drvar • Colditz Castle • Spiritual national defence Requested articles  A Force • Battle of Uhtua-Kiestinki • Battles of Repola-Rukajärvi • Battle of Porlammi • Battle of Siiranmäki • Battle of Tuulos • Battle of Łuck • Battle of Równe • Battle of Włodzimierz Wołyński • Battle of Lubartów • Battle of Miedniki • Battle of Jodła • Francis Blanchain • Shinshou Draenger • Christer Lyst Hansen • Holocaust slave labor litigation • Ove Kampman • League for Combat Policy • Frederick Charles Lough • Julien Meline • Operation Rayon • Operation Bigot • Operation Mittelmeer • Operation Richard • Otto Program • Martin Poppel • Roehm's Avengers • Dorothy Tartiere • Poul Bruun • Raoul Boulanger • Serge Asher-Ravanel • Battle of West Ukraine (1941) • Battle of Zunyi • Free Dutch Forces • Yugoslav government in exile • Operation Safari • Liberation of Denmark (currently redirect) • Danish Brigade in Sweden • Operation Vado (currently redirect) • German torpedo boat Albatros Expansion needed   Princess Irene Brigade • Battle of Bay of Viipuri • Demilitarisation; Martha Desrumeaux • Mochitsura Hashimoto • Operation Cascade • Operation Tan No. 2 • Burma Area Army • Battle of Courland • Battle of Voronezh (1943) • First Battle of Kharkov • Race to Berlin • Marie Fourcade • Victor Strydonck de Burkel • Donald Blakeslee • Operation Nordwind • Battle of Skerki Bank • Michael Sinclair (soldier) • Battle of Maastricht • Battle of Zeeland • Operation Waterfall • Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive • American-British-Dutch-Australian Command • more Images needed   Twelfth Army (United Kingdom) • 4th Airborne Division (United Kingdom) • 5th Airborne Division (United Kingdom) • XVI Corps (United Kingdom) • Battle of Dakar • Battle of the Lys (1940) • German invasion of Luxembourg • Battle of Zeeland • Battle of the Grebbeberg • A. H. Vedel • Franco-Thai War • Battle of Ko Chang • Switzerland during the World Wars Merging needed   Add an article here! Citations needed   Add an article here! Translation needed  de:Josef Meisinger • nl:Type 5 Na-To • pt:Tobrouk (militar) edit   Associated Wikimedia What are portals? List of portals Featured portals Topics Culture Geography Health History Mathematics Nature People Philosophy Religion Society Technology