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The Second World War, like the First, started in Europe and assumed
the character of a world war. In spite of the fact that Western countries
had acquiesced in all the aggressions of Japan, Italy and Germany
from the invasion of Manchuria to the annexation of Czechoslovakia,
the fascist countries ambitions had not been satisfied. These
countries were planning another redivision of the world and thus had
to come into conflict with the established imperialist powers. The
Western policy of diverting the aggression of the fascist countries
towards the Soviet Union had failed with the signing of the Soviet
German Non-Aggression Pact. Thus the war began in Europe
between the fascist countries and the major West European Powers
Britain and France. Within a few months it became a world war as it
spread to more and more areas, ultimately involving almost every
country in the world.
war, however, there was little actual fighting for many months.
Therefore, the war during this period from September 1939 to April
1940 when Germany invaded Norway and Denmark is known as the
phoney war.
Soon after the German invasion of Poland, the Soviet Union attacked
eastern Poland and occupied the territories which were earlier in the
Russian empire. It is believed that this occupation was a part of the
secret provisions of the SovietGerman NonAggression Pact. In 1940,
the Baltic States of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania which had become
independent after the First World War were also occupied by the
Soviet Union. They, along with Moldavia, became republics of USSR.
In November 1939, the Soviet Union also went to war against Finland.
Britain was the only major power left in Europe after the fall of France.
Germany thought that Britain would surrender soon as she was
without any allies in Europe. German air force began bombing raids
on Britain in August 1940 with the aim of terrorizing her into surrender
.The battle that ensued is known as the Battle of Britain. The Royal Air
Force of Britain played a heroic role in its defence against air raids
and conducted air raids on German territories in retaliation. The Prime
Minister of Britain during the war years was Winston Churchill. Under
his leadership, the people of Britain successfully resisted the German
air raids with courage and determination.
In the meantime, Italy had started military operations in North Africa.
She also invaded Greece, but the Italian attack in both the areas was
repulsed. However, Germany succeeded in capturing the Balkans
Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and also large parts of North Africa.
One of the most important turning points in the war was the Battle of
Stalingrad (now called Volgograd). In November and December 1941,
the German advance on Moscow met with stubborn resistance and
the invasion was repulsed. Germany then launched an offensive in
southern Russia. In August 1942, the German troops 1 reached the
outskirts of Stalingrad. For over five months, the battle raged. It
involved about 2 million men, 2000 tanks and 2000 aeroplanes. The
civilian population of Stalingrad joined the soldiers in the defence of
the city. In February 1943, about 90,000 German officers and soldiers
surrendered. In all, Germany had lost about 300,000 men in this
battle. This battle turned the tide of the war
After 6 June 1944, German armies had to face the forces of the Allies
from three directions. In Italy, the British and American troops were
advancing. Northern and western France and the city of Paris had
been freed and the Allied troops were moving towards Belgium and
Holland On the eastern front, the Germans were facing a collapse.
The Soviet army from the east and other Allied troops from the west
were closing on Germany. On May 1945 the Soviet armies entered
Berlin. Hitler had committed suicide on the morning of the same day.
On 7 May 1945 Germany unconditionally surrendered. The end of all
hostilities in Europe became effective from 12,00 a.m. on 9 May 1945
Resistance Movements
In all the countries of Europe which had fallen victim to the
aggressions of fascist countries, the people organised resistance
movements. In many countries, the governments capitulated before
the aggres sors without much fighting but people of those countries
continued to resist the fascist rule. For example, when the
government of France surrendered, the people of France organized a
popular resistance movement against the German occupation. A
French army was also formed outside France under the leadership of
General de Gaulle which actively participated in the war. Similar
armies of other countries were also organized. Inside the occupied
countries, the resistance movements set up guerilla forces.
government. They had feared that if the Nazis developed the bomb,
they would use it to terrorize the world into submission. The atom
bomb was first tested in July 1945. By then, Germany had already
surrendered. Many of those who had helped in its development
appealed to the US government not to use it against Japan against
whom the war was still continuing. They also warned of the danger of
starting a race in the production of atomic weapons if the atom bomb
was used against Japan. However, the government of the United
States used the atom bombs against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, as has already been mentioned. The two bombs killed
over 320,000 people almost instantaneously and completely wiped
out large parts of the two cities. The effects of these bombs on the
health of those who survived and on their children continue to this
day. The government of the United States justified the use of the atom
bomb on the ground that it brought the Second World War
immediately to a close and thus helped to save human lives which
would have been lost if the war had continued. Many other people,
including many Scientists who had helped in making the bomb.
condemned the use of the atom bomb. After the defeat of Germany
and the ending of the war in Europe, Japan was not in a position to
continue the war and her capitulation was a matter of days. Some
scholars hold the view that the main reason for using the atom bomb
was to establish the superiority of USA in the world after the war as at
that time she alone possessed these weapons. In any case, the
prediction of the scientists that the use of the atom bomb would lead
to a race for producing atomic weapons came true. Within a few years
after the Second World War, some other countries also developed
atomic weapons. Also other nuclear weapons, thousands of times
more destructive than the ones used against Japan, were developed
which, if used, can completely destroy all human life on earth.
EXERCISES
1. What were the main features of the fascist and Nazi
movements?
2. Explain the consequences of the economic crisis of 1929-33.
3. What is meant by the term Axis Powers
4. Describe the consequences of the victory of fascism on Italy and
Germany.
5. What were the main aims of the foreign policies of Italy and
Germany ? Of Japan ?