1. What World War II Was
World War II was a huge global conflict that happened from 1939 to 1945.
It involved many countries, but the main two sides were:
● Allied Powers – mainly Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and later the USA
● Axis Powers – mainly Germany, Italy, and Japan
The war started in Europe but eventually spread to Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
2. Main Causes of World War II
There wasn’t just one reason—several problems built up over time:
1. Treaty of Versailles:
Germany felt humiliated and heavily punished after World War I.
2. Rise of dictators:
Leaders like Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), and Tojo (Japan) wanted to expand
their power.
3. Economic problems:
The Great Depression made many countries unstable, allowing extreme leaders to gain
support.
4. Failure of the League of Nations:
The League couldn’t stop countries from breaking rules or invading others.
5. Expansion and aggression:
○ Germany invaded nearby territories
○ Japan expanded into Asia
○ Italy attacked Ethiopia
These aggressive moves made war almost unavoidable.
World War II was a huge global conflict that happened from 1939 to 1945.
It involved many countries, but the main two sides were:
● Allied Powers – mainly Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and later the USA
● Axis Powers – mainly Germany, Italy, and Japan
The war started in Europe but eventually spread to Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
2. Main Causes of World War II
There wasn’t just one reason—several problems built up over time:
1. Treaty of Versailles:
Germany felt humiliated and heavily punished after World War I.
2. Rise of dictators:
Leaders like Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), and Tojo (Japan) wanted to expand
their power.
3. Economic problems:
The Great Depression made many countries unstable, allowing extreme leaders to gain
support.
4. Failure of the League of Nations:
The League couldn’t stop countries from breaking rules or invading others.
5. Expansion and aggression:
○ Germany invaded nearby territories
○ Japan expanded into Asia
○ Italy attacked Ethiopia
These aggressive moves made war almost unavoidable.
