8/11/2019 wwii.docx

1/2

World War II (WWII or WW2 ), also known as the Second World War , was a global

war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, though related conflicts began earlier. It involved the

vast majority of the world's nations including all of the great powers eventually formingtwo opposing military alliances : the Allies and the Axis . It was the most widespread war in

history, and directly involved more than 100 million people, from more than 30 different

countries. In a state of "total war ", the major participants threw their

entire economic , industrial , and scientific capabilities behind the war effort , erasing the

distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by mass deaths of civilians,

including the Holocaust , the Three Alls Policy , the strategic bombing of enemy industrial

and/or population centres , and the first use of nuclear weapons in combat , it resulted in an

estimated 50 million to 85 million fatalities . These made World War II the deadliest

conflict in human history .[1]

The Empire of Japan aimed to dominate Asia and the Pacific and was already at war withthe Republic of China in 1937 ,[2]but the world war is generally said to have begun on 1

September 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Germany and subsequent declarations of

war on Germany by France and the United Kingdom . From late 1939 to early 1941, in a

series of campaigns and treaties , Germany formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan ,

conquering or subduing much of continental Europe. Following the Molotov RibbentropPact , Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned between themselves and annexed

territories of their European neighbours, including Poland , Finland and the Baltic states .

The United Kingdom and the other members of the British Commonwealth were the only

major Allied forces continuing the fight against the Axis, with battles taking place in North Africa and the Horn of Africa as well as the long-running Battle of the Atlantic . In June

1941, the European Axis powers launched an invasion of the Soviet Union , giving a start to

the largest land theatre of war in history , which tied down the major part of the Axis' military

forces for the rest of the war. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United

States and European territories in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the

Western Pacific.

The Axis advance was stopped in 1942 when Japan lost a critical Battle of Midway ,

near Hawaii , and Germany was defeated in North Africa and then, decisively,

at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. In 1943, with a series of German defeats on th e Eastern

Front , the Allied invasion of Italy which brought about that nation's surrender, and Allied

victories in the Pacific, the Axis lost the initiative and undertook strategic retreat on all

fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded France , while the Soviet Union regained all of its

territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese

began suffering major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma , while

the Allies defeated the Japanese Navy and captured key Western Pacific islands.

The war in Europe ended with an invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet

Union culminating in the capture of Berlin by Soviet and Polish troops and thesubsequent German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following th e Potsdam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_efforthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_efforthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_efforthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocausthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocausthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocausthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Alls_Policyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Alls_Policyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Alls_Policyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Sommerville_2008_5-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Sommerville_2008_5-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Sommerville_2008_5-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Bar.26Shyu_2001_6-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Bar.26Shyu_2001_6-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Polish_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Polish_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Polish_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_Pacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_Pacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_Pacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alameinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alameinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alameinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingradhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingradhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingradhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicilyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicilyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicilyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Guangxi_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Guangxi_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrenderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrenderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrenderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Dayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Dayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Dayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declarationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declarationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declarationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Dayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrenderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Guangxi_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicilyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingradhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alameinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harborhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaignhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_Pacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Polish_Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Bar.26Shyu_2001_6-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-Sommerville_2008_5-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_disasters_by_death_tollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualtieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Alls_Policyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocausthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_efforthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientifichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participants_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_war

8/11/2019 wwii.docx

2/2

Declaration by the Allies on 26 July 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the

Japanese cities o f Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 August and 9 August respectively. With

an invasion of the Japanese archipelago imminent, the possibility of additional atomic

bombings, and the Soviet Union's declaration of war on Japan and invasion of

Manchuria ,Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945. Thus ended the war in Asia, cementingthe total victory of the Allies over the Axis.

World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world. The United

Nations (UN) was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future

conflicts. The great powers that were the victors of the war the United States, the SovietUnion, China, the United Kingdom, and France became the permanent members ofthe United Nations Security Council .[3] The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as

rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War , which lasted for the next 46 years.

Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers started to decline, while

the decolonisation of Asia and Africa began. Most countries whose industries had been

damaged moved towards economic recovery . Political integration, especially in Europe ,

emerged as an effort to stabilise postwar relations and co-operate more effectively in the

Cold War .[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declarationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declarationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet-Japanese_War_(1945)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet-Japanese_War_(1945)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet-Japanese_War_(1945)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_members_of_the_United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_members_of_the_United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_members_of_the_United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-The_UN_Security_Council-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-The_UN_Security_Council-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-The_UN_Security_Council-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_economic_expansionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_economic_expansionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_economic_expansionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_integrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_integrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_integrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_integrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_economic_expansionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonisation_of_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War#cite_note-The_UN_Security_Council-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_members_of_the_United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet-Japanese_War_(1945)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration