2. World War 2 was the biggest war that has ever happened in the history of the
World.
It was the first war to take place across the entire planet of Earth.
It was the first war to ever involve more than 60 different countries.
It was the first war in which not only millions of soldiers were killed or injured,
but also millions of ordinary people (civilians) were killed and injured as well.
It was the first war to use large aeroplanes to bomb whole cities;
the first war to use rocket bombs, jet aeroplanes;
and right at the end of World War 2, the devastating effect of atomic bombs.
3. World War Two
1939 - 1945
The Facts:
1. World War 2 was the biggest, most expensive, and most terrible war
that has ever happened in the history of the world
2. Britain was involved in the war from the start, and every British
person, including children, was involved in, or affected by, the War.
3. Britain did not fight alone, the war also involved many countries.
World War II involved 61 countries including 1.7 billion people
(1,700,000,000) three quarters (¾) of the entire world's population.
4. Fifty million (50,000,000) people lost their lives and hundreds of
millions people were injured.
4. How did the Second World War start?
In 1918, Germany lost World War One. Britain, France and America won
World War 1.
Germany had to give up land and was banned from having any army of its
own.
Germany had to pay lots of money to Britain and France for starting the war.
By 1928 Germany had almost no money.
There was no work for anyone and many people were starving.
5. In 1933 a man named Adolph Hitler became the leader of
the German government and the leader of Germany.
He had big plans for his country and started to build up
Germany’s strength by putting people back to work
building, making and becoming a fit and healthy people.
6. He also started to build up a huge army – but Germany had been banned from
doing this – it was illegal.
By 1935 Germany had become one of the strongest and most powerful
countries in the world.
But Hitler believed the German people were the best in the world – he believed
that they were superior to anyone else.
Hitler wanted Germany to rule the world.
7. So he ordered his huge army to invade other countries.
In 1939 the German armies invaded Poland, Holland, Czechoslovakia,
Norway and Finland and took control of their peoples.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
POLAND
BRITAIN
8. Hitler ordered his armies to control and rule the countries they had invaded.
Everyone living in those countries had to do exactly what the Germans
wanted.
If they didn’t they were put in prison or even shot dead.
Hitler did not like Jewish people at all (those people in all the countries,
including Germany itself, who belonged to the Jewish faith).
So Hitler had them captured all together by his soldiers, and they were all put
in special prison camps.
9. Britain declared WAR on Germany in 1939.
In 1940 Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Britain.
He took charge of defending Britain against Germany.
Hitler wanted Germany to invade Britain and so he ordered
thousands of bomber planes to drop bombs all over Britain .
Winston Churchill
Britain
10. From September 1940 until May 1941 Germany flew
thousands of bomber planes over Britain and
dropped bombs on cities, factories and houses.
This time was called THE BLITZ.
