World War II
World War II took place from 1939 to 1945, between the Allied and Axis Powers.
The war is generally accepted to have began in 1939, when Germany, under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, invaded Poland, leading to declarations of War by Poland's allies, the United Kingdom and France. Germany would go on to conquer much of Europe, cultimating in an attempted invasion of the Soviet Union.
As both the UK, Germany, and France were colonial powers, many colonies were pulled into the war by their occupiers, leading to extensive fighting in Africa, the Middle East, southern Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Germany also formed an alliance with Japan, who were fighting the Second Sino-Japanese War, which is usually considered part of WWII, although it began two years prior to the invasion of Poland. The United States of America, previously neutral in the war, joined the Allies following an attack on Pearl Harbour (a U.S. naval base in Hawai'i) by the Japanese.
Combattants from more than 30 countries fought in the war, but the majority of cassaulties were civilians, due to bombing raids against civilian populations, the use of nuclear weapons, and the Holocaust.
The Holocaust was one of, if not the, worst genocide in human history. The Nazi government of Germany targetted specific specific ethnic, religious, and societal groups for genocide. The primary target of the Holocaust were Jews, although Romani, the disabled, LGBT men and transwomen, Poles, and some Christian sects and religious leaders were also targetted.
It was during this war that Hydra first rose to prominence, and Steve Rogers was given the first Super-Soldier Serum.
Belligerents
Axis Powers
Strength
UK, Soviet Union, the USA, China, India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Mongolia, Mexico
Governments in exile of Axis occupied Poland, Czechslovakia, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemborg, France, Ethiopia, Green, Yugoslavia, Phillipines
Former Axis powers Italy (from 1943), Romania, Bulgaria, & Finland (from 1944)
Germany (and colonised nations of the German Empire), Italy, Japan (and colonised nations of the Japanese Empire), Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Thailand
Casualties
Military dead: Over 16,000,000
Civilian dead:Over 45,000,000
Military dead:Over 8,000,000
Civilian dead:Over 4,000,000