Figure 1.--Conventional World War II histories focuses on the generals. We are more interested in the families and children enveloped by the War. Here is a German family in 1941. The boy looks to be wearing a Hitler Youth uniform. I think the lanyard means that he is a HJ officer. His father looks to be a Wehrmacht officer. His son looks t be about 15 years old which means that he would be drafted before the War ended. The Germans in 1941 mastered most of Europe. It was not until December with the Soviet counter offensive before Moscow that the Wehrmacht began to experience substantial losses. Click on the image to see the writing on the back. Other than the date, I'm notv sure what it says.

Our approach to World War II is both a chronological and topical survey. Approached this way the individual country experiences often are obscured. Thus we have created a series of national pages designed to focus on the experience of each country in the War. Some counties were central to the War. Others played more marginal roles, but the national experience of the War was still profound in those countries. Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union were the key players in launching the War and making it a struggle of unbeliebale cruelty and leathality. Poland was the first country to stand up to the NAZIs and paid a terrible proce. Britain and France were reluctantly dragged into the War. While France fell in the first year of the War, dogged British resistance made victory possible. America in the end rescued Europe not only from Fascism, but after the War from Communism as well. Almost all of the independent countries of the world were involved in the War and even those who were not beligerants (Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey) were affected by it or played not inconsequential roles.

Alphabetical Country List

Here is a list of the countries and colonies around the War and the part they played in World War II. The War was primarily fought by a small number of countries (America, Britain, Canada, China, France, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union), but many more were affected by the War or played smaller roles in it. Here there are both beligerant powers and neutrals. Many neutral countries , especially in Latin America, entered the War in the final months so they could partipate in the United Nations Conference.

Countries A-F

Countries G-I

Countries J-L

Countries M-Z

Islands

Quite a number of small islands or island groups played importat roles in World War II. They were territorial ossessions of the various beligerant powers, aloth a few were possessions of neutral countries. Most but not all were Pacific islands. Several were the scene of major battles. Others played important supporting roles. Many of these islands since the War have become independent countries.

Regional Trends

Regional trends dod not play a major role in the World War II. This was primarily because Africand Asia were largely divided into European colonies. The one region in which there was some regional organization was Latin America. Of course as the War developed it did take on a regional character divided into theaters.

Created: April 25, 2004
Last updated: 6:08 AM 3/17/2009