World War II, or the Second World War (often abbreviated
as WWII or WW2), was a global conflict that was
underway by 1939 and ended in 1945. It involved
most of the world's nations—including all of
the great powers - eventually forming two opposing
military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It
was the most widespread war in history, with more
than 100 million military personnel mobilised. In
a state of "total war", the major participants
placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific
capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing
the distinction between civilian and military resources.
Marked by significant events involving the mass
death of civilians, including the Holocaust and
the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, it is
the deadliest conflict in human history, resulting
in 50 million to over 70 million fatalities...
