world war 2 homework for kids

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The History and Heroes of World War II

An overview of World War II: why the U.S. got involved, what citizens did to fight back, and how people worldwide were affected

Featured Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about World War II in your classroom, courtesy of  Junior Scholastic , the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

This American History play tells the story of the shocking 1941 attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. Accounts from real soldiers help bring this infamous day to life for your students.

Meet the Navajo Code Talkers

During World War II, information could be just as important as weapons. Learn how a group of young Navajo men helped win the war in the Pacific by creating an unbreakable code for the United States military.

Life in the Japanese Internment Camps

While the U.S. military fought overseas, a different battle was happening on American soil, as more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps. This American History play tells their story in dramatic detail.

Adolfo Kaminsky, A Hero of the Holocaust

Not all the heroes of World War II were soldiers. Find out how a shy Jewish teenager in France risked his life to help thousands of victims escape the Nazis by forging documents.

Want to see more from Junior Scholastic magazine?

Famous quotes from World War II

“Danger gathers upon our path. We cannot afford—we have no right—to look back. We must look forward.”

— British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, December 1936

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

— Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a 1941 speech asking Congress to declare war

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

— Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

“Today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won.”

— U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of the Allied Powers, after Japan’s formal surrender in September 1945

Key Figures  

Four world war ii figures who made an impact.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Roosevelt, who served as U.S. president from 1933-1945, tried to avoid U.S. involvement in World War II but changed course after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He partnered with Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China to defeat Germany and its allies.

Born in 1929, Frank was 13 years old when she and her Jewish family were forced into hiding in the Netherlands to avoid Nazi persecution. They were discovered two years later and sent to concentration camps, where Frank died. After the war, her father published her diary, which has been read by millions of people.

Adolf Hitler

Hitler ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945 and led the Nazi Party. He sought to reestablish Germany as a leading power in Europe by seizing land from other countries and eliminating European Jews. Hitler killed himself on April 30, 1945, after realizing he faced certain defeat.

Winston Churchill

As prime minister of Great Britain during World War II, Churchill gave powerful speeches and famously resisted tyranny. He is largely credited with Britain’s decision to ally with the United States and the Soviet Union--a strategy that helped end the war.

Supplemental resources that link to external websites about World War II

World War II Photos

The National Archives' collection of more than 200 World War II photographs, organized by topic

The History Channel: World War II

Film footage, interactives, and articles related to the war

World War II Artifacts

An interactive history of World War II told through artifacts and images

Terms and definitions that pertain to World War II

anti-Semitism

discrimination against Jews

concentration camp

a prison or place of forced labor; often a general term that includes death camps specifically designed by the Nazis as mass killing centers during World War II

a part of a city in which members of a minority race or group live, usually in poor conditions

the mass slaughter of millions of Jews and other people by the Nazis during World War II

internment camp

a place where enemies or suspected enemies are held

a member of a political party, led by Adolf Hitler from 1920 to 1945, that was dedicated to German dominance of Europe and the destruction of Jews

Explore Other Topics

Discover other free social studies topics and middle school teaching resources.

The Roles of the Presidency

From Commander-in-Chief to Chief-of-State, the President has many critical roles.

The United States Constitution

Ancient Civilizations

An overview of humanity’s first large societies: how they formed, who ruled them, and how they influenced the world today.

The Civil Rights Movement

Women’s History: The Struggle for Equality

Learn about important women throughout history—including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth—and the progress that’s been made in the fight for gender equality.  

Real Teens of History

These inspiring teens fought for what they believed in—and made history in the process.

Social Studies Debate Kit

Teaching the art of debating—and how to write an effective argument essay—can help students master critical-thinking and communication skills.

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In an increasingly digital world, being able to navigate technology skillfully and evaluate online resources for accuracy and trustworthiness is crucial.

Teaching map skills can build students’ geography knowledge—and enhance their understanding of the world in which they live.

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An overview of civics: what it means to be a good citizen, how democracy works, and why staying informed and engaged matters—even as kids.

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Use these features and supporting resources to give students deeper as well as broader knowledge of these key periods in U.S. history.

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The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, built by people who left their homes to seek new lives and opportunities. However, Americans' feelings about immigrants are mixed.

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narvikk/Getty Images (Plane); Illustration by Dave Seeley (Pearl Harbor); Bettmann/Getty Images (code talkers); Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images (internment camp); Courtesy Sarah Kaminsky (forging materials); Hulton Archive/Getty Images (FDR); Anne Frank Fonds Basel/Getty Images (Anne Frank); Bettmann/Getty Images (Adolf Hitler); Fox Photos/Getty Images (Winston Churchill)

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World War II at a glance

Related resources for this article.

• Primary Sources & E-Books

Introduction

World War II—the largest and bloodiest conflict in history—involved virtually every part of the world during the mid-20th century. On one side were the Axis Powers—mainly Germany, Italy, and Japan. They were opposed by the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. The war began in 1939 and ended in an Allied victory in 1945, but its effects would shape world history for decades to come.

The article World War II provides an overview of the conflict, and the chronology presents a concise month-by-month look at its key events. The links below allow for a more in-depth exploration of the war, with sections covering battle sites; military and political figures from the Allies and the Axis Powers; armed forces, technology, and weapons; the Holocaust; and major conferences and treaties.

Battle Sites

• Pearl Harbor
• Saint Petersburg
• Wake Island

Allied Biographies

Military figures.

• Harold Alexander
• Henry Harley Arnold
• Gregory Boyington
• Omar Nelson Bradley
• Alan Francis Brooke
• Claire L. Chennault
• Henry Duncan Graham Crerar
• James H. Doolittle
• Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Maurice Gamelin
• Henri Giraud
• William F. Halsey, Jr.
• Arthur Travers Harris
• Oveta Culp Hobby
• Jacques-Philippe Leclerc
• Curtis E. LeMay
• Douglas MacArthur
• George C. Marshall
• Frank Dow Merrill
• Bernard Montgomery
• Louis Mountbatten
• Audie Murphy
• Chester W. Nimitz
• George Patton
• Matthew Bunker Ridgway
• Walter Bedell Smith
• Carl Spaatz
• Joseph W. Stilwell
• Maxwell Davenport Taylor
• Arthur William Tedder
• Nathan F. Twining
• James Alward Van Fleet
• Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov
• Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright
• Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov

Political Figures

• Edvard Beneš
• Neville Chamberlain
• Chiang Kai-shek
• Winston Churchill
• John Curtin
• Édouard Daladier
• Charles de Gaulle
• Anthony Eden
• Peter Fraser
• Cordell Hull
• Mackenzie King
• Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich Molotov
• Paul Reynaud
• Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Joseph Stalin
• Julius Streicher
• Harry S. Truman

Axis Biographies

• Karl Dönitz
• Hermann Göring
• Reinhard Heydrich
• Alfred Jodl
• Wilhelm Keitel
• Albert Kesselring
• Günther von Kluge
• Erich Raeder
• Erwin Rommel
• Gerd von Rundstedt
• Yamamoto Isoroku
• Yamashita Tomoyuki
• Klaus Barbie
• Martin Bormann
• Adolf Eichmann
• Joseph Goebbels
• Rudolf Hess
• Heinrich Himmler
• Adolf Hitler
• Koiso Kuniaki
• Konoe Fumimaro
• Pierre Laval
• Benito Mussolini
• Philippe Pétain
• Vidkun Quisling
• Joachim von Ribbentrop
• Alfred Rosenberg
• Arthur Seyss-Inquart
• Albert Speer
• Tojo Hideki
• Iva Toguri D’Aquino (“Tokyo Rose”)

Other Biographies

• Mordecai Anielewicz
• Pietro Badoglio
• Ludwig Beck
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Krupp family
• Bill Mauldin
• Oskar Schindler
• Alan M. Turing
• Raoul Wallenberg
• Frederick William Winterbotham
• Yitzhak Zuckerman

Armed Forces, Technology, and Weapons

• Allied Powers
• Axis Powers
• code talker
• Flying Tigers
• guided missile
• jet propulsion
• Manhattan Project
• nuclear weapons
• torpedo and mine
• Tuskegee Airmen

The Holocaust

• concentration camp
• literature of the Holocaust
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

See also reflections on the Holocaust .

Conferences and Treaties

• Atlantic Charter
• Munich Agreement
• Potsdam Conference
• Tehran Conference
• Yalta Conference

Other Related Articles

• Alaska Highway
• Asian Americans (Japanese Americans)
• Europe: World War II
• famous ships: The Bismarck
• Nuremberg trials
• Spanish Civil War
• United Nations
• United Service Organizations
• World War I and World War I Chronology

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World War 2 (WW2) History Lessons, Worksheets & Resources

Browse our online library of world war 2 (ww2) history lessons and resources. aimed at students 11-14 years old (ks3) & 14-16 year old (gcse). great for home study or to use within the classroom environment., featured resources.

Looking to save time and find the most popular and useful resources on School History? Take a look at the featured resources below.

KS3, GCSE & A-Level Resources

Are you teaching students aged 11 to 16? If so, you can save a lot of time with our specific World War Two modules below.

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World War Two Worksheets

• Causes of World War Two Assessment An assessment to test pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the causes of World War Two.
• Causes of World War Two Assessment Mark Scheme Mark scheme for the above assessment including curriculum levels.
• Causes of World War Two A three-page information sheet giving details of the main causes of World War Two – Versailles, Hitler’s Actions, Appeasement, League of Nations.
• Causes of World War Two Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words relating to the main causes of World War Two.
• Causes of World War Two Crossword A crossword with clues relating to the main causes of World War Two.
• Appeasement Crossword A crossword with clues relating to appeasement.
• Conscription An information sheet about conscription in Britain during World War Two.
• Conscription Crossword A crossword with clues relating to conscription.
• Conscription Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words relating to conscription.
• The Blitz An information sheet that gives a general overview to the Blitz of 1940.
• The Blitz Crossword A crossword with clues relating to the Blitz.
• The Blitz Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words associated with the Blitz.
• The Home Front A two-page illustrated information sheet about the Home Front – includes: Evacuation, Rationing, Women and The Home Guard
• Home Front Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words relating to the Home Front.
• German Successes and Failures An illustrated three page worksheet with information and questions relating to German/Axis successes and failures during World War Two.
• German Successes and Failures Crossword A crossword with clues relating to the Successes and Failures of the Germans and Axis powers.
• German Successes and Failures Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related to German successes and failures during World War Two.
• World War Two Events Anagrams Anagrams of the main World War Two events.
• Dunkirk Activity Sheet A blank table for pupils to complete with information about Dunkirk. Can be used in connection with newspaper frame below.
• Dunkirk Newspaper Frame A blank, illustrated newspaper frame with the headline Dunkirk – Triumph or Defeat?
• Home Front Brainstorm Diagram A diagram to brainstorm and check understanding of various aspects of the Home Front.
• Home Front Wordsearch A wordsearch of words related to the Home Front.
• Geneva Convention An information sheet about the Geneva Convention mainly focusing on 1929 convention regarding prisoners of war.
• Geneva Convention Crossword A crossword with clues related to the Geneva Convention.
• Geneva Convention Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related to the Geneva Convention.
• German Prisoners of War in Britain An information sheet about German prisoners of war in Britain.
• German Prisoners of War in Britain Crossword A crossword with clues relating to German prisoners of war in Britain.
• German Prisoners of War in Britain Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related to German prisoners of war in Britain.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Germany An illustrated information sheet about German prisoner of war camps.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Germany Crossword A crossword with clues related to Prisoner of War camps in Germany.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Germany Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related of Prisoner of War camps in Germany.
• The Great Escape A three-page illustrated information sheet about the allied escape from Stalag Luft III.
• Great Escape Crossword A crossword with clues relating to the ‘Great Escape’ from Stalag Luft III.
• Great Escape Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words associated with the ‘Great Escape’.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Japan An illustrated information sheet about prisoner of war camps in Japan.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Japan Crossword A crossword with clues related to prisoner of war camps in Japan.
• Prisoner of War Camps in Japan Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words associated with Prisoner of War camps in Japan.
• Pearl Harbor Sources Picture and written sources about Pearl Harbor.
• Japanese Internment Camps in the US A two-page information sheet about the internment of Japanese-American citizens during WW2.
• Japanese Internment Camps in the US Crossword A crossword with clues related to Japanese internment camps in the US.
• Japanese Internment Camps in the US Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related to Japanese Internment camps in the US.
• Hiroshima & Nagasaki An information/activity sheet concerning the dropping of the two atomic bombs.
• World War Two Statistics Statistics and data about countries, leaders and deaths during World War Two.
• World War Two Crossword A crossword with clues related to the main events of World War Two.
• World War Two Wordsearch A wordsearch of key words related to World War Two.

Cite This Article

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• Phonetic Alphabet: How Soldiers Communicated
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World War Two (WWII)

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Second World War Primary resource

Discover how wwii changed society in britain at the time.

This primary resource explores some of the significant events of the Second World War and what life was like on the home front. Discover how WWII changed society in Britain at the time, and the different roles that people had to take on. Why were children evacuated? How did women’s roles change during the Second World War? What was a ‘blackout’?

Pupils will learn about the war effort at home and how air strikes affected life in Britain at the time in our National Geographic Kids’ History primary resource sheet.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for a simple overview of World War II. It can be used as a printed handout for each pupil to read themselves, or for display on the interactive whiteboard, as part of a whole class reading exercise.

Activity:  Ask the children to choose one of the areas of World War II discussed in the comic (e.g. the evacuation of children, air raid shelters, blackouts, women at work, The Battle of Britain, etc.) and create their own comic strip specifically about this topic. They could use the resource as a starting point for their own research. Pupils could compare life in Britain during the Second World War, with life at home during the First World War, using our First World War comic  to help them. What might the main differences have been?

N.B.  The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the  English National Curriculum  and  Scottish Curriculum for Excellence . We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including  South Africa ,  Australia  and  New Zealand . If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email:  [email protected]

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following History objectives from the National Curriculum :

• Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative  
• Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

National Curriculum Key Stage 1 History objective:

• Pupils should be taught: significant historical events, people and places in their own locality

National Curriculum Key Stage 2 History objective:

• Pupils should be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following Social Studies First level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence :

• I can compare aspects of people’s daily lives in the past with my own by using historical evidence or the experience of recreating an historical setting.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Third level Social Studies objective :

• I can describe the factors contributing to a major social, political or economic change in the past and can assess the impact on people’s lives.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Fourth level Social Studies objective :

• I can describe the main features of conflicting world belief systems in the past and can present informed views on the consequences of such conflict for societies then and since.

Download primary resource

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The Great Fire of London was a fire that was so big that it burned nearly all of the buildings in London, with the exception of the Tower of London as that was made from stone, and stone doesn't burn up easily.

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30th August 2016

World War 2

Before we begin….

World War 2 was terrible because there were battles in the skies over Britain and bombs dropped of many cities. A man called Winston Churchill, the prime minister at the time, managed to save one of his favourite buildings, St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Also, children who lived in cities and towns vulnerable to bombing were evacuated to the countryside. Also, at the end of the time period, there will be a story about a made up- evacuee. See which bits are true and see which ones are -false.

World War 2 (along with World War 1) is the worst time periods in history. More people were killed than ever during World Wars 1 and 2. How World War 2 began World War 2 always has a back story to it. It all started at the end of World War 1!

The treaty made the Germans poor and angry.

Enter Adolf Hitler

One of the angriest was nasty Adolf Hitler. He told everyone that he would make Germany a better place if he came into rule. Did he come into rule? Sadly, yes! In 1933, Hitler became ruler of Germany.

Everyone believed his fibs. Anyone who actually said that would be beaten up! “Who just said that?” Err, no one! Does anyone know when the next flight or ship back to England is? Anyone? A FEW HOURS LATER… OK, I’m back in England! Jewish people were the Nazi’s targets! On the 7th of November 1938, the Nazis rampaged Jewish sections of German towns, looting, killing and smashing anything or anyone Jewish in their path. They started rounding up people such as Gypsies, Handcapped people, Communists and other people they didn’t like. They locked them up in concentration camps. Whatever next…? Hitler joined up with the leader of Italy and Japan. These three leaders formed up of what was known as the Axis. Meanwhile, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill knew something was up. So, Neville and the French Prime Minister, Daladier, went to go and see Hitler and sign a treaty.

Did Hitler keep his promise? No! He attacked Poland. Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan! Neville Chamberlain came out of 10 Downing Street and Winston Churchill replaced him. Hitler called Britain to surrender, but this is what Winston Churchill said,

Hitler ordered a massive air attack on London. We call it the Blitz but we didn’t give in.

Peace and harmony in all of Europe… not

In 1938, Neville Chamberlain went to see Hitler. Hitler and Chamberlain signed their names on a piece of paper. When he made his speech, he held the piece of paper up in the air. He thought there would be no war in Europe. Winston Churchill, on the other hand, knew that Hitler was trying to take over the world. Just like those villains you watch in films. Yes, he doesn’t succeed. But it begins war in Europe. Also, Hitler said (in German) “That good for nothing!” It’s mainly like a goodie (Winston Churchill) VS the baddie (Hitler) in a film, instead Hitler kills Jewish people for no reason. Then, eventually, the baddie died in 1945. And how did he die you ask? Well, he was asked to be killed before the British soldiers.

1st September 1939- Where did all the children go?

3 million children were evacuated to the countryside to places like Norfolk, Wales and other places in the countryside.

If you were lucky to have a relative living in the countryside, then you would stay with them!

If you didn’t have a relative living in the countryside, then you would be evacuated to the countryside and wait to be chosen by a complete stranger!

3rd September ‘39- an “ordinary day”

On the 3rd September 1939, Neville Chamberlain, our Prime Minister at the time along with Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France, declared war on Germany and Italy. Everyone was heartbroken, as well as frightened and worried. Mums and women took men’s places in factories. Men between 18 and 41 were forced to join up. You (children) would be evacuated to the countryside (if you lived in or near a city). You would be evacuated to places like Norfolk, Wales, Suffolk (pronounced Suffok) and a few others (not by the seaside.) 2,700 children experienced life very different abroad. 2,630 children came back at the end of the war. 70 children, however, died. For 9 long months, nothing really happens in the UK or France. Some people started calling it the “phoney” (fake) war. However, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands were being taken over by Hitler and his troops.

The Blitz was when Hitler started bombing major UK cities. Find out more about it here .

8th May 1945- Victory in Europe Day

The war has ended (in Europe!) Everyone was on the streets, waving the Union Jack and singing songs and all that. Meanwhile, a few thousand miles away, in Japan, two atomic bombs dropped and the explosions were so big, they wiped out entire cities, like a wipe cleaning a sink. It wasn’t until August that World War 2 ended in the East. Hitler killed himself on the 30th April 1945 so he couldn’t be put in prison or be on trial. He also ordered the soldiers to burn his body.

The Allies won (Britain, France and Poland. America joined us later on).

Let’s go to the movies…

After 1939, they were comedy films made about the war. But, you didn’t have 30 minutes of adverts before the film starts. Firstly, you had a Walt Disney cartoon THEN you had the latest news of the war (because there was no TV service) and then FINALLY, the film. Imagine watching BBC News in the cinema. Which one do you think is worse? 30 minutes of adverts or a Walt Disney Cartoon and the news? Take your pick.

Pleased to be bombed!

The Royal Family was popular during the war. One of the main reasons is because they wanted to share the dangers of the ordinary people. Queen Elizabeth II was pleased when Buckingham Palace was bombed. She was now like the poor victims in the East End of London. This isn’t true since she had one or two comfortable houses to waddle to. For the first time in forever…

Wars all bring death, guns and tanks. But there were some things that the war brought that we never had before. Ball point pens didn’t need ink pots to dip into because in the planes the ink didn’t stick.

The Princess Mechanic

Queen Elizabeth II was a mechanic during the Second World War. Deaths The thing that nobody likes: deaths. They always come in the package of war. The Government predicted that there would be 600,000 deaths in the whole of the war! So, they: • Printed out a million burial forms • Layed out hundreds of cardboard coffins. Here is a video that summarises what happened in the war:

World War II

Battles and events, battle of berlin.

The Battle for Berlin was all about securing victory, one that had already been hard fought

Battle of Britain

The Royal Air Force was formed on April 1st 1918 near the end of World War I, and even to this day it is one of the top independent air forces in the world

Battle of Guadalcanal

With the Battle of Midway in the history books, the United States turned their eyes towards an offensive strike

Battle of Iwo Jima

With the country already reeling from the two previous U.S. campaigns, Japan put together its best offensive output since Pearl Harbor

Battle of Midway

With America still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was time for a counterattack. Both sides had already vocally declared war on one another, and now the next phase was in motion

Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad took place from July 17th 1942 to February 2nd 1943. The Eastern front battle is considered by many to be the greatest defense by the Russians

Battle of the Atlantic

Germany’s counter blockade against Britain included the full force of the Kriegsmarine, also known as the German Navy.

Battle of the Bulge

Adolph Hitler was determined to force his way through the Allied troops, and decided to split them up by using a surprise blitzkrieg

D-Day the Invasion of Normandy

The Invasion of Normandy began on June 6th 1944 and ended on August 1944, and was a joint effort by all of the Allied Forces

Pearl Harbor

With tensions still ongoing with World War II, the U.S. still considered itself a neutral ally, yet played a big role in the Allied Force

Adolf Hitler

Hitler was on the edge of victory before he made a number of costly mistakes. His ideas and policies regarding the Jews and other races resulted in the loss of millions of lives.

Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany. Her father was a German officer during World War I.

Benito Mussolini

Mussolini started out as a socialist but his outlook changed and he became a fascist. He rose to power in Italy and, believing that the Germans would win the war

Charles de Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle was a French hero who refused to accept France’s surrender to Germany’s forces.

Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur spent his life in the army. He was born on a military base and he died in a military hospital.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower was one of the military commanders in charge of the American forces during World War II.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt refused to be constrained by the traditional view of a woman’s role. She fought for the rights of women and the disadvantaged

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was a popular president who throughout his political career focused on reforming and developing social programs to help people

George Patton

George S. Patton was a famous soldier who excelled at military matters. He had a forceful personality and was a strong promoter of using the tank in war.

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was thrust into the presidency just a few short weeks after becoming the vice-president. When Franklin. D. Roosevelt died shortly after winning the election, Truman became the new president

Hirohito was the emperor of Japan during World War II. There is a lot of debate regarding how much responsibility Hirohito has for the actions of Japan during the war

Joseph Stalin

Stalin was a brutal dictator who was responsible for the death of millions. He held power in an iron fist until his death in 1953

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was chosen as one of the most influential leaders of all time. He was the prime minister of Britain during World War II and was also involved in the government during World War I

Other Events

Bataan death march.

In December 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines, an island in South-East Asia, defeating Filipino and American soldiers

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Before the war, many scientists had been investigating the possibility of generating energy and even weapons from the atom

Japanese Internment Camps

After Japan had bombed Pearl Harbour in December 1941, America declared war on Japan. President Roosevelt then decided to sign an order to force Japanese-Americans to leave their homes

The Holocaust

The Holocaust was a terrible part of World War II that involved the mass murder of nearly 6 million Jews, as well as others

The Marshall Plan and Recovery

The Marshall Plan was named after George C. Marshall who had become Secretary of State in February 1947.

VE and VJ Days

Germany had been defeated by the Allied forces, but the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was no longer alive.

War Crimes Trials

After World War II came to an end, the Allies, including America, the Soviet Union and Great Britain wanted to punish those who started and planned the war.

After World War 2

The world was a very different place after World War II. Millions of people were dead. Much of Europe and the Pacific lay in ruins

Allied Powers and Leaders

The Allies during World War II were those leaders who stood against Germany and its allies during the Second World War

Axis Powers and Leaders

The Axis powers were those countries that joined to attack Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean and the Pacific. When Germany, Italy and Japan became allies

Causes of World War 2

The roots of World War II sprouted in the treaty that ended World War I. The Treaty of Versailles put a heavy load on the people of Germany

End of World War 2

Because there were three main Axis powers, there were three different endings to World War II. Italy, Germany and Japan all entered the war with different goals

War in Europe

While there were many things that led up to World War II, it officially began in Europe on September 3, 1939

War in the Pacific

As war raged in Europe, President Roosevelt continued to stick to his promise to keep the United States neutral.

World War two Timeline

World war 2 started in September 1939 when Germany attacked Poland. But, the United States did not enter the war until after the Japanese bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor

Aircraft in World War Two

In World War I, aircraft were dangerous flying tin cans. At the beginning of World War II, the situation was the same, but then with advanced technology

Submarines of World War Two

Submarines have a long history. In 1580, a British innkeeper, William Bourne, actually drew a diagram of a submarine.

World War II Aircraft Carriers

An aircraft carrier serves many functions during war. Think of it as a floating city where planes can depart from, supplies can be moved

World War II Ships

During World War II many changes were made to military ships. The ships began to use diesel engines, submarines were added to both Axis and Allies

World War II Tanks

The very first tank was invented in 1915 and began to be used in World War I. It was named Little Willie. Little Willie was made in England