World War II

World War II. , Reverse Side , The war in Europe began in 1939, when Germany attacked Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Britain. Italy, an ally of Germany, expanded the war even further by invading Greece and North Africa. Later in 1941, Germany began an invasion of the Soviet Union which would eventually lead to Germany's downfall. In 1943, after the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, Germany was forced into a full-scale retreat. In June 1944, Britain and American forces launched the D-Day invasion on the French coast of Normandy. By early 1945, Allied forces were closing in on Germany from both East and West. Germany surrendered in May 1945, shortly after the suicide of Adolf Hitler., The war in the Pacific began on December 7, 1941, when Japan launched a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, beginning a massive campaign of expansion throughout the Pacific. In late spring of 1942, the United States and Japan engaged in a series of naval battles, climaxing in the Battle of Midway, in which Japan suffered a catastrophic defeat. Fighting continued throughout the Pacific into early 1945, including major battles at Midway, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Allied forces were closing in on the Japanese home islands. As they neared Japan proper, the Allies began heavy bombing campaigns against major Japanese cities, including Tokyo. This process continued through the Summer of 1945 until finally, in early August, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Stunned by the unexpected devastation, Japan surrendered a few days later.