World War II was declared in September 1939. The two opposing sides were the Allied powers (Britain, France and Poland, later joined by the USSR and the US) and the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan).
While World War I had been fought almost entirely along two fronts, this war would spill across all of Europe and beyond, from Belfast to the USSR, from Scandinavia to north Africa, and from 1941 also throughout the Pacific region. Major developments in technology changed the nature of combat on land, at sea and in the air – and affected civilians like never before. World War II resulted in the deaths of over 60 million people, while approximately 40 million more were refugees when the war ended.
World War II Type of source
Primary Primary
WORKING WITH THE EVIDENCE! —————————————
Category
Visual Visual
—————————— Example
A poster trying to rally the Allies against Nazi Germany A Punch magazine cartoon from 1940
A Punch magazine cartoon from 1940 An Allied poster rallying support
What can you learn from these sources about the Allies’ attitude towards World War II?
