VP Popup 09/02/20 This Week in History

This Week in History:
World War II Ends

Find out about important events that occurred this week in history.

Wednesday, September 2

This activity is for ages 9 and up, but anyone can join.

This week's historical event is a sensitive subject and may not be suitable for every child. Adults are encouraged to discuss this important historical event with their child.

September 2, 1945

World War II (WWII) was a war fought between several countries from 1939 to 1945. It started on September 1, 1939, when Germany, ruled by Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland. Hitler and the Nazi Party wanted to expand Germany's territory and gain more power in order to control Europe. They held racist beliefs that led to the imprisonment and killing of millions of people throughout the war, including Jewish people, individuals with mental and physical disabilities, and others they thought did not fit their idea of the "perfect" German. This was known as the Holocaust, and is one of the saddest and darkest chapters in modern history, where an estimated 6 million Jewish people were killed.

In response to the invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Countries around the world chose sides, and formed the Axis (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union, among others).

The United States did not enter into the war until Pearl Harbor, a naval base in Hawaii, was attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. The US declared war on Japan the next day, and joined the Allies.

On May 8, 1945, WWII was declared ended in Europe when Germany surrendered, and the day became known as V-E Day (or Victory in Europe Day). In August of 1945, the US dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands of people. These attacks led to Japan's surrender nearly a month later. On September 2, 1945, Japan officially surrendered, and the day became known as V-J Day (or Victory in Japan Day). World War II was officially over after six years of bloody conflict.

It was the deadliest war in human history, with an estimated 64 million people killed.