Five Facts About World War 2
Interesting Facts About The Second World War
World War 2 was a war that the world had never seen before. Despite there being a first world war, that war was almost exclusive to Europe, and in many ways it was much smaller to the devastation that the Second World War would bring many years later.
When Nazi Germany took hold of much of central Europe, they began expanding to other countries from around the world, including Northern Africa. With allies as far away as the island of Japan, the Axis was dominating the theatre of war for most of the early 1940s, and they looked like the clear winners.
After the Russians and Americans began fighting back, however, things quickly took a downturn for the Axis powers, and before the war was officially over, Hitler had killed himself and left a world in turmoil.
World War 2 continues to be one of the most researched pieces of history, and every day new and fascinating facts are being uncovered, and something worth reading up about when not enjoying online slots Canada. With that in mind, here are some facts from the war that mark what an extraordinary time it was for the planet.
1. The Soviets Bore The Brunt Of The Fighting
We know that countries like Poland and France suffered greatly at the hands of the Nazis, and while these countries did what they could to fight off the Germans, they simply didn’t see the kind of action that the Soviets had grown accustomed to. Only about 20% of the males born in the Soviet Union during the 20s made it through the war.
It’s a well-known fact that many soldiers would march off without a rifle, as it wouldn’t take them long to find a weapon from one of their fallen brethren.
2. The Cost of War
Nothing hikes up costs like war, and as the Second World War was the biggest in history, it’s understandable that many countries spent more than they could have ever imagined previously.
For example, the national defence budget of the United States during the era went up from a meagre $1.9 billion to $59.8 billion in just five years, and it was much the same for the other countries participating in the war.
3. Battle of The Tanks
Tanks were a powerful force on the battlefield, able to decimate dozens of troops at a time while also providing valuable cover. During the course of the war, the deadliest confrontation of tanks took place at the Kursk Salient, in Russia.
Fought between the Germans and the Russians, the battle would linger on for almost a month, resulting in the destruction of over 3600 tanks by the end.
4. Sending The Jews Off
What happened to the Jews during the war was beyond atrocious, but before they decided to gas them, the Germans had other plans.
The Nazis had initially wanted to send to Jews to live on the island of Madagascar.
5. The Atomic Bombs
We’ve all heard the stories of how the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima right at the end of the war. A little known fact is that if a third bomb had been used on Japan, the Americans would have targeted Tokyo next.
World War 2 is a lesson to the world about how far a group of people can go to achieve their goals, and how we will always need to fight off the greater evil no matter the odds.
