World War 2 Today

On average there was one person killed every 3 seconds during the entire Second World War covering a span of over 5 1/2 years. That is more than 72 million deaths, easily placing it as the most violent conflict ever fought. The sheer magnitude of this makes it a worthwhile subject of study. It also stands in stark contrast to today's world where even a handful of military deaths can cause national anguish and changes in foreign policy. What made the world so different in 1939? How did a dictator come to power in Germany? What are the dangers of appeasement? Is there still such a thing as absolute evil in this pluralistic and relativistic modern world? What did the United States gain in staking the moral high ground during this conflict compared to unbelievable cruelty and abuse of the Axis powers and what do we risk losing by not holding to that in today's conflicts?

World War 2 features some of the most horrific events ever recorded but is also full of inspiring stories at all levels. You will view man's worst depravity, but also his greatest virtues. Learn about the battles, the generals, and the leaders who populated the middle of the 20th century, but also learn of the sacrifice of the soldiers and civilians placed in the middle of this epic struggle. Studying World War 2 will teach you lessons that go far beyond just memorizing names and dates, but will give you a better understanding of today's world and of the nature of man.

This website features my original articles on topics spanning World War 2 in its entirety. Obviously a big subject, but not too large for one person to study. I will try not to get bogged down in to much of the gritty and technical details but will try to focus on the bigger picture of why and how. Look at the outline below and read some of the articles. At the bottom of each article I have included as many web links as I can find about that particular subject. Obviously the amount of information available on the web about World War 2 is overwhelming, but will be organized here chronologically and by usefulness. Feel free to email me with any comments or suggestions. I love discussing and debating every aspect of the war. I plan on adding frequently to the articles so check back often. I will also be offering some unique collections of original World War 2 documents, photos, and maps soon.

Pre-1939: The Rise of the Totalitarian powers

The Rise of Hitler
The Rise of Japan
The Rise of Mussolini

1939-1942: The War Begins

Germany invades Poland - September 1 to October 6, 1939
The Phoney War - Germany invades Denmark, and Norway - April 9 to May 10, 1940
Germany invades France and the Low Countries - May 10 to June 25, 1940
The Battle of Britain - July 10 to October 31, 1940
The Italian Offensives - June to August 1940

1942-1945: The Tide Turns. The U.S. enters the war

The North African campaign - November 8, 1942 to May 13, 1943
The Italian campaign - July 9, 1943 to June 4, 1944
D-Day and the liberation of Western Europe - June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945

The Eastern Front: The War with Russia

Operation Barbarossa: Germany invades Russia
The tide turns: Stalingrad and other German losses
The fall of Berlin and the death of Hitler - April 16 to May 2, 1945

The Pacific War

Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941
Japanese Offensives: The Phillipines, Guam, Wake Island, Singapore - December 7, 1941 to May 3, 1942
The Tide Turns: The Coral Sea and Midway - May 4 to June 7, 1942
The Final Stages: The U.S. advance to the Japanese mainland - July 1942 - August 15, 1945
The Battle of Iwo Jima
Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Japanese surrender