One year later, Allied armies invaded Germany, forcing the Germans to surrender. In 1944, an Allied army crossed from Britain to free France from Nazi rule. Such countries were Spain, Sweden and Switzerland – who chose not to join either side. 8. Some countries remained ‘neutral’ in World War 2 On 8 December 1941 (the very next day), the US declared War on Japan and, in turn, its German allies. – at their Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. In 1937 (before World War 2 had officially begun) under Emperor Hirohito, Japan attacked China, bringing the two nations into years of conflict.ħ. The US didn’t join the war until 1941, when Japan attacked the United States 6. Around the same time that Germany fought for power in Europe, Japan wanted to control Asia and the Pacific Racist in his views, Hitler blamed Jewish people for Germany losing World War I and claimed they were dangerous to German people and society. In an attempt to eliminate a “racial enemy” outside of Germany, such groups were also persecuted in the countries invaded by German forces.ĥ. The group most heavily targeted by the Nazis were the JewsĪround six million Jewish people were killed during World War 2 in one of history’s most terrible events – the Holocaust. Hitler wanted to create what he thought was the “best” and strongest race – and to the Nazi Party, this excluded certain groups, such as Jews, Gypsies and those with physical and mental disabilities.

During the course of the war, German forces advanced through Europe.īy the summer of 1941 they had invaded France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Yugoslavia* and the USSR*.ĭid you know that we have a FREE downloadable Second World War primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike! 4. Millions of Germans were imprisoned and killed because they didn’t fit the image of the ‘perfect’ German

After Hitler refused to stop the invasion, Britain and France declared war on Germany – World War II had begun. To gain more land and power, on 1 September 1939 German troops invaded Poland. Together with the Nazi Party, he wanted Germany to rule Europe. Ask your parents to check out Nat Geo Kids magazine! (AD)Ģ. Before World War 2 began, Germany was ruled by a man named Adolf Hitler

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