Overview
The sequel that was worse than the original. The deadliest conflict in human history (70-85 million dead). It was a clear fight between Good (Democracy/Communism) and Evil (Fascism).
Core Idea
Ideological War: It wasn’t just about land; it was about how the world should be run. Fascism (Hitler/Mussolini) vs. Liberal Democracy (Churchill/Roosevelt) vs. Communism (Stalin).
Formal Definition (if applicable)
Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group. (The Holocaust: 6 million Jews murdered).
Intuition
- Blitzkrieg: “Lightning War.” Using tanks and planes to move fast and encircle the enemy. (Opposite of WWI trenches).
- Strategic Bombing: Destroying the enemy’s cities and factories from the air.
Examples
- Pearl Harbor: Brought the US into the war.
- Stalingrad: The turning point in Europe. The Soviets stopped the Nazis.
- Hiroshima & Nagasaki: The first (and only) use of nuclear weapons. Ended the war in the Pacific.
Common Misconceptions
- “The US won the war.” (The US provided the money and machines, but the Soviet Union provided the blood. 80% of German casualties were on the Eastern Front.)
- “The French surrendered immediately.” (They fought hard but were outmaneuvered by Blitzkrieg.)
Related Concepts
- United Nations: Created to prevent WWIII.
- The Iron Curtain: The division of Europe between West and East after the war.
- Nuremberg Trials: Holding leaders personally responsible for “Crimes Against Humanity.”
Applications
- Geopolitics: The US and USSR emerged as Superpowers.
- Technology: Radar, Jet Engines, Computers, Nuclear Power.
Criticism / Limitations
The Allies committed war crimes too (Firebombing of Dresden/Tokyo), though not on the scale of the Axis.
Further Reading
- Beevor, The Second World War
- Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich