Britain and France Declare War on Germany
On September 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany following its invasion of Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. This conflict, which would grow to be the most devastating in history, arose from a struggle against tyranny and aggression led by Nazi Germany. The war quickly expanded, involving major global powers aligned with two primary coalitions: the Axis powers, consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allies, which included Britain, France, and later the Soviet Union and the United States. The involvement of these nations would significantly shape the course of the conflict, with the United States mobilizing extensive human and industrial resources after its entry into the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The war ultimately transformed international relations and had lasting impacts on the world, shaping the geopolitical landscape for decades to come. Understanding the motivations and early actions of these nations provides essential context for the broader narrative of World War II and its profound global consequences.
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Britain and France Declare War on Germany
Britain and France Declare War on Germany
On September 3, 1939, Great Britain and France-in the struggle against tyranny that became World War II-declared war on Germany. What was to escalate into the most devastating conflict known had begun two days earlier, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Before its end in 1945 in Europe and Asia, the war would become global in nature, involving many of the nations of the world. The contesting countries were headed by the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and by the Allies (Britain, France, the Soviet Union after it was invaded by Germany in June 1941, and the United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941).
American involvement in the conflict was followed by a monumental effort by the United States, with human and industrial resources thenceforth devoted to the cause of Allied victory. For the United States, as for every other nation that participated, this costly war was a history-changing event.