World War II was the deadliest war in history. It was fought on land, at sea, and in the air.
It was also fought on three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. Around 17 million people died in combat. Civilian deaths were even higher. That was because of bombing raids, disease, and hunger. Over 6 million European Jews died in death camps and slave labor camps set up by Germany’s Nazi leaders.
Despite its horrors, World War II is often called the “good war.” That’s because nations led by brutal dictators (Germany, Italy, and Japan) fought democratic nations. Those were led by Great Britain and the United States. After almost six years of fighting, from 1939 to 1945, the Allies won. They had more troops and factories, especially after the U.S. entered the war. But the price of freedom was high. The road to victory was long and hard.
