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The time span of the Second World War, beginning on the day Nazi Germany began its invasion of Poland, and ending on the day Japan surrendered to the United States, following the dropping of two atomic bombs
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After nearly a month of fighting against invading German and Soviet forces, Poland officially announced their surrender on September 27th, 1939. This invasion caused Britain and France to declare war on Nazi Germany, and officially commenced the deadliest war of the 20th Century.
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On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese government commenced an airstrike on the Hawaiian Naval Base, Pearl Harbor. This led to the United States formally entering World War II as an allied force after two years of being isolationist.
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Following the Soviet invasion of Germany and suicide of Adolf Hitler on April 30th, 1945, General Alfred Jodl signed the unconditional surrender of all German forces at Reims, France. This action officially ended the Atlantic theater of World War II.
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Following the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and August 9th, 1945 respectively, Japan announced their surrender on August 15th and signed an official treaty on September 2nd. This is recognized as the official end of World War II, six years and one day after it began.
