World War II: The Epic Saga

There are few who agree on the actual origins of war. Some see it as a necessary evil. Others see it as simply an extension of political discussion. The concept of war has become a familiar phenomenon to many by the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1939, the Nazi regime had cast its shadow to the north, south, east, and west, toppling countries like dominoes beneath the onslaught of its invincible military machine. By June, 1940, Germany had invaded every country on its border and beyond.

Despite the thousands of military engagements between 1939 and 45, all worthy of note, there are certain dates forever emblazoned on the public consciousness but the beaches of Dunkirk, has to be the most fascinating of them all.

As the last of the British and French troops were saved from the beaches of Dunkirk in June 1940. And for the German Fuhrer, the United Kingdom, only separated from continental Europe by the English channel, became his next target.

The early years of World War II saw Nazi Germany dominate Europe. By late 1941, as Hitler continued to build his empire, events in the Pacific took on their own momentum as Imperial Japan and America became locked in battle.

Adolf Hitler led the German nation into the most terrible war humanity had ever seen, a conflict that would result in an unthinkable loss of life spreading far into the east and penetrating beyond the borders of the west.

The defeats of 1940 proved that the Germans were a force to be reckoned with but as more countries engaged in the web of conflict, the tide slowly began to turn. With Allied victories in North Africa in 1942, and the invasion of Sicily in 1943.

As Hitler mobilized his army into the expanses of the Soviet Union, the great war in Eastern Asia was edging closer to joining with the western conflict. Japan, as part of Hitler's Axis of Evil, would let nothing stand in its way.

The 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor drew the United States into a long and bitter conflict with Japan, whilst Hitler stormed into neighboring countries, the Americans had maintained neutrality, despite President Roosevelt trying to help the allies.

As World War II progressed, Hitler and his unsuspecting army were extremely unprepared for the speed with which the Allied Forces advanced into France after the memorable landings that took place on the coast of Normandy on the 6th of June, 1944.

It's been said that wars speed up the process of history. We only have to look at the wars of the 20th century to see that this is true. The First World War was described as the war to end all wars, but as history attests, this was not the case.