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"You only have to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down." - Adolf Hitler

On September 1st, 1939, Hitler's Army crossed into Poland to mark the start of World War 2. The event forced the British, French and others into war. Hitler's forces used fast-moving tactics to put the hapless Allies on the defensive. The rest of the world now awaited the fallout from the events engulfing Mainland Europe - a fallout soon destined to overtake the globe.
1939 - Powers On-the-March
The beginning of the war was officially marked by the German invasion of neighboring Poland in September of 1939 - the Soviets would join the effort soon after.
1940 - Losses Begin to Mount
1940 went on to prove that the old guard of European leadership was not up to the task of a new war on the continent - despite some preparations.
1941 - The Titans Awake
The German reversal against the Soviets coupled with the entry of the United States into the war undoubtedly changed the outcome of the conflict for the better.
1942 - A War for All Fronts
No corner of the world was left untouched by the conflict that began in Europe - a second World War was officially underway, proving just as bloody as the one before.
1943 - The Script Rewritten
The Allies - with their combined manpower, firepower and industrial base - were now able to claim several victories to change the course of the war for good.
1944 - The Beginning of the End
In one of the more critical years of the war for the Allies, success on the battlefield - and over it - ensured shrinking territories for the remaining Axis powers.
1945 - From Berlin to Tokyo
The long road to 1945 saw a series of turning points - some bad, some good - for the conflict that would end in an ultimate victory over German aggression and Japanese expansion.
World War 2 Statistics (1939-1945)
With no corner of the globe immune to the fighting, the numbers related to the war would reach epic proportions with many generations left affected by its outcome.
D-Day: The Day of Days
The Allied invasion of northern France was just one of many daring operations enacted by leadership to help unseat Hitler and his war machine from all parts of Europe.