The Allies! US, Great Britain, France, Soviet Union, and China!

About 110 million people total were mobilized for service. The countries where the most people served were Soviet Union (22 – 30 million), Germany (17 million), and the US (16 million).

Not counting the victims of the Holocaust (5 – 6 million Jewish people, as well as other targeted groups) it is estimated that 55 million people died. Of those 55 million approximately 25 million were military and 30 million were civilians. The Soviet Union lost about 20 million people.

The total cost is estimated to be over a trillion. US spent $341 billion on the war (this includes the Lend – Lease Act). Germany spent $272 billion. Soviet Union spent $192 billion. Britain spent $120 billion. Italy spent $94 billion. Japan spent $56 billion.

In many of the northern European countries Hitler occupied the old governments came back into power. In Germany, Italy, and France their former government was in ruins and they needed to re-establish order in their countries. Many communist parties rose up, but none came to power as the economies of Europe improved.

In 1946 the Allies put Nazis on trial for war crimes and crimes committed during the Holocaust. The Nuremberg Trials sentenced 12 Nazis to death. Later their bodies were burned at Dachau.

Before VE Day the Allied leaders (Stalin, FDR, and Churchill) met in Yalta to discuss a post-war peace. At this conference they decided that only unconditional surrender would be accepted for Germany. They also decided that the Soviets would help the US with taking down Japan.

After the war Germany was divided into four zones. The Allies each occupied a zone to make sure that Germany was not trying to build up their military or form a fascist government again.

Germany was no longer allowed to have a Nazi party and had to undergo demilitarization – getting rid of their military build up. Germany’s borders were also re-adjusted, and Poland was given back their land.

After Japan surrendered General Douglas MacArthur took charge of occupying the Japanese government. MacArthur helped Japan to create a new constitution and a democratically elected government. MacArthur also helped to organize the re-building of Japan.

Japan also went through demilitarization. The power of the Japanese emperor was dramatically reduced, he became more symbolic than an actual leader (like the royal family in Britain). The US occupied Japan until 1951 when they signed a formal peace treaty.

At the Yalta Conference FDR had proposed his idea for the United Nations an international peace keeping organization. The United Nations had a General Assembly that any country could join. An 11 country council called the Security Council had more power. There were five permanent members of the Security Council (US, China, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) and the other six members rotated.

The US and the Soviet Union emerged as the two strongest world powers after the war. Both countries would scramble to gain more power in the postwar world. America’s goal was to spread democracy and re-unite Germany, and stabilize Europe. The Soviet Union’s goal was to spread communism, keep Germany divided, and increase their power while downplaying US influence in Europe.