1. Draw the two matrixes in the note book on two separate pages ASAP.
Major Players in WWII
Draw the two matrixes in the note book on two separate pages ASAP.

2. England/Great Britain
One of the first countries to enter into WWII. England declared war on Germany after Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939
England was led throughout most of the war by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and symbolically by King George VI
Fought on the side of the Allies and saw much action during the war. England was a staging area for the Allied invasion of the European continent

3. England/Great Britain
London (capital of England) was bombed repeatedly by the German Air Force (“Luftwaffe”). During “The Blitz” London and other English cities were bombed nightly by the Luftwaffe. The Blitz went on from September 1940 until May 1941.
During the war many English children living in London and other cities were sent to live in the countryside; many lived with strangers

4. Nicknamed “The British Bulldog”
Sir Winston Churchill
Nicknamed “The British Bulldog”
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5. France
Along with Britain, France declared war on Germany after Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939
France was invaded by Germany in 1940 and taken over. It remained occupied by Nazi forces for the entire war, however, the Free French Forces fought for the Allies and were led by General Charles de Gaulle, who became president of France after the war.

6. France
The Free French Forces worked closely with the American and British troops to stage an invasion of France on June 6, 1941 (D-Day). This campaign eventually led to the liberation of France from Nazi control.
Much fighting took place on the ground in France. The land had already been scarred by heavy fighting during WWI, just 20 years earlier. The scars of war can still be seen in satellite and aerial photos.

7. The Scars of War: Ponte du Hoc, France

8. General Charles de Gaulle

9. U.S.S.R./Soviet Union/Russia
An unlikely member of the Allies
The Soviets signed a non-aggression treaty with Germany, meaning neither country would attack the other. Germany violated the agreement and invaded Russia, causing the Soviets to declare war on Germany
The fight between Germany and the Soviet Union is known as the Eastern Front of the war because much of the action was taking place in Eastern Europe.

10. U.S.S.R./Soviet Union/Russia
After the war the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as major world powers, thus setting up the Cold War between the two countries.
Joseph Stalin, leader of the USSR

11. United States Slow to enter WWII
Attempted to remain isolated (Isolationism) and keep out of alliances with other nations.
Although the US claimed they were trying to stay out of the war, many things they did supported the Allies-the side they later joined
Lend-Lease.

12. United States
The US was drawn into the war after the military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by Japan on December 7, The next day President Franklin Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. They did.
The US fought the war in many places across the globe, but not in North America. Still, many Americans were forces to conserve natural resources for the war effort.

13. Attack on Pearl Harbor

14. Germany
Germany was in desperate circumstances after their loss in WWI. They owed huge amounts of war reparations to the countries they were defeated by. These conditions led to the rise of leader Adolf Hitler and the Axis Powers.

15. Germany
Hitler was interested in Germany becoming the strongest empire in the world (The Third Reich) and achieving racial purity (the Aryan race). That meant he wanted to exterminate Jews and many other groups like gypsies, homosexuals, and the mentally and physically challenged. The mass killing of these people is known as the Holocaust. It’s estimated 6 million Jews died at the hands of Nazi Germany.

16. Germany
Germany had a lot of success early in the war and took over many countries in Europe. Eventually the tide turned and the Nazis were defeated.
Hitler committed suicide before he could be captured.

17. Italy Italy was led by the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini
At first it seemed Italy might enter the war on the side of the Allies; but that did not happen. Ten months into the war Italy began fighting on the side of Germany and the Axis powers.
Mussolini was hoping to gain more territory in Africa for his country, mainly by taking over British and French colonies in North and East Africa.

18. Italy
Mussolini was eventually thrown out of power during the war. He was imprisoned and rescued by the Germans. Eventually he returned to Italy, but as the nation was about to be defeated by the Allied forces, he tried to escape.
He was captured by the Italians and executed.
His body was hung upside down in Milan for all to see.

20. Japan
Japan, much like Germany, was looking to build a large colonial empire. Their focus was Asia and the Pacific. The war began for Japan when they invaded China.
Japan decided to attack the US Pacific Fleet of ships docked at Pearl Harbor to make it difficult for the US to stop them from taking over areas of the Pacific. The US could build more ships but that would take time.

21. Japan
The US and Japan engaged in many battles on islands in the Pacific Ocean. Many of those battles saw thousands of dead on both sides.
Japan was led at the time by Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and Emperor Hirohito. They fought on the side of the Axis Powers.
Eventually the US decided to use the newly developed nuclear bomb on Japan to avoid having to invade the islands of Japan with US troops.

22. After two devastating nuclear attacks, Japan surrendered and the final part of WWII ended.