End of World War II

The Axis had been weakened after losing crucial battles such as the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942 and the Battle of Midway, also in 1942.
Additionally Italy had been taken out of the war in 1943, through Operation Husky.

When operation Barbarossa failed, Hitler persisted and attacked next summer.
When they were trying to take the Volga river and Stalingrad the German army ran into problems.
In spring 1942 Germany launched a new attack on the USSR.
Stalingrad was already mostly under control and despite knowing that the German troops were under threat from the Russian army ahead Hitler still commanded them to attack Stalingrad.
The attacks are halted at the city of Stalingrad.
German troops were surrounded and they eventually had to begin retreat.
Hitler wanted German troops to fight to the last man and Goering said they could support troops with air supplies.
However they couldn't last out forever and what happened as a slow, casualty-high siege on and advance into Stalingrad.

During the retreat from Stalingrad Marshal Paulus was captured by Russian forces.
Hitler wanted the Russians to give up Paulus in exchange for Stalin's son which the Germans had imprisoned.
Stalin refused as he viewed a marshal more valuable to the war than his son.

The battle of Kursk, which was the largest tank battle ever fought.
Russian industry was in full swing and they made lots of tanks such as T-34s.
T-34s would be generally inferior to German Panzer V and Panzer VI tanks, but they would be far cheaper and be made in great numbers.
It was one of the last battles in Russia as Germany had to withdraw.
Germany had started by invading but ended up being invaded as it had to defend against Russian forces.

Invasion of Germany

The French coast had been very heavily fortified by the Germans as they had anticipated an assault by the allies.
The allies still wanted to push through however.
It would be a second front against Germany.
The western allies were worried that the USSR would never leave if it took over continental Europe.
If the USSR took over continental Europe it would be too powerful and have too much influence, threatening other great powers such as Great Britain and the United States.
The Invasion of Normandy was the largest military operation in history.
Areas near the English channel were very heavily fortified.
Swimming tanks and vessels needed to carry soldiers were needed and had to be developed.
A dummy army was built to trick Hitler that the Allied forces would land in Calais when they actually planned to land in Normandy.
Hitler moved a lot of troops to Calais from Normandy because of this.
The invasion was costly, but successful.
After the invasion on the 6th of June, in 1944, Germany faced war on multiple fronts.
Defeat became inevitable.
The fighting still continued however.
The last great German counteroffensive was the "Battle of the Bulge", where they assaulted from the Ardennes surprising the allies.
They couldn't keep up the blitzkrieg however and ran out of steam.

Also called the Race for Europe as the Race to Berlin can refer to the competition between Marshals Georgy Zhukov and Ivan Konev.
Both the western allies and the USSR wanted to reach Berlin first.
Even though they were allies they were only together due to a common enemy.
Both sides wanted Europe for themselves and wanted to prevent the other side from gaining power by taking over Europe.
As allied forces closed in on Germany and defeat had become unavoidable, Hitler killed himself in his so called Furherbunker with a cyanide pill and a pistol along with his wife Eva Braun.
The last of the German troops surrendered in August.
The war was over in Europe and the only axis member that remained was Japan.

War turns to allies' favor after the battle of Midway.
The naval battle made it clear that Japan couldn't replace their ships and losses quick enough.
Mostly American, with support from the British and Australian armies could replace their losses far quicker and went on the offensive.
Leap frogging tactics and advancements from island to island to the Japanese mainland.
Although allies advance to the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, advancement was slow and casualties are high.
The allies began the bombardment of the Japanese mainland.
Additionally incendiary bombing.
Japan didn't want to surrender due to cultural beliefs of prestige and to prevent humiliations such as of the Emperor which was meant to be a sort of deity.
The allies had ideas such as pigeon-controlled bombs.
Or incendiary devices attached to bats where the bats would fly into attics and dark spaces where the bomb would ignite.
There were many attempts to come up with something that could damage Japan without putting the lives of Allied troops at risk.

The U.S.A. bombed Hiroshima using the new atomic bomb.
It led to high civilian casualties and was a show of strength to Japan and the USSR.
The idea was to bring a quick end to the war.
After a second bomb was detonated in Nagasaki only 3 days later, the Japanese surrendered.

Allied leadership met in spring of 1945.
Three major conferences were held during war where the leaders of the allies would decide the fate of Europe.
Germany, Berlin and Vienna would be split in-between the countries of the Allies.
This was not meant to be a permanent solution but ended up lasting for many years.
The USSR was allowed to "keep" the Baltic countries which became part of the USSR.
Other countries were under Soviet influence such as Hungary and East Germany.
The occupied countries were agreed to have free elections although those under the occupation of the USSR were under communist influence.

Trials for the generals and other war criminals.
Many officers killed themselves or died by the death sentence which was given to them.
Some generals actually escaped such as Mengele.
The Emperor of Japan would not be held under trial as it would have been too shameful.

The United Nations was an international organization meant to be the successor to the League of Nations and attempted to enforce many of the league's core ideas.
The permanent members, the security council and members from the allies had vetoes and it was difficult to come to decisions.
The United Nations couldn't prevent war generally except for some exceptions like the Korean War.

Almost all industries had been focused on the war.
Gas masks for children and babies for example.
Rationing of food and resources and poor economies in a lot of countries.
Casualties very high, about 60 million.
Aerial bombings destroyed cities.
Heavy propaganda, more than some in others, such as in authoritarian states.
Even democratic countries like Great Britain had (although not strongly enforced) self censorship.
It was hard to go against the war, especially in such dire situations.
Lots of slogans and posters.
Lots of citizens had to work in factories or in the military.
Occupied nations had lots of abuse and forced labor.