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Honoring their guarantee of Poland's borders, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Two days earlier, Germany had invaded Poland. Despite the declaration of war, there was initially only limited engagement between the German and British militaries. -
Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to let Stalin annex parts of Japanese-held Manchuria in exchange for bringing his troops into the war against Japan -
an initial victory for Germany that surpassed the staff's initial expectations -
intended to bring the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Armies into positions in Belgium from which they could invade France -
a big boost for British morale -
It was one of Britain's most important victories of the Second World War because it showed Germany could be defeated, it allowed Britain to carry on fighting the war, and ultimately ensured the Allies had a base from which to launch the liberation of Europe on D-Day in June 1944. -
the first peacetime draft in United States' history. -
helped to get the nation's economy back on its feet following the depression -
set up a system that would allow the United States to lend or lease war supplies to any nation deemed "vital to the defense of the United States. -
catalyzed the United States' entry into World War II but also reshaped global power dynamics, forging new alliances and leading to significant technological and military advancements -
it allowed the United States to enter the European war in support of the United Kingdom and the Allies without much public opposition, while still facing the Japanese threat in the Pacific -
the world's first carrier-vs. -carrier battle, and the first naval battle in which neither side's ships sighted the others -
stopped the growth of Japan in the Pacific and put the United States in a position to begin shrinking the Japanese empire -
relieving pressure on the hard-pressed Soviet Union -
led directly to the fall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the surrender of the Italian government to the Allies -
caught the Germans by surprise and initiated the end of Nazi reign over Europe -
started the advances towards freeing jews -
marks the surrender of Japan forces, which in effect ended the Second World War -
marked the last German offense on the Western Front -
mark the end of World War II in Europe -
killing tens of thousands of people, obliterating the cities, and contributing to the end of World War II -
killing tens of thousands of people, obliterating the cities, and contributing to the end of World War II