You cannot overstate the consequences of World War Two; every facet of human life was change, often permanently. The borders of Europe were redrawn again and the Cold War developed from a Europe divided between democratic western Allies and a newly dominant Soviet Union. Science advanced as code-breakers invented computers, synthetic materials and vaccines were developed and the atomic age began. Culture was radically altered as class and race systems broke down and humanity began to face the horror of what had occurred.
Key Themes
- Battles
A number of battles/events have earnt considerable attention. In the west the aerial battle of Britain, the D-Day landings and Operation Market Garden, in the East the siege of Stalingrad, the Battle for Moscow, Kursk (the largest tank battle ever fought) and the Warsaw Uprising.
- Tanks and Blitzkrieg
In terms of studying weapons and tactics the tanks – or 'panzers'- are particularly prominent, each side racing to develop improved types, as are the 'blitzkrieg' tactics of German armies.
- The Holocaust
There are people around the world who try to deny the Holocaust, Nazi Germany's attempt (with considerable assistance from other nations) to kill every single Jew. Let me be clear: there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the Holocaust occurred and that it killed six million people. It was one of the worst episodes in the entire history of humanity. However, the figure of six million is sometimes misleading: Nazi concentration and death camps actually killed twelve million people of all races and creeds.
- Appeasement
The governments of Europe were slow to tackle Nazi aggression, with the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain believing he had negotiated 'Peace in Our Time' with a man whose ideology demanded war.
Key Debates
- Did We Really Win?
The Allied West went to war in 1939 to free Poland from Nazi tyranny, but when the war closed in 1945 Poland was under Soviet tyranny. Debate still rages about the consequences of removing the Nazis but leaving the Soviets in Eastern Europe. Did World War Two only really end once democracy had replaced Soviet rule?
- Were Allied Carpet Bombings War Crimes?
As the war raged Allied air crews bombed Germany, not just to destroy armies and production, but to leave such terror in German hearts that there would be no World War Three caused by them. Today some historians and politicians look back and call these actions war crimes.
- Who Won the War?
The question of who did the most to won the war, although pathetic, is still raised every day in chats across the world as national pride rears an ugly head. No single nation was the sole cause of victory, and perhaps the best you can say is Soviet manpower, American supplies and British (Empire) bombing won the day.
- Could the Nazis have won?
Alternative history's most vigorously argued question.
