List of countries participating in the Second World War. Myth - England and the USA suffered the same heavy losses from participation in the Second World War

Second World War has no equal in the number of states that took part in it. Of course, all countries were involved in military conflict in different ways. Let us highlight the 7 most exotic states that took part in this war.

Tuvinskaya People's Republic(TNR) entered World War II on the side of the Anti-Hitler coalition three days after the USSR. De jure independent, but actually dependent on Soviet Union The state, without hesitation, adopted a declaration on June 22, 1941, which proclaimed the readiness of the Tuvan people “without sparing their lives, to participate with all their might and means in the struggle of the Soviet people against the fascist aggressor.”
Already from the first days of the war, the TPR provided active material assistance to the USSR, in particular, transferring to it its entire gold reserve, amounting to 30 million Soviet rubles. The total amount of voluntary material assistance from the population of the republic amounted to 60 million rubles.
In May 1943, the first 11 Tuvan volunteers joined the ranks of the Red Army: after completing an intensive training course, they were enrolled in the 25th separate tank regiment. In total, about 8 thousand Tuvans took part in World War II.
The Tuvan cavalry, which fought in Galicia and Volyn, made a great impression on the German troops. A captured Wehrmacht officer admitted during interrogation that his subordinates “subconsciously perceived these barbarians as the hordes of Attila and lost all combat effectiveness.”

New Zealand

On September 3, 1939, New Zealand, simultaneously with Great Britain, declared war fascist Germany. New Zealand placed its navy at the disposal of the British Army and transferred 30 Vickers Wellington bombers.
But the New Zealanders themselves actively participated in combat operations on the fronts of World War II. In particular, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force fought in Crete, Greece, North Africa, Italy and Yugoslavia. In total, about 200 thousand people were put under arms, almost 12 thousand of them died.
If in Greece, Crete and North Africa the New Zealand troops cannot boast of great successes, then in Italy from October 1943 to April 1945 they achieved several local victories, in particular, they liberated a number of cities from Italian troops - Castel Frentano, Arezzo , Faenza and Padua.
New Zealanders also had achievements at sea. Thus, the cruiser Achilles took part in the sinking of the German raider Admiral Graf Spee in the battle of La Plata, and the light cruiser Linder destroyed the Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I in the Maldives region.

He took part in battles on the fronts of World War II and the Maori Battalion. He took part in the Greek and Cretan operations, as well as in the North African and Italian campaigns. The Maori fought, according to eyewitnesses, “selflessly and bravely.”

With war looming, Great Britain announced the full mobilization of its colonies. However, in Sudan the number of British military personnel did not exceed 10 thousand people, so the entire burden of the defense of Sudan rested with the Sudanese themselves.
Sudan entered the war in June 1940 after British air strikes on Italian positions in Ethiopia. And a month later, Italian troops crossed the border of Sudan and launched attacks on Sudanese cities on a wide front.
The fighting was especially stubborn for Kassala, where a 6.5 thousand-strong group of Italian ground forces, supported by tanks and aircraft, attacked the combined battalion of the Sudanese armed forces.
Until the end of 1941, the advantage was on Italy's side, until the combined Allied forces managed to push the Italian army back from Northeast Africa. After its involvement in hostilities, Sudan continued to play a prominent role in World War II, serving as part of the "African Line of Communication" and providing airfields to the American and British air forces.

Thai hostilities during World War II began in November 1940 during the Franco-Thai conflict, when, with the support of Japanese diplomacy, royal troops invaded French Indochina.
The Kingdom of Thailand officially entered World War II on the side of the Axis powers on January 25, 1942. However, Thailand's further participation in the war was limited to supplying food, building roads and supplying those fighting in Burma Japanese soldiers. And after Japan captured British Malaya, the kingdom annexed the states of Trengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis.

Brazil

Brazil is the only country South America, whose armed forces took part in the fighting on the fronts of World War II. Leading active trade with Germany, Brazil declared its neutrality at the beginning of the war. The Brazilian leadership hesitated until January 1942, after which it joined the Anti-Hitler coalition.
The initial intention of the Brazilian command to form 4 divisions was not realized due to difficulties with weapons and transportation. As a result, an expeditionary force of 25 thousand people was formed, consisting of infantry division and aviation group. In July 1944, the first batch of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force arrived in Naples, where it joined the US 5th Army fighting on the Italian front.
Brazil's losses at the end of the war amounted to 1,889 military personnel, 3 warships, 22 fighter aircraft and 25 commercial vessels. The war did not bring satisfaction to the Brazilian elite: hopes for the redistribution of the colonies of European states and the annexation of Guiana were never realized.

The Kingdom of Tonga, a British protectorate, officially announced its participation in World War II a week after Great Britain. Unlike the First World War, the Tongans did not fight Germany - clashes took place exclusively in the Pacific region with Japanese troops.
By November 1941, the Tongan armed forces numbered just over 400 men. In the event of an attack by Germany or Japan, they expected to defend only the largest island of the state, Tongatapu.
But the enemy landing on land never happened. All clashes with the Japanese military were limited to the territorial waters of the kingdom and its airspace. Only in 1943, when the number of Tongan troops was increased to 2000 people, they, together with the New Zealand army, took part in the battles for the Solomon Islands.

Mongolia

The close relationship between the USSR and Mongolia provided the country with support from its southern neighbor in the war against fascism. Mongolia, like Tuva, provided large-scale economic assistance to the Soviet Union, which came through the specially created “Red Army Assistance Fund”.
Already in October 1941, the first train with gifts was sent to the USSR, which, among other things, included 15 thousand sets of winter uniforms and 3 thousand individual parcels. Regular dispatch of aid trains lasted until the beginning of 1945.
In January 1942, fundraising began in the Mongolian People's Republic for the purchase of tanks, and by the end of the year, 53 tanks (32 T-34 and 21 T-70) were delivered to the Naro-Fominsk area. And in 1943, the Soviet Union received from the MPR 12 La-5 combat aircraft, which were part of the Mongolian Arat squadron.
The Mongolian army joined hostilities on August 10, 1945, declaring war on Japan. 80 thousand people were sent to the front to participate in the Manchurian Operation. These were mainly cavalry units that were part of the Soviet-Mongolian cavalry mechanized group. As a result of the hostilities, three MPR servicemen were awarded the title of Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic.

More than ten states managed to avoid participation in the main meat grinder of humanity. Moreover, these are not “some kind of” overseas countries, but European ones. One of them, Switzerland, found itself completely surrounded by Nazis. And Turkey, although it joined the alliance against Hitler, did so at the very end of the war, when there was no point in it anymore.

True, some historians believe that the Ottomans were thirsty for blood and wanted to join the Germans. But the Battle of Stalingrad stopped them.

Spain

No matter how cruel and cynical dictator Franco was, he understood that a terrible war would not bring anything good to his state. Moreover, regardless of the winner. Hitler asked him to join, gave guarantees (the British did the same), but both warring parties were refused.

But it seemed that Franco, who won the civil war with powerful support from the Axis, would definitely not remain on the sidelines. Accordingly, the Germans waited for the debt to be returned. They thought that Franco would personally want to eliminate the shameful spot on the Iberian Peninsula - the British military base of Gibraltar. But the Spanish dictator turned out to be more far-sighted. He decided to get serious about restoring his country, which was in a sad state after the civil war.

The Spaniards only sent the volunteer Blue Division to the Eastern Front. And her “swan song” soon ended. On October 20, 1943, Franco ordered the “division” to be withdrawn from the front and disbanded.

Sweden

After numerous brutal defeats in the wars of the 18th century, Sweden abruptly changed the course of its development. The country embarked on the path of modernization, which led it to prosperity. It is no coincidence that in 1938, Sweden, according to Life magazine, became one of the countries with the most high level life.

Accordingly, the Swedes did not want to destroy what had been created for more than a century. And they declared neutrality. No, some “sympathizers” fought on the side of Finland against the USSR, others served in SS units. But their total number did not exceed a thousand fighters.

According to one version, Hitler himself did not want to fight with Sweden. He was allegedly sure that the Swedes were purebred Aryans, and their blood should not be shed. Behind the scenes, Sweden made reciprocal curtsies towards Germany. For example, she supplied her with iron ore. And also, until 1943, it did not host Danish Jews trying to escape the Holocaust. This ban was lifted after Germany's defeat in the Battle of Kursk, when the scales began to tip towards the USSR.

Switzerland

German officers during the French campaign of 1940 repeatedly said that “let's take Switzerland, that little porcupine, on the way back.” But this “way back” turned out different from their expectations. Therefore, the “porcupine” was not touched.

Everyone knows that the Swiss Guard is one of the oldest military units in the world. Its brilliant history begins at the beginning of the 16th century, when Swiss soldiers were entrusted with the most precious and honorable thing in Europe - to guard the Pope.

During the Second World War geographical position It turned out to be completely unprofitable for Switzerland - the country found itself surrounded by states of the Nazi bloc. Therefore, there was not a single opportunity to completely disown the conflict. Therefore, some concessions had to be made. For example, provide a transport corridor through the Alps or “throw some money” at the needs of the Wehrmacht. But, as they say, the wolves are fed and the sheep are safe. At the very least, neutrality was maintained.

Therefore, the pilots of the Swiss Air Force continually entered into battle with either German or American aircraft. They didn’t care which representative of the warring parties violated their airspace.

Portugal

The Portuguese, like their neighbors on the peninsula, decided that if there was even the slightest opportunity to avoid participation in the Second World War, then they needed to take advantage of it. Life in the state during the conflict was well described by Erich Maria Remarque in the novel “Night in Lisbon”: “In 1942, the coast of Portugal became the last refuge of fugitives for whom justice, freedom and tolerance meant more than their homeland and life.”

Thanks to its rich colonial possessions in Africa, Portugal had access to one very strategically important metal - tungsten. It was the enterprising Portuguese who sold it. And, interestingly, to both sides of the conflict.

Actually, fears for the colonies were another reason why Portugal did not want to intervene in the conflict. After all, then their ships would come under attack, which any of the enemy countries would happily sink.

And so, thanks to neutrality, Portugal managed to maintain power over the African colonies until the 70s.

Türkiye

Historically, Turkey has had sympathy for Germany. But during the Second World War the former Ottoman Empire decided to declare neutrality. The fact is that the country decided to follow Ataturk’s behests to the end and Once again give up imperial ambitions.

There was another reason. Turkey understood that in the event of hostilities they would be left alone with the troops of the allied countries. Germany will not come to the rescue.

Therefore, a strategically correct and beneficial decision for the country was made - to simply make money from the global conflict. Therefore, both sides of the conflict began to sell chromium, necessary for the production of tank armor.

Only at the end of February 1945, under pressure from the allies, did Turkey declare war on Germany. This was done, of course, for show. In fact, Turkish soldiers did not participate in real hostilities.

It is interesting that some historians (mostly back in Soviet time) believed that Turkey was, as they say, “at a low start.” The Turks were waiting for the advantage to definitely be on Germany's side. And if the USSR had lost Battle of Stalingrad, then Turkey was ready to attack the USSR, joining the Axis Powers in 1942.

When it comes to a global conflict, it is somehow strange to be interested in who fought in World War II, because it seems that everyone took part. But to obtain such status, every person on the planet does not have to be involved, and over the past years it is easy to forget who was on whose side in this conflict.

Countries that adhere to neutrality

It’s easier to start with those who chose to remain neutral. There are as many as 12 such countries, but since the bulk are small African colonies, it is worth mentioning only “serious” players:

• Spain- contrary to popular belief, the regime, which sympathized with the Nazis and fascists, did not provide real help regular troops;
• Sweden- was able to avoid involvement in military affairs, avoiding the fate of Finland and Norway;
• Ireland- refused to fight the Nazis for the stupidest reason, the country did not want to have anything to do with Great Britain;
• Portugal- adhered to the position of its eternal ally in the person of Spain;
• Switzerland- remained faithful to wait-and-see tactics and a policy of non-intervention.

There is no question of true neutrality - Spain formed a division of volunteers, and Sweden did not prevent its citizens from fighting on the side of Germany.

The trio of Portugal, Sweden and Spain actively traded with all sides of the conflict, sympathizing with the Germans. Switzerland was preparing to repel the advance of the Nazi army and was developing a plan for conducting military operations on its territory.

Even Ireland did not enter the war only because of political convictions and even greater hatred of the British.

Germany's European allies

The following took part in the fighting on Hitler's side:

1. Third Reich;
2. Bulgaria;
3. Hungary;
4. Italy;
5. Finland;
6. Romania;
7. Slovakia;
8. Croatia.

Most of the Slavic countries on this list did not take part in the invasion of the territory of the Union. The same cannot be said about Hungary, whose formations were twice defeated by the Red Army. It's about about more than 100 thousand soldiers and officers.

The most impressive infantry corps belonged to Italy and Romania, which on our soil managed to become famous only due to the cruel treatment of the civilian population in the occupied territories. In the zone of Romanian occupation were Odessa and Nikolaev, along with the adjacent territories, where the mass extermination of the Jewish population took place. Romania was defeated in 1944, the fascist regime of Italy was forced to withdraw from the war in 1943.

ABOUT difficult relationship There’s not much to say about Finland since the 1940 war. The most “significant” contribution is closing the ring of the siege of Leningrad from the northern side. The Finns were defeated in 1944, as was Romania.

USSR and its allies in Europe

The Germans and their allies in Europe were opposed by:

• Britannia;
• THE USSR;
• France;
• Belgium;
• Poland;
• Czechoslovakia;
• Greece;
• Denmark;
• Netherlands;

Considering the losses suffered and the liberated territories, it would be incorrect not to include the Americans in this list. The Soviet Union, along with Britain and France, took the main blow.

For each country, the war had its own form:

1. Great Britain tried to cope with constant enemy air raids in the first stage and missile attacks from continental Europe in the second;
2. The French army was defeated with amazing speed, and only the partisan movement made a significant contribution to the final result;
3. The Soviet Union suffered the greatest losses, the war consisted of massive battles, constant retreats and advances, and a struggle for every piece of land.

The Western Front opened by the United States helped accelerate the liberation of Europe from the Nazis and saved millions of lives of Soviet citizens.

War in the Pacific

Fought in the Pacific:

• Australia;
• Canada;
• THE USSR.

The Allies were opposed by Japan, with all its spheres of influence.

The Soviet Union entered this conflict at the final stage:

1. Provided the transfer of ground forces;
2. Defeated the remaining Japanese army on the mainland;
3. Contributed to the surrender of the Empire.

The Red Army soldiers, seasoned in battle, were able to defeat the entire Japanese group, deprived of supply routes, with minimal losses.

The main battles in previous years took place in the sky and on the water:

• Bombing of Japanese cities and military bases;
• Attacks on ship convoys;
• Sinking of battleships and aircraft carriers;
• Battle for the resource base;
• The use of a nuclear bomb on civilians.

Taking into account geographical and topographic features, there was no talk of any large-scale ground operations. All the tactics were:

1. In control of key islands;
2. Cutting off supply routes;
3. Enemy resource limitations;
4. Knocking out airfields and ship anchorages.

The chances of victory for the Japanese from the first day of the war were very slim. Despite the success, due to surprise and the unwillingness of the Americans to conduct military operations overseas.

How many countries are involved in the conflict?

Exactly 62 countries. Not one more, not one less. There were so many participants in the Second World War. And this is out of 73 states that existed at that time.

This involvement is explained by:

• The crisis brewing in the world;
• Involvement of “big players” in their spheres of influence;
• The desire to solve economic and social problems by military means;
• The presence of numerous alliance agreements between the parties to the conflict.

You can list all of them, indicate the side and years of active action. But such a volume of information will not be remembered and the next day will not leave a trace behind. Therefore, it is easier to identify the main participants and explain their contribution to the disaster.

The results of World War II have long been summed up:

1. The culprits have been found;
2. War criminals punished;
3. Appropriate conclusions have been drawn;
4. “Memory organizations” were created;
5. Fascism and Nazism are prohibited in most countries;
6. Reparations and debts for the supply of equipment and weapons have been paid.

The main task is not repeat something like that .

Today, even schoolchildren know who fought in World War II and what consequences this conflict had for the world. But too many myths persist that need to be dispelled.

Video about the participants in the military conflict

This video very clearly demonstrates the entire chronology of the events of the Second World War, which countries took part in what:

The confrontation between the powers lasted 6 years, it covered a third of the entire territory of the planet, not only land, but also sea. Only 11 states maintained complete neutrality throughout the war, but they in one way or another provided support and sympathy to the countries participating in the armed conflict. The states that fought on the fronts were part of two huge coalitions, the “Axis Countries” (axis: Rome-Berlin-Tokyo), and the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, which eventually included 59 states.

"Axis Powers"

The Axis coalition consisted of the following states: Germany, Italy, Japan. It was they who unleashed the most terrible war. The initiator of the battles was Germany; its policies and tactics allowed fascist troops to occupy Austria and the Czech Republic practically without fighting. With the German attack on Poland on September 1, 1939, the Second World War began.

Italy sided with Germany for one reason: its leader, Duce Mussolini, sympathized with the Hitler regime, but the country did not take an active part in the theater of war, so it did not pose a threat. Japan took part in the hostilities, but it was a Sino-Japanese war for the resources of China. When two atomic bombs fell on Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945, it quickly capitulated, realizing the pointlessness of further resistance. The Second World War is over.

Anti-Hitler coalition

The contribution of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition to the victory was uneven; some states carried out active military operations on the fronts, others helped with food and supplied military products. Some countries took part purely nominally, in fact - not at all. Maximum contribution The USSR, along with the USA and Great Britain, contributed to the defeat of the Nazis.

The USSR was drawn into the war when Germany attacked its territory on June 22, 1941. And from this date, until May 9, 1945, a special period begins within the Second World War - the Great Patriotic War. The most terrible battles of this period took place on the territory of the USSR. The most terrible of them was the siege of Leningrad. However, the country survived and since 1943 launched an offensive on all fronts.

When the Nazis were thrown out of the USSR in 1944, the United States opened a second front in Europe. But this was done not so much to help the USSR, since the outcome of the war was already predetermined, but to prevent the spread of communist ideas in Western Europe.

Losses in World War II

The USSR suffered the maximum losses, all European part The country was destroyed, cities and villages were destroyed, factories were either bombed or evacuated to the Urals or Siberia. Over 27,000,000 Soviet citizens died, many of them were exterminated in concentration camps. The total destruction was estimated at $128 billion.

Germany lost 6,500,000 people, most of them not returning from the eastern front. The destruction in the country was estimated at $48 billion.

Participants

62 states took part in World War II (48 on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition and 14 on the side of the Axis countries). Some of them were actively involved in military operations, others helped their allies with food supplies, and many participated in the war only nominally.

The anti-Hitler coalition included: Poland, Great Britain, France (since 1939), USSR (since 1941), USA (since 1941), China, Australia, Canada, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Greece, Ethiopia, Denmark, Brazil, Mexico, Mongolia, Luxembourg, Nepal, Panama, Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Albania, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Paraguay, Ecuador, San Marino, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Liberia, Bolivia. During the war, they were joined by some states that left the fascist bloc: Iran (since 1941), Iraq (since 1943), Italy (since 1943), Romania (since 1944), Bulgaria (since 1944), Hungary (in 1945), Finland (in 1945).

On the other hand, the Axis countries participated in the war: Germany, Italy (until 1943), Japan, Finland (until 1944), Bulgaria (until 1944), Romania (until 1944), Hungary (until 1945), Slovakia, Thailand (Siam), Iraq (until 1941), Iran (until 1941), Manchukuo, Croatia. On the territory of the occupied countries, puppet states were created that joined the fascist coalition: Vichy France, the Republic of Salo, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Inner Mongolia, Burma, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos. Many collaborationist troops, created from citizens of the opposing side, also fought on the side of Germany and Japan: ROA, RONA, foreign SS divisions (Russian, Ukrainian, Estonian, Latvian, Danish, Belgian, French, Albanian), “Free India”. Also fighting in the armed forces of the Axis countries were volunteer forces of states that formally remained neutral: Spain (Blue Division), Sweden and Portugal.

Territories

All military operations can be divided into 5 theaters of military operations:

* Western European theater: West Germany, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Great Britain (air bombing), Atlantic.
* Eastern European theater: USSR (western part), Poland, Finland, Northern Norway, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria (eastern part), East Germany, Barents Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea.
* Mediterranean theater: Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, Italy, Mediterranean islands (Malta, Cyprus, etc.), Egypt, Libya, French North Africa, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Mediterranean Sea.
* African theater: Ethiopia, Italian Somalia, British Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, Madagascar.
* Pacific theater: China (eastern and northeastern parts), Korea, USSR (Far East), Japan, South Sakhalin, Kurile Islands, Aleutian Islands, Mongolia, Hong Kong, French Indochina, Burma, Andaman Islands, Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, Dutch East Indies, Sabah, Brunei, New Guinea, Papua, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Wake, Midway, Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands, Marshall Islands, Gilbert Islands, many small Pacific islands, most of the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean.

Prerequisites for the war in Europe

The Treaty of Versailles extremely limited Germany's military capabilities. However, with the coming to power of the National Socialist Workers' Party led by Adolf Hitler in 1933, Germany begins to ignore all restrictions Treaty of Versailles- in particular, it restores conscription into the army and quickly increases the production of weapons and military equipment. October 14, 1933 Germany withdraws from the League of Nations and refuses to participate in the Geneva Disarmament Conference. July 24, 1934 Germany attempts to carry out the Anschluss of Austria by inspiring an anti-government putsch in Vienna, but is forced to abandon its plans due to the sharply negative position of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who moved four divisions to the Austrian border.

In the 1930s, Italy pursued an equally aggressive foreign policy. On October 3, 1935, it invades Ethiopia and captures it by May 1936 (see Italo-Ethiopian War). In 1936, the Italian Empire was proclaimed.

The act of unjustified aggression displeases the Western powers and the League of Nations. The deterioration of relations with Western powers is pushing Italy towards rapprochement with Germany. In January 1936, Mussolini gave his consent in principle to the annexation of Austria by the Germans, subject to their refusal to expand in the Adriatic. On March 7, 1936, German troops occupy the Rhineland demilitarized zone. Great Britain and France do not offer effective resistance to this, limiting themselves to formal protest. November 25, 1936 Germany and Japan conclude the Anti-Comintern Pact on the joint fight against communism. On November 6, 1937, Italy joins the pact.

In March 1938, Germany freely annexed Austria (see Anschluss), and in October 1938, as a result of the Munich Agreement, it annexed the Sudetenland that belonged to Czechoslovakia. England and France give consent to this act, and the opinion of Czechoslovakia itself is not taken into account. On March 15, 1939, Germany, in violation of the agreement, occupied the Czech Republic (see German occupation of the Czech Republic). The German protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia is created on Czech territory. Hungary and Poland participate in the division of Czechoslovakia. Slovakia was declared an independent pro-Nazi state. On February 24, 1939, Hungary joined the Anti-Comintern Pact, and on March 27, Spain, where Francisco Franco came to power after the end of the civil war.

All these actions do not meet serious resistance from Great Britain and France, who do not dare to start a war and are trying to save the system of the Versailles Treaty with reasonable, from their point of view, concessions (the so-called “policy of appeasement”). However, after Hitler’s violation of the Munich Treaty, both countries are increasingly realizing the need for a tougher policy, and in the event of further German aggression, Great Britain and France give military guarantees to Poland. After Italy captured Albania on April 7-12, 1939 (see Italian-Albanian War), Romania and Greece received the same guarantees.

Objective conditions also made the Soviet Union an opponent of the Versailles system. Due to the internal crisis caused by the events of the First World War, October revolution And Civil War, the country's level of influence on European and world politics has decreased significantly. At the same time, the strengthening of the regime of personal power of I.V. Stalin and the results of industrialization stimulated the leadership of the USSR to take measures to return the status of a world power. The Soviet government skillfully used official diplomatic channels, the illegal possibilities of the Comintern, social propaganda, pacifist ideas, anti-fascism, assistance to some victims of aggressors to create the image of the main fighter for peace and social progress. Struggle for " collective security“became a foreign policy tactic of Moscow, aimed at strengthening the weight of the USSR in international affairs and preventing the consolidation of other great powers without its participation. However, the Munich Agreement clearly showed that the USSR is still far from becoming an equal subject of European politics.

During the political crisis of 1939, two military-political blocs emerged in Europe: Anglo-French and German-Italian, each of which was interested in an agreement with the USSR. Under these conditions, on August 23, 1939, in Moscow, the USSR signed a Non-Aggression Treaty with Germany. The secret protocol provided for the division of spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states and Poland.

Poland, having concluded alliance treaties with Great Britain and France, which are obliged to help her in case German aggression, refuses to make concessions in negotiations with Germany (in particular, on the issue of the Danzig corridor). Germany, France, Great Britain and other countries begin preparations for war. As a result of mobilization, by September 1939, Germany had an army of 4.6 million people, France - 2.67 million people, Great Britain - 1.27 million people.

Invasion of Poland

On September 1, 1939, German armed forces invade Poland. Slovak troops also took part in the fighting on the side of Germany.

September 3 Great Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany. Within a few days, the UK and France will be joined by Canada, Newfoundland, the Union of South Africa and Nepal. The Second World War has begun.

However, on the Western Front, the allied Anglo-French troops do not take any active action (see Strange War). Only at sea did the war begin immediately: on September 3, the German submarine U-30 attacked the English passenger liner Athenia without warning.

In Poland, during the first week of fighting, German troops cut through the Polish front in several places and occupied part of Mazovia, western Prussia, the Upper Silesian industrial region and western Galicia. By September 9, the Germans managed to break down Polish resistance along the entire front line and approach Warsaw.

On September 10, the Polish commander-in-chief Edward Rydz-Smigly gives the order for a general retreat to southeastern Poland, but the bulk of his troops, unable to retreat beyond the Vistula, find themselves surrounded. By mid-September, having never received support from the West, the Polish armed forces ceased to exist as a single whole; only local centers of resistance are preserved.
The Soviet government declares that it “takes under its protection the lives and property of the Ukrainian and Belarusian population of the eastern regions of Poland and will advance its troops to protect them from German aggression.” On September 17, Soviet troops invade the eastern regions of Poland, due to the fact that on the night of September 16-17, the Polish government and high command fled the country into Romanian territory. On September 19, the Red Army captured Vilna, on September 20 - Grodno and Lvov, and on September 23 it reached the Bug River.

Even before the USSR entered the war, September 14, 19th tank corps Guderian with a throw from East Prussia captures Brest. The Brest Fortress was defended for several more days by Polish troops under the command of General Plisovsky. Only on the night of September 17 did its defenders leave the forts in an organized manner and retreat beyond the Bug.

On September 28, the Germans occupied Warsaw, on September 30 - Modlin, on October 2 - Hel. On October 6, the last units of the Polish army capitulate. The demarcation line between German and Soviet troops on the territory of former Poland is established in accordance with a secret protocol signed along with the Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Part of the western Polish lands is transferred to the Third Reich. These lands are subject to so-called “Germanization”. The Polish and Jewish population is deported from here to central areas Poland. In the remaining territories, a General Government is created, where mass repressions are carried out against the Polish people. The situation of the Jews driven into the ghetto became the most difficult.

The territories ceded to the USSR were included in the Ukrainian SSR, Byelorussian SSR and Lithuania. Soviet power is established here, socialist transformations are carried out (nationalization of industry, collectivization of the peasantry), which is accompanied by deportations and repressions against the former “ruling classes” - representatives of the bourgeoisie, landowners, rich peasants, and part of the intelligentsia. According to one source, out of 5 million[source?] ethnic Poles living in these territories, 1.5 million[source?] were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan in 1939-1941. According to other sources, only a few tens of thousands of people were evicted from the Baltic states

October 6, 1939 Hitler makes a proposal to convene peace conference with the participation of all major powers to resolve existing contradictions. France and Great Britain say they will agree to the conference only if the Germans immediately withdraw their troops from Poland and the Czech Republic and return these countries to independence. Germany rejected these terms, and as a result the peace conference never took place. The German command begins to prepare for an attack on the West.

Battle of the Atlantic

Despite the refusal of the peace conference, Great Britain and France from September 1939 to April 1940 continued to wage a passive war and made no attempts to attack. Active combat operations are carried out only on sea lanes. Even before the war, the German command sent Atlantic Ocean 2 battleships and 18 submarines, which, with the opening of hostilities, began attacks on merchant ships of Great Britain and its allied countries. From September to December 1939, Great Britain loses 114 ships from attacks by German submarines, and in 1940 - 471 ships, while the Germans lost only 9 submarines in 1939. Attacks on Great Britain's maritime communications led to the loss of 1/3 of the tonnage of the British merchant fleet by the summer of 1941 and created a serious threat to the country's economy.

Soviet-Finnish War

November 30, 1939 The Soviet Union invades Finland following its refusal to exchange the Karelian Isthmus for other territories and provide military bases on the islands and the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland. At the same time, the so-called “people's government” of Finland was formed in Moscow, headed by the famous Finnish communist and Comintern figure Otto Kuusinen. From December to February, Soviet troops made many attempts to break through the Mannerheim Line, but did not achieve much success, despite their superiority in forces.

On December 14, 1939, the USSR was expelled from the League of Nations for starting a war. Great Britain and France, which consider the USSR to be an ally of Germany after the conclusion of the Non-Aggression Treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union, decide to prepare a landing force for landing on the Scandinavian Peninsula in order to prevent Germany from seizing the Swedish fields. iron ore and at the same time provide ways for the future transfer of its troops to help Finland. However, Sweden and Norway, trying to maintain neutrality, categorically refuse to accept Anglo-French troops on their territory. On February 16, 1940, British destroyers attacked the German ship Altmark in Norwegian territorial waters. 1 March Hitler, previously interested in maintaining neutrality Scandinavian countries, signs a directive to seize Denmark and Norway (Operation Weserübung) to prevent a possible Allied landing.

At the beginning of March 1940, Soviet troops break through the Mannerheim Line and capture Vyborg. On March 13, 1940, a peace treaty was signed in Moscow between Finland and the USSR, according to which Soviet demands were satisfied. The border between the countries on the Karelian Isthmus, in the area of ​​Leningrad and the Murmansk Railway, has been pushed to the northwest. Kuusinen's "People's Government" ceases to exist. Despite the end of the Winter War, the Anglo-French command continues to develop a plan for a military operation in Norway, but the Germans manage to get ahead of them.

European blitzkrieg

In Denmark, the Germans, using sea and airborne landings, freely occupy all the most important cities and destroy Danish aircraft in a few hours. Under the threat of bombing of the civilian population, the Danish King Christian X is forced to sign a surrender and orders the army to lay down their arms.

In Norway, on April 9-10, the Germans captured the main Norwegian ports of Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen, and Narvik. On April 14, the Anglo-French landing force landed near Narvik, on April 16 - in Namsos, on April 17 - in Åndalsnes. On April 19, the Allies launched an attack on Trondheim, but failed and were forced to withdraw their forces from central Norway in early May. After a series of battles for Narvik, the Allies also evacuated the northern part of the country in early June. On June 10, 1940, the last units of the Norwegian army surrendered. Norway finds itself under the control of the German occupation administration (Reichskommissariat); Denmark, declared a German protectorate, was able to maintain partial independence in internal affairs.

After the surrender of Denmark, the British and American troops occupy its colonies - the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland, in order to prevent their capture by the Germans.

May 10, 1940 Germany invades Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg with 135 divisions. The 1st Allied Army Group advances into Belgium, but does not have time to help the Dutch, since the German Army Group B makes a rapid push into southern Holland and captures Rotterdam on May 12. On May 15, the Netherlands capitulates. It was believed that in retaliation for the stubborn resistance of the Dutch, which was unexpected for the Germans, Hitler, after signing the act of surrender, ordered massive bombing of Rotterdam, which was not caused military necessity and led to enormous destruction and casualties among the civilian population. At the Nuremberg trials it became clear that the bombing of Rotterdam took place on May 14th. The Dutch government capitulated only after the bombing of Rotterdam and the threat of bombing of Amsterdam and The Hague.

In Belgium, on May 10, German paratroopers captured bridges over the Albert Canal, which made it possible for large German tank forces to force it before the Allies arrived and reach the Belgian Plain. Brussels fell on May 17.

But the main blow is delivered by Army Group A. Having occupied Luxembourg on 10 May, Guderian's three panzer divisions crossed the southern Ardennes and crossed the Meuse River west of Sedan on 14 May. At the same time, Hoth's tank corps breaks through the northern Ardennes, difficult for heavy equipment, and on May 13 crosses the Meuse River north of Dinant. The German tank armada rushes to the west. The belated attacks of the French, for whom the German attack through the Ardennes turns out to be a complete surprise, are unable to contain it. On May 16, Guderian's units reach the Oise; On May 20, they reach the coast of Pas-de-Calais near Abbeville and turn north to the rear of the allied armies. 28 Anglo-Franco-Belgian divisions are surrounded.

The attempt of the French command to organize a counterattack at Arras on May 21-23 fails. On May 22, Guderian cuts off the Allies’ retreat to Boulogne, on May 23 to Calais and goes to Gravelines 10 km from Dunkirk, the last port through which the Anglo-French troops could evacuate, but on May 24 he is forced to stop the offensive for two days due to an inexplicable personal Hitler's order (“The Miracle of Dunkirk”). The respite allows the Allies to strengthen the defenses of Dunkirk and launch Operation Dynamo to evacuate their forces by sea. On May 26, German troops break through the Belgian front in West Flanders, and on May 28, Belgium, despite the demands of the Allies, capitulates. On the same day, in the Lille area, the Germans surrounded a large French group, which surrendered on May 31. Part of the French troops (114 thousand)[source?] and almost the entire English army (224 thousand) were taken out on British ships through Dunkirk. The Germans take over all British and French artillery and armored vehicles, vehicles abandoned by the Allies during the retreat. After Dunkirk, Great Britain found itself practically unarmed, although it retained personnel army.

On June 5, German troops begin an offensive in the Lahn-Abbeville sector. Attempts by the French command to hastily plug the gap in the defense with unprepared divisions were unsuccessful. The French are losing one battle after another. The French defense disintegrates, and the command hastily withdraws its troops to the south.

June 10 Italy declares war on Great Britain and France. Italian troops invade the southern regions of France, but cannot advance far. On the same day, the French government evacuates Paris. On June 11, the Germans cross the Marne at Chateau-Thierry. On June 14 they entered Paris without a fight, and two days later they entered the Rhone Valley. On June 16, Marshal Pétain forms a new government of France, which already on the night of June 17 turns to Germany with a request for a truce. On June 18, French General Charles De Gaulle, who fled to London, calls on the French to continue their resistance. On June 21, the Germans, having encountered virtually no resistance, reached the Loire in the Nantes-Tours section, and on the same day their tanks occupied Lyon.

On June 22, a Franco-German armistice was signed in Compiegne, according to which France agreed to the occupation of most of its territory, the demobilization of almost the entire ground army and internment navy and aviation. In the free zone, as a result of the coup d'etat on July 10, the authoritarian regime of Pétain (Vichy Regime) was established, which set a course for close cooperation with Germany (collaborationism). Despite the military weakness of France, the defeat of this country was so sudden and complete that it defied any rational explanation.

The commander-in-chief of the Vichy troops, Francois Darlan, gives the order to withdraw the entire French fleet to the shores of the French North Africa. Due to fears that the entire French fleet might fall under the control of Germany and Italy, on July 3, 1940, British naval forces and aircraft attacked French ships at Mers-el-Kebir. By the end of July, the British have destroyed or neutralized almost the entire French fleet.

Expansion of the bloc of fascist states. Battles in the Balkans and the Middle East

The US government is gradually beginning to reconsider its foreign policy course. It increasingly actively supports Great Britain, becoming its “non-belligerent ally” (see Atlantic Charter). In May 1940, Congress approved an amount of 3 billion dollars for the needs of the army and navy, and in the summer - 6.5 billion, including 4 billion for the construction of a “fleet of two oceans.” Supplies of weapons and equipment for Great Britain are increasing. September 2, 1940 The United States transfers 50 destroyers to Great Britain in exchange for the lease of 8 military bases in the British colonies in the Western Hemisphere. According to the law adopted by the US Congress on March 11, 1941 on the transfer of military materials to warring countries on loan or lease (see Lend-Lease), Great Britain was allocated $7 billion. Lend-Lease later extended to China, Greece and Yugoslavia. The North Atlantic has been declared a “patrol zone” for the US navy, which is simultaneously beginning to escort merchant ships heading to the UK.

On September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact: delimitation of zones of influence in establishing a new order and mutual military assistance. At the Soviet-German negotiations held in November 1940, German diplomats invited the USSR to join this pact. The Soviet government declares that it will agree if the Germans agree to enter Soviet troops to Romania, Bulgaria, Finland and Turkey[source?]. The Germans do not accept such conditions. After an attempt to conclude a military alliance with the USSR fails, Hitler approves a plan to attack the USSR. For these purposes, Germany begins to look for allies in Eastern Europe. On November 20, Hungary joined the Triple Alliance, on November 23 - Romania, on November 24 - Slovakia, in 1941 - Bulgaria, Finland and Spain. On March 25, 1941, Yugoslavia joined the pact, but on March 27, in Belgrade, as a result of the actions of British agents, a military coup took place, and the Simovic government came to power, declaring young Peter II king and proclaiming the neutrality of Yugoslavia. April 5 Yugoslavia concludes a treaty of friendship and non-aggression with the USSR. In view of undesirable developments for Germany, Hitler decides to conduct a military operation against Yugoslavia and help Italian troops in Greece.

April 6, 1941, after massive bombing major cities, railway junctions and airfields, Germany and Hungary invade Yugoslavia. At the same time, Italian troops, with the support of the Germans, are conducting another offensive in Greece. By April 8, the armed forces of Yugoslavia were cut into several parts and actually ceased to exist as a single whole. On April 9, German troops, having passed through Yugoslav territory, entered Greece and captured Thessaloniki, forcing the Greek East Macedonian Army to capitulate. On April 10, the Germans capture Zagreb. On April 11, Croatian Nazi leader Ante Pavelić proclaims the independence of Croatia and calls on Croats to leave the ranks of the Yugoslav army, which further undermines its combat effectiveness. On April 13, the Germans capture Belgrade. On April 15, the Yugoslav government fled the country. On April 16, German troops enter Sarajevo. On April 16, the Italians occupied Bar and the island of Krk, and on April 17, Dubrovnik. On the same day, the Yugoslav army capitulates, and 344 thousand of its soldiers and officers are captured.

After the defeat of Yugoslavia, the Germans and Italians threw all their forces into Greece. On April 20, the Epirus army capitulates. An attempt by the Anglo-Australian command to create defensive line at Thermopylae, in order to close the Wehrmacht's path to central Greece, was unsuccessful, and on April 20, the command of the allied forces decided to evacuate its forces. On April 21, Ioannina was captured. On April 23, Tsolakoglu signs the act of general surrender of the Greek armed forces. On April 24, King George II fled to Crete with the government. On the same day, the Germans captured the islands of Lemnos, Pharos and Samothrace. On April 27, Athens was captured.

On May 20, the Germans land troops on Crete, which is in the hands of the British. Although the British fleet thwarted the Germans' attempt to deliver reinforcements by sea, on May 21 the paratroopers captured the airfield at Maleme and ensured the transfer of reinforcements by air. Despite stubborn defense, British troops were forced to leave Crete by May 31. By June 2, the island was completely occupied. But in view big losses German paratroopers, Hitler abandons plans for further landing operations to seize Cyprus and the Suez Canal.

As a result of the invasion, Yugoslavia was dismembered. Germany annexes northern Slovenia, Hungary - western Vojvodina, Bulgaria - Vardar Macedonia, Italy - southern Slovenia, part of the Dalmatian coast, Montenegro and Kosovo. Croatia declared independent state under the Italian-German protectorate. The collaborationist government of Nedić was created in Serbia.

After the defeat of Greece, Bulgaria annexes eastern Macedonia and western Thrace; the rest of the country is divided into Italian (western) and German (eastern) occupation zones.
On April 1, 1941, as a result of a coup in Iraq, the pro-German nationalist group of Rashid Ali-Gailani seized power. By agreement with the Vichy regime, Germany on May 12 begins transporting military equipment to Iraq through Syria, a French mandate. But the Germans, busy preparing for war with the USSR, are not able to provide significant assistance to the Iraqi nationalists. British troops invade Iraq and overthrow the government of Ali Gailani. On June 8, the British, together with units of the Free French, invade Syria and Lebanon and by mid-July force the Vichy troops to capitulate.

According to the leadership of Great Britain and the USSR, there was a threat of involvement in 1941 on the side of Germany as an active ally of Iran. Therefore, from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941, a joint Anglo-Soviet operation to occupy Iran was carried out. Its goal was to protect Iranian oil fields from possible capture by German troops and protect the transport corridor ( southern corridor), under which the Allies carried out deliveries under Lend-Lease for the Soviet Union. During the operation, Allied forces invaded Iran and established control over railways And oil fields Iran. At the same time, British troops occupied southern Iran. Soviet troops occupied northern Iran.