Changes

'''World War II''', also known as the '''Second World War''', was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe and is generally accepted as the largest and deadliest continuous [[war]] in [[History of the World|human history]]. World War II resulted in the direct or indirect death of anywhere from 50 to 60 million people, over 3% of the world population at that time. It is estimated to have cost more money and resources than all other wars combined: about 1 [[trillion]] [[United States dollar]]s dollars in [[1945]] (roughly 10.5 trillion in [[2005]]), not including subsequent reconstruction [http://www.historychannel.com/worldwartwo/?page=triumph5].

The conflict began by most Western accounts on [[September 1]] [[1939]] with the [[Polish September Campaign|German invasion of Poland]] (the [[Pacific war]] is taken to have started on [[July 7]] [[1937]] with the Japanese attack on [[China]]) and lasted until the summer of [[1945]], involving many of the world's countries. Some historians contend that the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (The [[Second Italo-Abyssinian War]]) which lasted seven months in 1935-1936 was the actual start of World War II. Virtually all countries that participated in [[World War I]] were involved in World War II. Many consider World War II to be the only true [[world war]] due to the overwhelming number of nations involved and the extraordinary number of theatres—from Europe and the Soviet Union to North Africa, China, South East Asia and the Pacific. In World War I non-European theatres had seen quick and short colonial battles, but in World War II these theatres demanded far more resources and human sacrifice.

In Europe, the war ended with the surrender of Germany on [[8 May]] [[1945]] ([[Victory in Europe Day|V-E]] and [[Victory Day|Victory]] Days), but continued in Asia until [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Japan surrendered]] on [[15 August]] [[1945]] ([[V-J Day]]).