1. World War 2 (1939 - 1945) One of the most gruesome Wars of all time, World War 2 is best known for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States and the Holocaustthe genocide of six million European Jews by Nazi Germany. However, there do exist several facts about it which continue to elude most of the people out there. World War 2 was fought between two military alliances: the Allies, which comprised the Soviet Union, United States of America, United Kingdom, and other nations, and the Axis, made up of Germany, Japan, Italy, etc.

2. The war began on September 1, 1939, when the German forces invaded Poland, and in retaliation, France and other European nations attacked Germany. It went on for six years before culminating with a victory for the Allies on September 2, 1945. By then though, the damage was already done and the effects of this six-year-long conflict had become more than obvious. It took a long time for the affected countries to recover. 3. Unparalleled Casualties They say history repeats itself, which is what happened when Germany and its allies were trounced in the Second World War. If the effects of World War 1 were gruesome, those of World War 2 were a lot worse. Somewhere between 22 - 25 million soldiers and 38 - 55 million civilians lost their lives. Additionally, many more were left homeless. It is estimated that around 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, the systemic state-sponsored genocide orchestrated by Adolf Hitler. Other than Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slavs, Romanian gypsies, and even homosexuals were killed in large numbers in this genocide only because they were considered inferior. 4. Borders Were Redrawn Several European and Asian countries had to bear the brunt of this war. The territorial borders of European countries were redrawn. The biggest beneficiary in terms of territorial expansion was the Soviet Union, which annexed parts of Finland, Poland, Japan, Germany, and some independent states to its territories. The worst affected nation was Germany, which was divided into four parts; one each was held by France, United States, Soviet Union, and Great Britain. The initial plans put forth by the United States for Germany were very harsh. They were only relaxed after they realized that the revival of Europe was not possible without the revival of German industrial base. 5. United Nations Post World War 2, the Allied Forces came together to form the United Nationsan organization formed to promote peace and security in the world. The newly formed organization outlawed wars of aggression to ensure that a third world war doesn't happen. The Paris Peace Treaty was signed on February 10, 1947, allowing countries like Italy, Bulgaria, and Finland to resume as sovereign states in international affairs and become members of the United Nations. The Treaty also included provisions for the payment of war reparations and post-war territorial adjustments. 6. End of Dictatorship On the flip side, World War 2 marked the end of dictatorship in Europe. While Mussolini was captured and shot dead on April 28, 1945, Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. Emperor Hirohito was not prosecuted by the Allied Powers as General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, thought that his cooperation was necessary for the administration of Japan. The Allied Forces held the Nuremberg trials wherein the top brass of Nazi Germanyexcept for Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbelswere prosecuted. 7. Economic Effects As for the economic effects of World War 2, it did have some positives, but they were by no means a match for the havoc this war created. The numerous jobs created during the war brought an end to the employment crisis during the Great Depression. While those industries that manufactured the products required during the war flourished, other industries suffered a major setback. The European economy was almost brought to a standstill during the Second World War. It took quite some time for the world to revive after the war came to an end on September 2, 1945; that though, was only after millions of people lost their lives. 8. New Rivalry Most important of all, World War 2 put forth the United States and Soviet Union as the super powers of the world. If World War 1 laid the foundation for World War 2, the latter laid the foundation for the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union which lasted for 44 years between 1947 and 1991. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States retaliated with full military force; even going to the extent of using atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Had Japan not attacked Pearl Harbor, perhaps things would have had happened differently. 9. Impact of the second world war Socially Economically Environmentally 10. Socially impact of WWII Baby boomer After the war, there was a large population growth in the world. 77 million American was born during this period. However, now that baby boomers became older and requires extended health care. Baby boomers comprise nearly 27% of the US population as of today. 11. Economically impact of WWII Reconstruction cost After the war, most countries encountered heavy losses in agricultural, industrial and especially economical. The government had to spend lots of money to rebuild their industrial and infrastructure Unbalanced between light and heavy many manufacture when the war ended, light and heavy industry became unbalanced and that causes a serious trouble for our society. 12. Environmentally impact of WWII Atomic bomb dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki At the time of explosion, people within diameter of 500meters were instantly vaporized, and around 80,000 people was killed instantly, total casualty was around 135000people. 13. Conclusion After the Second World War, there were many negative aspects that affect our lives such as baby boomer, unbalanced between light and heavy manufacture, and environmental damage caused by atomic bomb.