When did WW2 start?

Question

Think before you write.

Arguable dates:
1937: Japanese invasion of China
1939: German invasion of Poland
1941: Russia and US enter the war, making a local european conflict global.

Answer 1

It started in 1805, and all the political blunders that continued until 1912, when the Balkan crisis escalated into a war, that eventually helped to ignite the Great War, but nothing was settled at the end of the war; so 19 years later WW2 broke out. George Santanaya astutely observed, "He that forgets the past is condemned to repeat". That is what characterized European politics in the 19th and early 20th centuries, continued blundering. World War 2 didn't occur in a vacuum, it occurred because of myopic leaders,who could see beyond their own noses on their faces.

Answer 2

While there were other conflicts that eventually melded together into what became World War II, it is generally accepted that the War began on September 1, 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, as this also coincided with a simultaneous Russian invasion of Poland and declarations of war by Britain and France.

As the British and French also had colonial empires and the Germans, British and French had naval assets distributed world-wide it truly became a world war.

Answer 3

1939-Soon after the invasion of Poland,Britain and France declared war on Germany.When I say Britain,I include all of their commonwealth nations and territories.Which were spread out all over the globe.Especially in the South Pacific (Australia,New Zealand,Singapore,Hong Kong).
As for France, their colonies were Algeria,Tunisia and Indochina.
Also the German Navy was operating pretty much around the world.German submarines operated in the water of the Atlantic,around Africa and even up to the coast of the United States.

Answer 4

In 1939 with the German invasion of Polland. Subsequently Great Britain and France declared war.

Answer 5

The day Germany woke up with reperations for WW1 that were so expensive that it took a wheel barrel full of Marks to pay for a loaf of bread is the day the second war began.

Poland had one before been part of Germany so that was somewhat to be expected. Japan had intentions to assert itself against the West ever sense the day Perry showed in Tokyo Bay with Black War Shipsin the 1860s. Germany had it's eyes on Russia and brreaking it's pact before 41 and the American support of England had a looming strain that was bound to explode!

The quietly kept issue that both wars delt with and we still have the aftershock from is Imperialism, Colonialism, and Neo-Colonialism and when you think in those terms it is very difficult to say when the problem began!

Answer 6

I had always considered the invasion of poland the real begining... That's an interesting question.

here's what wiki says...
World War II (abbreviated WWII), also known as the Second World War, was the largest and deadliest war in world history. It is generally regarded as taking place between 1939 and 1945, with roots in earlier conflicts. It was fought between the Allied Powers, led by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States, who defeated the Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan.

here's an interesting link
http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_co-operation/education/History_Teaching/Reform_of_History_Teaching/South_East_Europe/f.Razpotnik%20Bled.asp

Answer 7

Januray 10, 1920, the date the Treaty of Versailles was ratified.

Many people argue that the Treaty of Versailles and the Paris Peace Conference of 1919-1920, which recognized and required that Germany accept full responsibility for causing the war and, under the terms of articles 231-247, make reparations to the allies.

This concept of punishing the losers back fired, and the social upheval caused by this repressive approch set up the anarchy that allowed the Nazi party to come to power.

Implementing reparations also failed to achieve its punitive aims insofar as Germany profited from the treaty by neither repaying most of its foreign loans in the following decade nor completing her indemnity payments. It was this treaty which caused a chain reaction leading to World War 2

"World War 2" could be seen as "World War I, part 2"

Answer 8

Most history books will tell you Sept. 1, 1939 when the Nazi's invaded Poland. Of course Roosevelt was trying to get the United States into a shooting war with Japan for years. He finally succeeded in maneuvering Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor.

Answer 9

The occidental and Allies point of view remarks that the begging of the WW2 is the German invasion in 1939.

Answer 10

well the history books say when German invaded in 1939 was the beginning of WWII but the Japanese expansion in the Pacific did happen before that and for those people I would guess would argue that that's when it started.

But as for when it was classifed as a World War it would have to be 1939