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World War II

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 considered the most costly and intense war in human history.

The conflict began by most Western accounts on September 1, 1939 and lasted until 1945, involving many of the world's countries. 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.

Attributed in varying degrees to the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, and the rise in Nationalism, Fascism, National Socialism, Japanese imperialism, and Militarism, the causes of the war are a matter of debate. Similarly, the exact date at which the war commenced differs between historians, with the most common date given as the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, or the British and French declarations of war two days later. Other candidates for the starting date of the war include the entry of Hitler's armies to Prague in March 1939, the Japanese invasion of China on 7 July 1937 (the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War), or earlier yet the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria, or the signing of the secret Hitler-Stalin Pact.

The war was fought between the Axis Powers, which was formed by the countries Germany, Japan and Italy, and the Allies. Fighting occurred across the Atlantic Ocean, in Western and Eastern Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, Africa, the Middle East, in the Pacific and South East Asia, and it continued in China. In Europe, the war ended with the surrender of Germany on 8 May 1945 (V-E and Victory Days), but continued in Asia until Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945 (V-J Day).

About 50 million people died as a result of the war

Northern Ireland

 

As the Apprentice Boys marched past Catholic Bogside there were clashes which forced the intervention of the RUC. However, the rioting escalated and the police were stoned and petrol-bombed. The NICRA called on Catholics to take the pressure off Catholics in Bogside by mounting demonstrations in Belfast. Consequently there was rioting in Belfast as well and the RUC were unable to cope. The Northern Ireland government had no choice but to call for British troops to be sent in to put down the riots. The first British troops arrived on the 15th August. In the Bogside area of Derry barricades were put up and neither the RUC nor British troops were permitted access to the Catholic area. In order to avoid further bloodshed the British troops allowed the 'no go' areas to stand.................

 

The Falklands Conflict  The Falklands Conflict (2 April to 14 June 1982)

 

In April 1982 the military government of Argentina, under General Leopoldo Galtieri, invaded the Falkland Islands, British sovereign territory in the South Atlantic. This act precipitated a diplomatic crisis and consequent British military action.  Although war was never formally declared a the brief conflict saw nearly 240 British service personnel lose their lives and many more wounded. Described in such diverse terms as an 'outdated neo-colonial adventure', a 'fight for freedom and democracy' and a 'moment of national greatness', that resulted in a short but intense conflict and led to Britain successfully reclaiming the islands.................

 

 

 

The Gulf 1991

 

The 1991 Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations mandated by the United Nations and led by the United States.

The lead up to the war began with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, which was met with immediate economic sanctions by the United Nations against Iraq. Hostilities commenced in January 1991, resulting in a decisive victory for the coalition forces, which drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait with minimal coalition deaths. The main battles were aerial and ground combat within Iraq, Kuwait, and bordering areas of Saudi Arabia. The war did not expand outside the immediate Iraq/Kuwait/Saudi border region, although Iraq fired missiles on Israeli cities.

Other common names for the conflict include the War in the Gulf, Iraq-Kuwait conflict, UN-Iraq conflict, Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Sabre, 1990 Gulf War (for the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait), 1991 Gulf War (1990-1991), the Second Gulf War (to distinguish it from the Iran-Iraq war) and Gulf War Sr. and First Gulf War (to distinguish it from the 2003 invasion of Iraq). In Iraq, the war is often colloquially called simply Um M'aārak ("the Mother of All Battles").

 

Bosnia

 

 

 

Afghanistan

Iraq 2003 - 2009

 

The Iraq War (2003) was a conflict in the Middle Eastern country of Iraq between the Iraqi military and a coalition of multinational forces. The United States and the United Kingdom were the two major components of the forces that invaded and deposed Saddam Hussein's regime. The force opposing the coalition force was the conscript Iraqi Regular Army, reinforced and strengthened by the republican guards and Fedayeen Saddam.

 

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Last modified: 02/27/10