World War II broke out in September of 1939 when Germany marched into Poland. At the time, no one thought that World War II would bring so many horrors to the world. Nazi death camps, atomic bombs, Pearl Harbor, interment camps and a huge number of causalities were just some of the horrors witnessed during this massive war. Of 16.3 million soldiers serving for the United States in World War II, over one million of them suffered casualties. Many millions more suffered casualties for other nations. Among innocent civilians, many of them were killed in the frenzy of war, and over six million Jewish people were exterminated in Nazi concentration camps.
America, Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic composed the main Allied powers while Germany, Italy and Japan composed the main powers Axis powers. The USSR had been under peace-treaties with Germany at the outbreak of the war, but Germany betrayed that treaty and attempted to invade Russia unsuccessfully. The Allies fought to preserve democracy and freedom, while the Axis powers fought to destroy freedom and everything related to that word.
Great leaders led the Allied powers. On the political front, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman served as presidents for America during the war; Winston Churchill led Great Britain; and Stalin led the USSR. Roosevelt served three full terms as President but died during his fourth term in office near the ending years of the war. His four terms were the most served by any president, and it will be a feat never repeated. Harry S. Truman took Roosevelt's place as president when he died. Truman made important decisions regarding D-Day and dropping the bombs. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England, inspired his people with great courage and a vow to never give up fighting for his land. Stalin, at first, was allied with Germany, but he later led his communist country to helping win the Eastern Front.