World War II (Early Colonization)

World War II, or the Second World War (often abbreviated as WWII or WW2), was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945 which involved most of the world's nations, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilised. In a state of "total war," the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by significant action against civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, it was the deadliest conflict in human history, that resulted in fifty million to over seventy million fatalities.

The war is generally accepted to have begun on 1 September 1939, with the invasion of Bolivar by Virginia and subsequent declarations of war on Virginia by Germany and Austria-Hungary with Germany's colonies. France and Englan were already at war by this date, whereas other countries that were not initially involved joined the war later in response to events such as the Virginian invasion of the Alaskan Republic and the British attacks on the Scandinavian Atlantic at Iceland and on German overseas colonies, which triggered declarations of war on Japan by Scandinavia, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The war ended with the total victory of the Allies over Virginia and England in 1945. World War II left the political alignment and social structure of the world significantly altered. While the United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts (such as World War III), the Alaskan Repbulic and Scandinavia emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which would last for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers started to decline—while the decolonization of Asia and of Africa began. Most countries whose industries had been badly damaged began moving toward economic recovery and across the world political integration emerged in an effort to peacefully stabilise after war relations.