✦ History

European theatre of World War II

September 1, 1939 – May 8, 1945

Result Allied victory

Allied forces fought Nazi Germany and Italy on the Western, Eastern, Scandinavian and Mediterranean fronts in Europe. The fighting killed tens of millions, ended with Germany's defeat, and was the setting of the Holocaust.

View war on globe Full event page

Battles 5

September 1 – October 6, 1939
Invasion of Poland German–Soviet victory Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Hermann Göring
September 4, 1939 – May 8, 1945
Defence of the Reich Allied victory Hermann Göring, Hugo Sperrle, Trafford Leigh-Mallory
November 10–27, 1942
Case Anton German and Italian victory Philippe Pétain, Pierre Laval, Johannes Blaskowitz
October 2–21, 1944
Battle of Aachen American victory Aachen, Germany Gerd von Rundstedt, Courtney Hodges, Walter Model
May 6–11, 1945
Prague offensive Allied victory Prague Rodion Malinovsky, Ivan Konev, Ferdinand Schörner

Key commanders

Axis 23

Adolf Hitler Ordered German invasion Joseph Stalin Ordered Soviet Invasion Hermann Göring Commander, Luftwaffe Semyon Timoshenko Commanded the Ukrainian Front in the Soviet invasion Gerd von Rundstedt military commander Fedor von Bock military commander Albert Kesselring military commander Franz Halder military commander Günther von Kluge military commander Walther von Brauchitsch military commander Johannes Blaskowitz military commander Georg von Küchler military commander Walter Model military commander Friedrich Köchling military commander Gerhard von Schwerin belligerent leader Ferdinand Schörner military commander Lothar Rendulic military commander Friedrich Altrichter military commander Benito Mussolini belligerent leader Karl Dönitz military commander Ferenc Szálasi military commander Ion Antonescu military commander Miklós Horthy military commander

Allies 16

Neville Chamberlain Declared war, British Prime Minister Edward Rydz-Śmigły military commander Tadeusz Kasprzycki military commander Wacław Stachiewicz military commander Courtney Hodges belligerent leader Clarence R. Huebner belligerent leader Leland Hobbs military commander Rodion Malinovsky military commander Ivan Konev military commander Karol Świerczewski military commander Andrey Yeryomenko military commander Franklin D. Roosevelt belligerent leader Joseph Stalin military commander Harry S. Truman military commander Winston Churchill belligerent leader Édouard Daladier belligerent leader

Axis powers 2

Hermann Göring military commander Hugo Sperrle military commander

Allies of World War II 3

Trafford Leigh-Mallory military commander Arthur Harris military commander Jimmy Doolittle military commander

Vichy France 2

Philippe Pétain military commander Pierre Laval belligerent leader

Nazi Germany 1

Johannes Blaskowitz military commander