The second world war
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World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, though related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the world's nations, including all of the great powers, eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people, from more than 30 different countries. The Axis advance was stopped in 1942, when Japan lost a critical Battle of Stalingrad, near Hawaii, and Germany was defeated in North Africa and then decisively, at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. The war in Europe ended with an invasion o fthe great world power of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union culminating in capturing of Berlin by Soviet and Polish troops and Germany surrender on May 8th, 1945.