Holocaust Memorial Day: A Somber Reflection
### Commemorating the Past with Dignity World leaders will gather in Poland on Monday to honor Holocaust Memorial Day and the significant milestone of 80 years since the liberation of…
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world’s nations, including all of the great powers, which eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war is generally considered to have been initiated by Germany’s invasion of Poland in September 1939. It expanded to include numerous theaters of combat across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Major events of the war include significant battles such as the Battle of Britain, the Eastern Front, and Pacific confrontations, as well as key episodes like the Holocaust and the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The conflict resulted in an estimated 70-85 million fatalities, making it the deadliest war in human history. World War II had profound effects on global politics, leading to the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers, the establishment of the United Nations, and a shift in global power dynamics that shaped the second half of the 20th century. The war formally ended with the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers, primarily Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, in 1945.
### Commemorating the Past with Dignity World leaders will gather in Poland on Monday to honor Holocaust Memorial Day and the significant milestone of 80 years since the liberation of…