Facts on 10 countries involved in WW2
Germany
Their
leader was Adolf Hitler. Germany fought in Poland, France, Denmark, Norway,
Luxembourg, Belgium, Britain (through air raids), the Netherlands, the Soviet
Union, Greece, Yugoslavia and Crete, as well as Libya, Malta and Egypt. The
total army deaths recorded were around: 4,300,000-5,500,000. The total civilian
deaths numbered around: 1,500,000-3,500,000.Germany began the war when the
surrounding countries were weak and divided. There had been many events leading
up to WW2, including the Spanish Civil War, the annexation of Austria, and the
occupation of Sudetenland.FACT#1: The crime rate under Hitler’s rule was way
lower than that of America at the time.FACT#2: Naming your horse in Germany
‘Adolf’ was banned.FACT#3: Germans developed many advanced weapons during the
war.
Poland
The
Marshal of Poland was Edward Rydz-Śmigły, who failed to defend his country due
to the lack of foreign help and the subsequent invasion by the Soviet forces.
Fighting was continued even after their retreat to Romania. They then moved to
France and then to Britain. WładysławSikorski became the Prime Minister of the
Polish Government in Exile as well as the Commander -in-Chief of the Polish
Armed Forces and after his death, KazimierzSosnkowski became
Commander-in-Chief. Fighting mainly occurred within the country in the form of
resistance, while Polish troops fought elsewhere. They mainly fought in North
Africa, Italy, and France. Polish losses are difficult to determine but are
estimated to be around 139,800 for the army and 5,910,000 for civilians. Other source:
240,000 for the army and 5,380,000-5,580,000 civilian casualties. Poland
entered the war due to German expansion, which had the purpose of gaining
control of the land to East Prussia. FACT#1: Wojtek was a bear who served the
22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps.FACT#2:Poland had the best
fighter pilots. FACT#3: Around 160,000 Polish soldiers stayed in British
territories.
Britain
Neville
Chamberlain was Prime Minister until May 1940. Winston Churchill replaced him
and governed until 1945. They fought mainly in western and northern Europe, the
Middle East, North Africa, various seas throughout the world (navy), and in
their own country (the airforce). The Anglo-Polish military alliance was one of
the reasons why Britain declared war on Germany. The total number of affected
in the army came to 383,786 people. 67,100 civilians died. FACT#1: When Germany
was bombing the country, around 40 people died for an astonishing reason.
During the night-time, streetlights were turned off and people walking on the
roads were hit by cars.FACT#2:German bombing raids continued long after the
Battle of Britain had ended.FACT#3: Apparently Nazi Germany never formally
declared war on the UK.
France
Albert
Lebrun was president but was replaced with Philippe Pétain, who was Prime
Minister. Charles de Gaulle led the exiled Free France based in London. Vichy
France and the Free French Forces fought for control of overseas territories.
This mainly occurred in Africa, Syria, Italy and other countries where the
Allies were holding their campaigns. Their Franco- Polish alliance was one of
the small reasons why they entered the war. France was forced to declare war on
Germany when the country did not cease their military actions. There were 200,000casualties
in the army, and 350,000 civilians lost.FACT#1: The army tanks they used to
defend their country only had 5 hours of fuel. FACT#2:France had more tanks,
guns and men than Germany in 1940. FACT#3: The public had been assured that the
French army, along with the Maginot Line, was more than strong enough to resist
a German attack.
Australia
During
the years between 1939 and 1945, Robert Menzies, Arthur Fadden, John Curtin,
Francis Forde and Ben Chifley were the Prime Ministers of Australia. Fighting
occurred in Europe against Germany and Italy. The Mediterranean and North
Africa was also the site of many battles. Fighting against Japan took place in
the Pacific and South-East Asia. 39,800 or 39,429 deaths were recorded overall.
66,563 people were wounded. The total amount of people who took part is
575,799. Australia became involved in the war due to its lack of independence
from Britain. There was a moral duty to do as Britain requested. 700 civilians
died, probably from the bombings.FACT#1: The crew of HMAS Perth spent the first
six months of the war escorting tankers between Trinidad in the West Indies and
Venezuela in South America as well as duties in the western Atlantic, showing
that some Australians served in remote places.FACT#2: Mission 204 - 'Tulip
Force' was a top-secret mission to train Chinese guerrillas to fight the
Japanese. FACT#3: The final Australian campaign against Japanese held Borneo
were the biggest for the army during World War II.
New Zealand
Michael
Joseph Savage was the PM who passed away in 1940. Peter Fraser succeeded him
seven months into the war. The army and navy fought mainly in Europe, North
Africa, and the Pacific.New Zealand declared war on Germany on 3 September,
after Britain sent information. Their involvement was due to economic and
defensive reliance on Britain. Prime Minister Peter Fraser and the Labour
government introduced military conscription. 194,000 men and 10,000 women
served in the armed forces overall. Arrests and imprisonments of people who
spoke out against the war were also made.10,033 died in action.11,900 were lost
in the army.FACT#1:US troops were stationed in New Zealand from 1942 to 1944. FACT#2:
The only New Zealand serviceman to die from enemy action on New Zealand soil in
two world wars died when Japanese prisoners of war made a suicidal charge on
guards of a camp. FACT#3:New Zealanders were involved in the development of the
atomic bomb. (For example, Ernest Rutherford, and many other scientists were
from New Zealand.)
South Africa
Most
of the action was seen in North Africa, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Italy. J. B.
M. Hertzog was the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa and was against
helping Britain. Jan Smuts replaced him in September 1939 as most members were
in favour of joining the war. The head of state was the British king and thus
the country had obligations to support Britain rather than Germany, and could
not remain neutral. 11,900 deaths of the army were recorded.FACT#1:334,000 men
volunteered for full-time service in the South African Army. FACT#2:Only people
of European descent were considered in the enlistment. FACT#3: The military was
not prepared for war but through planning and reorganisation, they managed to
accomplish their many campaigns even with very little money in the beginning.
Canada
William
Lyon Mackenzie King, who kept detailed diaries, was the leader during the war.
In 1940 he introduced conscription for the defence of Canada only, but in 1944,
some of these were sent overseas. The country entered the war by supporting
Britain and France and thereby approving a declaration of war. The army fought
in Dieppe, Hong Kong and Italy, as well as taking part in the Normandy
invasion, and then were sent to Belgium, Holland and Germany. 45,400 soldiers
were lost in the process. Fact 1: A lot of money was spent in the war years;
for the 11 years beginning from 1939 it was $21,786,077,519. However, the
economy was strengthened and its manufacturing sector was improved considerably.
Fact 2: Canada’s longest Second World War army campaign was in Italy. Fact 3:
Canadians with German, Italian and Japanese background were teased, taunted or assaulted
during the war.
Norway
Their
leader before the invasion was King Haakon VII and his government, led by Johan
Nygaardsvold. They escaped due to the resistance of the country’s army on HMS
Glasgow. In England, they formed an exiled government. After the German forces
had taken control of most of the country for some time, Vidkun Quisling became
the leader of Norway’s puppet government (1942), while most of the power was
still held by the Norwegian Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. Fact 1: Resistance
movements included Milorg, the Osvald Group and others. Many organisations
decided not to act with violence. Fact 2: The Royal Norwegian Navy supported
the Allied war effort the most. The Air Force was established late in the war,
although there were squadrons which had operated with great success. Fact 3: Some
Norwegians volunteered to fight on the Axis side and were sent to the Eastern
Front. 3,000 people are said to have been lost in the army and 6,500 civilians
were killed.
Denmark
The country was occupied in 1940 and
remained so until the end of the war. King Christian X remained in power.
ThorvaldStauning continued to be the Prime Minister until 1942, thereby
allowing the unified democratic parties to retain their old laws as well as
cooperate with Germany. Erik Scavenius replaced him afterwards and also
supposedly defended the interests of his people. 2,100 soldiers died in the
army and 1,100 died as civilians. FACT#1: The deportation of Jews in Denmark
was prevented by the population and the emerging resistance movement, who
managed to get most of the Danish Jews transported to neutral Sweden. FACT#2: Six
thousand Danish men joined and fought with the Waffen-SS. FACT#3: Denmark had
one of the lowest statistical casualty rates for Jews in the war.
Noah Nishihara Home Group T09
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