World War II
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the majority of the world's nations, including all of the great powers, eventually forming two opposing military alliances—the Allies and the Axis Powers. The war saw unprecedented levels of destruction and loss of life due to strategic bombing campaigns, mass extermination programs, the use of nuclear weapons in combat, and genocidal actions by Nazi Germany against civilian populations as part of its policy for Lebensraum (living space). In a state of total war, the major participants threw their entire economic resources into the war effort while using tactics such as starvation blockades or scorched earth policies designed to weaken enemy economies. Civilians became targets in both intentional and unintentional ways; tens of millions were killed directly or indirectly during this conflict.
The end result was the Allies' victory over the Axis forces on multiple fronts, which marked one pivotal point in human history, with profound implications for geopolitical balance worldwide since then. This included the establishment and strengthening of international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) along with decolonization movements across Africa and Asia resulting from weakened European imperial powers in the post-WWII era, leading to modern-day international relations between states today. With more than 70 million people mobilized, it is considered one of the deadliest conflicts ever recorded in human history, where the vast majority perished without receiving any recognition whatsoever due to their contributions towards the greater causes of freedom, peace, liberty, justice, and equality around the globe.