A Complete Overview of Major World War II Battles

Click on an entry to see the details.

The invasion of Poland and the start of the war (1939)
On September 1, 1939, Germany launched a lightning invasion of Poland, marking the start of World War II. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later, on September 3, and that same month the Soviet Union also invaded Poland from the east under the secret protocol of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, jointly occupying and partitioning the country.
The Dunkirk evacuation (1940)
When the rapid advance of German forces in May 1940 trapped the British and French allied armies on the coast at Dunkirk, France, Britain mobilized even civilian vessels in "Operation Dynamo," evacuating roughly 340,000 troops back to the British mainland. Although it saved a massive number of troops, most heavy equipment had to be abandoned, and it is regarded as a rescue operation carried out in the midst of defeat.
The Battle of Britain (1940)
From the summer through the fall of 1940, the German air force launched massive air raids on British air bases and cities as preparation for a planned invasion of the British mainland. The Royal Air Force held on to air superiority to the end, using its radar network and Spitfire and Hurricane fighters, and Germany's plan to invade Britain ultimately fell through.
The Battle of Stalingrad (1942–1943)
The Battle of Stalingrad, which lasted from August 1942 to February 1943, was a brutal combination of urban warfare and a siege, ending in Soviet victory as the Red Army encircled and forced the surrender of the German Sixth Army. This battle became the decisive turning point at which Germany's advance on the Eastern Front broke and the Soviet Union seized the initiative.
The Normandy landings (D-Day, 1944)
On June 6, 1944, the Allies carried out the largest amphibious landing operation in history across five sectors of the Normandy coast in France, opening a second front in Western Europe. The success of this operation gave the Allies a foothold from which to advance through France toward mainland Germany.
The Battle of Midway (1942)
In June 1942, near the Midway Atoll in the Pacific, the US Navy used decoded intelligence to learn the Japanese Navy's operational plans in advance, successfully setting an ambush and sinking four of Japan's main aircraft carriers. It is considered the decisive battle at which the United States, which had been on the back foot since the attack on Pearl Harbor, regained the initiative in the Pacific War.
The end of the war — the atomic bombings and Japan's surrender (1945)
On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, and around the same time the Soviet Union also declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria. Japan announced its surrender on August 15, and World War II came to a complete end when the formal instrument of surrender was signed on September 2.

Two fronts: Europe and the Pacific

World War II was the largest war in human history, fought simultaneously on the European and Pacific fronts. From Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939 to Japan's surrender in 1945, countless battles significantly altered the course of the war.

What happened to the world after the war ended?

Immediately after World War II ended, tensions between the victorious powers, the United States and the Soviet Union, quickly gave rise to a new confrontation. You can explore this development in detail in our overview of the Cold War.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which battle of World War II had the highest death toll?

The Battle of Stalingrad, estimated to have produced around 2 million casualties combining military and civilian losses, is considered one of the most brutal battles of the entire war.

Why was the Normandy landing so important?

By landing a massive force in Western Europe and opening a second front, the Allies forced Germany to fight on two fronts at once, from both east and west — a decisive factor that hastened Germany's defeat.