World War II

World War II

n. Abbr. WWII

A war fought from 1939 to 1945, in which Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and other allies defeated Germany, Italy, and Japan.

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World War II

Noun

the war (1939–45) between the Allies (Britain, France, Australia, Canada, the US, and the Soviet Union) and the Axis (Germany, Italy, and Japan) Also: (Second World War)

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

World War II - a war between the Allies (Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, USSR, Yugoslavia) and the Axis (Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Rumania, Slovakia, Thailand) from 1939 to 1945 Second World War, World War 2 Bataan, Corregidor - the peninsula and island in the Philippines where Japanese forces besieged American forces in World War II; United States forces surrendered in 1942 and recaptured the area in 1945 Battle of Britain - the prolonged bombardment of British cities by the German Luftwaffe during World War II and the aerial combat that accompanied it Ardennes counteroffensive, Battle of the Ardennes Bulge, Battle of the Bulge - a battle during World War II; in December 1944 von Rundstedt launched a powerful counteroffensive in the forest at Ardennes and caught the Allies by surprise battle of the Bismarck Sea, Bismarck Sea - a naval battle in World War II; Allied land-based bombers destroyed a Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea in March 1943 battle of the Coral Sea, Coral Sea - a Japanese defeat in World War II (May 1942); the first naval battle fought entirely by planes based on aircraft carriers Dunkerque, Dunkirk - an amphibious evacuation in World War II (1940) when 330,000 Allied troops had to be evacuated from the beaches in northern France in a desperate retreat under enemy fire Al Alamayn, Battle of El Alamein, El Alamein - a pitched battle in World War II (1942) resulting in a decisive Allied victory by British troops under Montgomery over German troops under Rommel Eniwetok - World War II (February 1944); American infantry landed and captured a Japanese stronghold Battle of Guadalcanal, Guadalcanal - a battle in World War II in the Pacific (1942-1943); the island was occupied by the Japanese and later recaptured by American forces invasion of Iwo, Iwo, Iwo Jima - a bloody and prolonged operation on the island of Iwo Jima in which American marines landed and defeated Japanese defenders (February and March 1945) Kwajalein - an amphibious assault in the Pacific in World War II (January 1944); American forces landed and captured a Japanese air base Leyte, Leyte invasion, Leyte Island - a battle in World War II; the return of United States troops to the Philippines began with landings on Leyte Island in October 1944; the battle marked first use of kamikaze aircraft by the Japanese Battle of Midway, Midway - naval battle of World War II (June 1942); American planes based on land and on carriers decisively defeated a Japanese fleet on its way to invade the Midway Islands Okinawa campaign, Okinawa - a campaign in the closing days of World War II in the Pacific (April to June 1945); in savage close-quarter fighting United States marines and regular army troops took the island from the Japanese; considered the greatest victory of the Pacific campaign for the Americans battle of the Philippine Sea, Philippine Sea - a naval battle in World War II (1944); a decisive naval victory for the United States fleet over the Japanese who were trying to block supplies from reaching American troops on Leyte Saipan - US forces captured the island from the Japanese in July 1944; it was an important air base until the end of World War II Salerno - a battle in World War II; the port was captured by United States troops in September 1943 Battle of the Somme, Somme, Somme River - battle of World War II (1944) Makin, Tarawa-Makin, Tarawa - battles in World War II in the Pacific (November 1943); United States Marines took the islands from the Japanese after bitter fighting Battle of Wake, Battle of Wake Island - in December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese after a gallant last-ditch stand by a few hundred United States marines Fighting French, Free French - a French movement during World War II that was organized in London by Charles de Gaulle to fight for the liberation of France from German control and for the restoration of the republic