When World War I ended in 1918, Germany was punished for its part in the war. Germany had to give up land and reduce the size of its army.

Many Germans felt they had been treated unfairly. In 1933, they chose Adolf Hitler to lead their country. Hitler was the leader of a group called the Nazis. He promised to make Germany strong again. Soon, he rebuilt the army and began taking land from other countries.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Thousands of tanks rolled across the border while airplanes flew overhead. About 1.25 million German soldiers entered Poland.

Britain and France warned Hitler to stop. When he refused, they declared war on Germany.

This marked the beginning of World War II, a conflict that would last for six years and involve many nations around the world.

Did You Know?

World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945 and became the largest war in history. Millions of soldiers and civilians were affected by the fighting.