World War 2 photos – The captured Yak-1B fighter from the Soviet squadron commander of the 148th Fighter Regiment Leonid Smirnov at a German airfield.
“Captain Smirnov Leonid Dmitrievich, 1913, a native of Kharkov, commander of 148 IAP, did not return from a combat mission to cover his troops in the Neberdzhaevskaya district by a Yak-1 plane. On the account had 7 + 4 downed enemy aircraft.
On board the Yak-1B aircraft (on the other side) is the inscription: “To Stalin’s falcon Smirnov Leonid from the workers of the Frunzensky district of the city of Saratov.”
Second World War (September 1, 1939 - September 2, 1945) - war two world military-political coalitions, which became largest armed conflict in mankind's history. World War 2 - 62 from 73 states that existed at that time (80% world's population) participated. [ more ... ]
Combat operations World War Two were fought on territory Europe, Asia and Africa, waters all world's oceans. WWII is only conflict which nuclear weapons were used.
Number participating countries changed during war. Some from them conducted active military operations, others helped their allies supply food, and many participated war only nominally.
Poland, Great Britain (and its dominions: Canada, India, South African Union, Australia, New Zealand), France - entered Second World War September 1939;
Ethiopia - Ethiopian troops under command of Ethiopian government in exile continued guerrilla warfare after annexation state in 1936, officially recognized as an ally on July 12, 1940;
China (government Chiang Kai-shek) - was fighting against Japan since July 7, 1937, officially recognized as an ally on December 9, 1941;
During period war, Axis countries also declared war on part such states as Panama, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba, Nepal, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Iran, Albania, Paraguay, Ecuador, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Bolivia, but these countries did not take part in hostilities, and many of them made a nominal declaration of war only at its most final stage, in period from April to May 9, 1945.
On other hand, Axis countries and their allies participated to war: Germany, Slovakia - September 1, 1939;
Iran was not a member of Nazi bloc (until 1941). Territory occupied countries, puppet states were created that were not participants Second World War and joined fascist coalition: Vichy France, Greek State, Italian Social Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Pinda-Meglen Principality, Mengjiang, Burma, Philippines , Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Azad Hind, Wang Jingwei regime. In a number German Reich Commissariats, autonomous puppet governments were created and acted throughout Second World War: Quisling regime in Norway, Mussert regime inNetherlands, Belarusian Central Rada in Belarus. On side Germany and Japan, many collaborative forces, created from citizens of opposing side, also fought: ROA, foreign divisions of SS (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Estonian, 2 Latvian, Norwegian-Danish, 2 Dutch, 2 Belgian, 2 Bosnian, French, Albanian ), a number of foreign legions. Also armed forces of Nazi bloc countries in World War II, volunteer forces of states formally remained neutral: Spain (Blue Division), Sweden and Portugal.