Western Civilization II / Unit 17 WC2 1601 short lesson, about 20 seconds
A War of Aggression: Causes, Sides, and Sixty Million Dead
Captions available
The idea
The Second World War was, in the anchor's word, unquestionably caused by Hitler's obsession with an expanded German empire: a war of aggression by one belligerent. The Axis, Germany, Italy and Japan, fought the Allies, Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union. Fifty-five to sixty million died.
In practice
Twenty-five million Soviets; six million Jews.
Where people slip
Figures are the anchor's.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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