Tammie has taught elementary school for 14 yrs. and holds an MA in Instructional Technology
How did World War II End? - Lesson for Kids
Victory
You are fast asleep when suddenly you're awoken by a loud shout. At first, you feel a sense of fear, but you realize that the streets outside your apartment near Times Square are alive with action. You hear car horns, shouts of jubilee, and spontaneous celebration. What has happened? Then your mother rushes in, her eyes red with joyous tears and tells you: World War II is over! Japan has followed in the footsteps of Germany and has surrendered!
On August 14, 1945, celebrations like this one erupted all over America as news of Japan's surrender spread. However, this wasn't the only victory celebration of WWII. The first one had come over three months earlier, on May 8, 1945, with the surrender of Germany in Europe.
To truly understand how all this came about, we need to step back in time and visit the two fronts, or areas of conflict, of WWII.
![]() |
European Front
The European front of WWII was where the Allied powers fought against Germany and Italy, members of the Axis powers. Remember, the Allied powers consisted mainly of forces from the United States, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union. The Soviets were originally fighting alongside Germany against the Allies, until Germany made the devastating mistake of invading their own partner, the Soviets. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why the Soviet Union switched sides!
So what events led to the war ending on the European front? Let's take a look.
![]() |
- Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 - Feb. 2, 1943). Many people believe this was a turning point. In this battle, the Soviets stopped the advancing German army and were able to start moving them back west, towards Germany.
- Invasion of Italy (September 16, 1943). The Allied powers invaded Italy, which led to their surrender a year later and the death of their leader, Mussolini.
- Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944 - January 27, 1945). This was the last major German advance on the Allied forces, and Germany was defeated.
- Battle of Berlin (Germany) and Hitler's death. As the Soviets advanced into Berlin, Hitler knew he had lost the war. On April 30, 1945, he committed suicide.
Seven days later, on May 8, the German army surrendered unconditionally and people all over Europe celebrated in victory! But WWII still raged on another front.
Pacific Front
The Pacific front was an area consisting of the Pacific Ocean and many of its islands, where the Allies fought against Japan. Here are the major events that led to an Allied victory on this front.
- Battle of Midway (June 4, 1942). This naval battle was a turning point. America counterattacked a planned ambush by Japan on America's few remaining aircraft carriers. Japan's navy suffered a devastating blow.
- Conquering of Okinawa, a Japanese island, in June 1945.
- Dropping of atomic bombs (August 1945). Two atomic bombs were dropped, three days apart, on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
![]() |
Both atomic bombs caused immense devastation, including the deaths of over 120,000 people. It wasn't long after this, on August 14, 1945, that Japan agreed to surrender to the Allied forces. This marked the official end of the Second World War.
Lesson Summary
World War II was fought on two fronts, the European front and the Pacific front. In the European front, Allied victory came with the unconditional surrendered of Germany on May 8, 1945, following the Battle of Berlin and the death of Hitler. The Allied victory on the Pacific front came after the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan, followed by Japan agreeing to surrender on August 14, 1945. It was the final defeat of the Axis powers.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Register to view this lesson
Unlock Your Education
See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com
Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Become a MemberAlready a member? Log In
BackHow did World War II End? - Lesson for Kids
Related Study Materials
- TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293): Practice & Study Guide
- Next Gen NCLEX-PN Study Guide & Practice
- Next Gen NCLEX-RN Study Guide & Practice
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391): Practice & Study Guide
- TExES School Counselor (252): Practice & Study Guide
- Multithreading, Networking & Machine Learning in Python
- Digital Forensics
- The Internet of Things and Networking
- Network Routing and Switching
- Virtual Servers and Networking
- How to Pick Your Homeschool Curriculum
- Role of Student Support in Open & Distance Learning
- TExES Principal Exam Redesign (068 vs. 268)
- Teacher Salary by State
- ESL Resource Guide for Teachers
- What is a Homeschool Co-op?
- How to Start Homeschooling Your Children
Latest Courses
- Mechanistic & Organic Organizational Business Structures
- Chemical Nomenclature & Notation
- Factors Impacting Family & Consumer Sciences
- Heritability Coefficient
- Preparation Procedures for Aerobic & Anaerobic Bacteria Specimens
- Defense Risk Control Strategy
- Compulsory Education: Definition, Laws & History
- What are Dinosaurs Related to? - Quiz & Worksheet for Kids
- Quiz & Worksheet - Memory Hole in 1984
- Quiz & Worksheet - Types of Personality Disorders
- Quiz & Worksheet - Common Health Problems in the US
- Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics
- Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate
- Common Core Math Worksheets & Printables
- 7th Grade Math Worksheets & Printables
Latest Lessons
- ILTS TAP - Test of Academic Proficiency (400): Practice & Study Guide
- FTCE General Knowledge Test (GK) (827): Reading Subtest Practice & Study Guide
- Sociology 103: Foundations of Gerontology
- ILTS Social Science - Geography (245): Test Practice and Study Guide
- Middle School Physical Science: Homeschool Curriculum
- Spinal Cord and Nerves
- Preparation Through Research: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1A
- Quiz & Worksheet - A Tale of Two Cities
- Quiz & Worksheet - Effect of Sticky Wages and Prices on Equilibrium
- Quiz & Worksheet - Major Movements and Theorists of Literary Theory
- Quiz & Worksheet - Life and Novels of Jane Austen
Popular Courses
- Atomic Number and Mass Number
- Twelfth Night Act 3: Summary & Analysis
- Speculative Writing Prompts
- Weather Experiments for Kids
- Math Card Games for Kids
- Respect Lesson Plan
- Fairfax County Adult Education
- Suicide Prevention Resources & Materials
- Ohio Alternative Teacher Certification
- How Does Tuition Reimbursement Work?
- CCSS Science Standards for Kindergarten
- Cause and Effect Lesson Plan
Popular Lessons
Math
Social Sciences
Science
Business
Humanities
Education
History
Art and Design
Tech and Engineering
- Tech and Engineering - Videos
- Tech and Engineering - Quizzes
- Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers
Health and Medicine
- Who was defeated in the Battle of Guadalcanal?
- How did Heinrich Himmler die?
- When did Germany surrender in WW2?
- To whom did the Japanese surrender in WWII?
- What is the significance of May 8, 1945?
- What was the Allies' purpose in invading Italy and France?
- What was the last battle of WWII?
- When was D-Day?