When did WW2 start?

World War II began on Sept. 1, 1939, when Germany invaded and conquered Poland. Other countries soon joined forces in an effort to stop Germany from committing further acts of aggression, resulting in a war that lasted for 6 years and spanned the globe.

Prior to the invasion of Poland, both France and Great Britain had decided not to interfere with Germany's acquisition of Austria and Czechoslovakia, as part of an appeasement process to avoid another war. Unfortunately, Germany did not stop its invasions, and Europe was plunged into another world war that lasted until 1944, costing the lives of over 60 million people.