World War II

World War II, also known as the Second World War or WWII for short, was an Earth-wide conflict, lasting between 1939 and 1945 and resulting in the death of some estimated 60 million people, making it the deadliest conflict humanity had seen in its history to that point. Until World War III, World War II was the most widespread war Earth had ever seen, with over 100 million soldiers from 61 nations participating in battles over 20 million square kilometers of the planet's surface.

Nations participated in one of two sides: the Allies or the Axis. The Axis started the conflict through ambitions for more territory and lost the conflict in 1945 through various battles and strategies, including Axis power Japan being the victim of the first use of a nuclear weapon in a war on Earth.

Many atrocities occurred during this war, including the Holocaust.

Aftermath
The United States of America and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics emerged as the dominant powers throughout the majority of the 20th century, keeping each other and other nations in check to avoid another active war; this was called the Cold War.

Good did come to the planet in the war's aftermath: the formation of the United Nations helped provide a forum for nations to resolve disputes instead of resorting to war.

Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions
Members of Scott Fack's family fought on both sides of the conflict, and some of his relatives were victims of the Nazis, including his great grandmother. A recording of his paternal grandparents' recollections of the horrors of Nazi Germany continued to haunt him throughout his life, even shaping the Starfleet officer he would become. (: "Catalyst, Part Two")