This document provides background information on key events and leaders during World War II. It describes the rise of fascist dictators like Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy in the 1930s. It then outlines Germany and Japan's early acts of aggression before and during WWII, including Germany invading countries in Europe and Japan attacking Manchuria and Pearl Harbor. The document also summarizes major WWII battles in both Europe and the Pacific theater, as well as key events like D-Day and the use of atomic bombs to end the war.