World War II, notably the most crucial epoch of the 20th century, marked the beginning of rapid technological advances and set the basis that permitted post-war cultural, social and political changes. Post-war transformations include: the collapse of European colonialism, civil rights movement, contemporary women’s rights movement, and the development of tension between the superpower nations regarding distinct political ideologies. Although the war is named ‘World War’, not all countries were directly involved. The primary belligerents were the Axis countries— Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allied nations—the Great Britain and its commonwealth states, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
