It ended with the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich. Germany surrendered on May 7th to the Western Allies, and May 8th to the Soviet Union, 1945, about a week after Adolf Hitler had committed suicide. Japan was able to hold out for another few months and was preparing for a desperate and bloody defense in the event of an American invasion of the home islands. Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 respectively. After that the Imperial government sought the Emperor's personal authority to surrender which he granted. He made a personal radio address announcing the decision on August 15, 1945. The surrender was signed on Sept. 2, 1945 aboard the battleship A.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Britain was among the victorious allies. However, it was much reduced financially and many leading countries in the British Empire were demanding independence quickly. In 1947-49 the following all gained independence: India, Pakistan, what is now Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Israel/Palestine.
Britain's international standing was much reduced, but it took a while for the true extent of this to become apparent.
In the 1945 General Election there was a sharp swing to the Left with the Labour victory. (It was a very different Labour Party from the present one). Many key industies were nationalized, a national health service established and a welfare state that was supposed to care for everyone from 'the cradle to the grave'.
AnswerWWII changed Britain forever. In WWI, Britain considered itself a great power. One reason for that war was the fear the British felt of Germany, a rising power.
WWI saw Britain emerge a victor nation, appearing to be stronger than ever. Additional colonies were collected. Britain had no real rival for several years on the high seas. All seemed well on the surface. But in reality strains were beginning to show.
In WWII these stresses reached crisis status. Many leaders in Britain realized that the war would bankrupt the country, overstress its financial and industrial base, and likely cost Britain its position as a world leading nation. Churchill would hear no arguments however, and proceeded on a war path. Ultimately this led to the bankruptcy and collapse of empire.
The two wars thus changed Britain in a tremendous fashion. Britain turned from a nation with vast overseas possessions in mining, plantations, railroads and other assets, to a creditor nation. The colonies were quickly lost. The Britain that emerged from WWII was much poorer than the one that entered it. The government changed too in reaction to this increase poverty. The old conservative, industry/colony based governments of the past were swept aside. (Churchill didn't even get to stay in office until the conflict was over). The replacement government was socialist, controlled by labor unions, hostile to industry, agreeable to high taxes on incomel, and shot through with Communist influence.
Britain went into a long decline, until, incredibly, around 1963-64, their standard of living fell below that of Germany. The Thatcher government of the 1980s stabilized the situation somewhat but basically Britain today is just another minor nation on the map. The world leading nation that entered WWII is a thing of the past.
AddendumThe above answer is substantially accurate. A few further points:
The war in Europe ended May 9, 1945, when the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and the United States accepted the unconditional surrender of all German forces. The war in the Pacific lasted until Aug 1945, after dropping 2 atomic bombs against the Japanese and they finally surrendered. It was the emperor,
not the military, that made the decision to surrender. In Europe, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in Berlin on 30th April, and week later Admiral Doenitz, the new leader of the Third Reich, surrendered to the Allies.
well it ended in Europe when Berlin fell, then World War II officially ended when they dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan.
Hitler never really ended WW2, as he did not want to surrender, but his own suicide on 30 April 1945 did lead to the end of WW2.
It ended in April, 1945.
WW2 was ended in 1945 by the allies defeating the germans and jappanesse by unconditional surrender
Hitler killed himself before WW2 ended.
WWII ended in Europe in May 1945 - therefore it was 70 years ago.
ww2 ended in 1940. England ended the war.
ended in SEPTEMBER 21945
ended WW2.
WW2
Hitler never really ended WW2, as he did not want to surrender, but his own suicide on 30 April 1945 did lead to the end of WW2.
=WW2 ended the Depression.=
It ended in April, 1945.
That is how ww2 ended
It was already beginning to lift before this, but WW2 completely ended it.
after it was Atomic bombed Japan surrendered and WW2 ended
The world went back to what it was before WW2, trying to repair the damage done by WW2.
I think once the Holocaust/WW2 ended