The year World War II ended is 1945. The conflict lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved many of the world's nations, divided into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war concluded in Europe on May 8, 1945, known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), when Germany unconditionally surrendered. In the Pacific, World War II ended on September 2, 1945, when Japan formally surrendered following the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war had profound effects on the geopolitical landscape and led to the establishment of the United Nations.