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For more information about World War II, see World War II on Wikipedia. |
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World War II, also referred to as the Second World War and regularly shortened to WW2 or WWII, was the conflict that saw the first usage of nuclear weapons, the establishment of the United States as a superpower, and the formation of the United Nations.
Overview[]
In the 1930s, following its defeat in World War I, Germany became led by dictator Adolf Hitler, who reforged the battered country into an economic superpower[3] through his pursuit of war, which led to the start of World War II in Europe. The United States was not formally involved in the war until late 1941, when Pearl Harbor suffered a surprise attack from Japanese forces,[4] leading the U.S. to issue a formal declaration of war against the country as retaliation. Having allied with Japan, Germany later declared war on the US not long after Japan itself did, and the U.S. in turn issued a formal declaration of war on Germany on December 11, 1941, with the endorsement of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.[1]
American troops fought in the war in both Europe and Asia. After four years, Germany surrendered in 1945 following the occupation of its capital Berlin by Allied forces. Later that year, World War II was ended by the United States dropping the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the Japanese surrender.[2] This started the Atomic Age, and soon the world would start to brace for another war.
Legacy[]
World War 2 is remembered for starting the Atomic Era, both in terms of technological advancement, and the threat of nuclear war. The follow-up conflict of World War 3, more commonly referred to simply as the Great War, would occur in 2077.
The U.S. Declaration of War on Germany was scavenged from the National Archives and placed inside Abraham Washington's museum aboard Rivet City.
WWII-era technology[]
Several examples of World War II-era weapons and vehicles make appearances throughout the Fallout series, having survived the Great War of 2077:
- The Master's nuclear bomb in the original Fallout appears to be modeled on Trinity, the first American atomic bomb, which was developed and tested late in the war.
- The Tank in Fallout Tactics is a modified version of a WWII-era tank, the M4 "Sherman".
- Two WWII-era aircraft, the P-51 Mustang and B-29 Superfortress, make appearances in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.
- Several WWII-era weapons can be found scattered about the wastelands as well. These include the M1 Garand, the Thompson submachine gun, and the M3 "Grease Gun".
- MG 42s, the light machine gun of Nazi Germany, are a semi-common mid-tier weapon in Fallout 76.
Notes[]
- The Sierra Army Depot was originally constructed as a location for wartime equipment storage in 1942.
- The "Fat Man" is named after the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945. Additionally, the Megaton atomic bomb is modeled after the actual bomb itself.
- Executive Order 99066, Turtledove Detention Camp, and Little Yangtze are references to Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
- According to the Fallout Bible, the timeline of the real world and Fallout world began to split after World War II.[Non-game 1] The series is described as, "drawing gamers into alternate history, diverging from existing reality shortly following WWII" in a Bethesda Softworks court document.[Non-game 2]
Appearances[]
World War II is mentioned throughout the Fallout series.
Fallout/2/Tactics[]
- Images depicting events leading up to and in World War II appear in the Fallout and Fallout Tactics intro.[5]
- An image of the Reichstag in Berlin, Germany is seen in the original Fallout intro, and Nazi German dictator Adolf Hitler is also mentioned.
- World War II motion pictures were stored on holodisks.[6]
- The 9mm Sten Gun is mentioned as having been developed by the British during the war.[7]
- The .303 Cal Bren is mentioned as being effective in World War II, remaining in service with British forces for almost 50 years.[8]
Fallout 3[]
- In the Museum of History, there is an inaccessible World War II exhibit, the archway reading "1941-1945 American Military Might of World War II."[9]
- Abraham Washington is in possession of the United States' 1941 declaration of war against Germany.[1]
- The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is mentioned.[2][10]
- The sinking of the USS Ebon Atoll was described as "one of the most tragic disasters in U.S. Naval History since World War II." It is mentioned on the naval placard in the Museum of Technology[11]
- In the Anchorage Reclamation simulation, one of the soldiers claims that the initial Chinese invasion of Anchorage makes the attack on Pearl Harbor look like an academy exercise.[4]
- An exhibit at the Museum of Technology displayed World War II fight medals awarded to pilots, including the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Cross, Air Medal, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.[12]
Fallout: New Vegas[]
The China Burma India Theater patch is on the Boomer flightsuit.[13]
Fallout 4[]
- The male Sole Survivor's great-great-grandfather served in the U.S. Army during World War II.[2]
- The Battle of Iwo Jima is mentioned on the Museum of Freedom mural.[14][15]
Fallout 76[]
United States marines landing in Europe is depicted on the Season 14 scoreboard, Fight for Freedom, with the caption "Defending Our Allies."
Behind the scenes[]
The Anchorage Memorial is based on an iconic image from World War II.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rivet City terminal entries; Welcome to the Capital Preservation Society, U.S. Declaration of War on Germany
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Fallout 4 intro: "In the year 1945, my great great grandfather, serving in the army, wondered when he'd get to go home to his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
- ↑ Fallout intro
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Holotape - Goodbye
- ↑ Fallout Tactics intro: "...the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima..."
- ↑ Holodisk item description: "{105}{}{You see a small display appear and show the remnants of some World War II movie.}"
(GENDISK.MSG) Note: These generic holodisks are found in the Glow. - ↑ Fallout Tactics item description: "name_stenGunSub = {Sten Gun}"
"desc_stenGunSub = {The 9mm Sten Gun was developed by the British during WW2 as a cheap alternative to the more expensive Thompson SMG offered the the U.S. The Sten proved to be extremely reliable and, due to its fairly loose tolerances, could perform in poor conditions much more reliably than ostensibly better weapons...}"
(Items.txt) - ↑ Fallout Tactics item description: "name_brenGunHeavy = {Bren Gun}"
"desc_brenGunHeavy = {This British adaptation of a Czech design was adopted as the standard light machine gun of British and Commonwealth forces in 1938. The .303 Cal Bren was among the most liked and respected weapons available to the British in WW2, due to its exceptional ruggedness, accuracy and simplicity, and remained in service with British forces for almost 50 years}"
(Items.txt) - ↑ Museum of History arch
- ↑ Citadel terminal entries; Liberty Prime operation, Historical records, Project summary
- ↑ Fallout 3 message box transcriptions; World War II fight medals
- ↑ Boomer flightsuit patch breakdown
- ↑ The Mural at the Museum of Freedom in Fallout 4
- ↑ Plaque in the Museum of Freedom: "This mural commemorates the many sacrifices of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. From Lexington and Concord to the shores of Iwo Jima, from the Sea of Tranquility to the Anchorage Front Line, Americans have fought and died through the ages to secure our nation’s freedom. May their sacrifices remind us all that freedom is a privilege afforded to the many, yet hard won by a noble few."
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout Bible 6: "3. What was U.S./world history like before the timeline included in previous Fallout updates?"
"No one has asked this yet, but I thought I would cut this question off at the pass. Fallout takes place on a future earth, in an alternate timeline. I will not be including any information on how and when it diverged - it will remain one of the mysteries of the setting. Just let it be known that it diverged after WW2, and leave it at that." - ↑ Bethesda Softworks v Behaviour Interactive: "The FALLOUT franchise of video games draws gamers into alternate history, diverging from existing reality shortly following WWII. The various FALLOUT video games largely take place in the years following the destruction of the earth as people begin to emerge from their underground vaults into the nuclear wasteland."