When did WW2 start?

Apparently that last discussion didn't resolve all the issues - kind of like World War I

 

1937 should get the wrong siren...
War was not declared by either the Chinese or Japanese...It wasn't a declared war until December 8, 1941, when China declared war on Japan.

 

No declaration, no war.

 

Did the States declare war on Vietnam? I actually don’t know...

 

No, there was no declaration of war. However, use of military force was authorized by Congress with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, which was not repealed until 1971.

 

Europe was divided by Ribbentrop-Molotov pact late Aug 1939. Before that Hitler/Stalin could not have been offensive.

 

Believe it or not, crew members were compensated by the Japanese Govt. My Father in law, Fon B. Huffman, was a crew member on the USS Panay. As a young Navy Chief, I attended many Yangtze River Patrol reunions with what was left of the crews. Loved every one. The USS Panay was raised by the Chinese an used for many, many years after. Some lucky Chinese fellow got a brand new wristwatch, and new pair of shoes when they finally breached the interior after raising. My FIL removed his shoes, and new watch, put them in his locker, then went over the side. If you watch the video Alley took, you can see him stand on the rail, socks, dungarees, T shirt, then jump in. He gave his life vest to Norman Alley and tossed a mattress over to use as a floatation device. It sank and the only think that saved him from drowning was the gunner in a life boat. The same gunner in the movie shooting at the Jap bombers in a battle helmet, boots, and underwear. Lots of stories!

 

Well, then I suggest that the Eastern Front should be re-designated WW2.3.1 if we’re going that route.

 

Europeans; the war started on 1/9/1939.
Hollywood; the war started on 7/12/41.
American historians; this week, it started in China in the '30s.
And this is why folk get confused-
"Some historians consider the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) to have been a world war. Historians Richard F. Hamilton and Holger H. Herwig include it among a list of eight world wars, including the two generally agreed upon world wars plus these six others: the Nine Years' War (1689–1697), the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), the Seven Years' War, the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802), and the Naploeonic Wars (1803–1815). British historian John Robert Seeley dubbed all of those wars between France and Great Britain (later the UK) between 1689 and 1815 (including the American Revolutionary War from 1775–1783) as the Second Hundred Years' War, echoing an earlier period of conflict between France and England known as the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453). Although that period included the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720) in which France and Great Britain were on the same side. Some writers have referred to the American Revolutionary War alone as a world war."
World war - Wikipedia
To me that reeks of trying to justify your job.

 

List of war declarations

Declarations of war during World War II - Wikipedia

Aussies jumped in in 39...

 

Yeah if i was Chinese i would NEVER forget Japan...Wouldn't want to be Japanese with today's climate.