About this date
World War II
World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. This page uses September 2, 1945, the formal surrender date, as the reference point for a large time-since clock.
How this countdown is calculated
- Date certainty: exact.
- Date maintenance: Fixed date.
- Time policy: event timezone.
Quick facts
- World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945.
- September 2, 1945 is commonly cited as the formal end date after Japan's surrender.
- D-Day has its own page because it is a separate World War II milestone with a different date.