133-567: PD Ports is a Middlesbrough , UK headquartered port , shipping and logistics company; owner of Teesport , and ports at Hartlepool , Howden and Keadby ; with additional operations at the Port of Felixstowe , Port of Immingham , and Port of Hull . Formerly known as Powell Duffryn , it traces its origins to a coal mining company founded by Thomas Powell in the 19th century in the South Wales coalfield . After Thomas Powell's death in 1863
266-659: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on
399-578: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to
532-591: A county borough , independent from the then new North Riding County Council . In 1968, the Borough of Middlesbrough was merged into the County Borough of Teesside . Six years later in 1974, a borough with the town's name was re-established within the new county of Cleveland . The new county was abolished in 1996, and since then the town's borough has had unitary authority status within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. Since 2016, Middlesbrough has had
665-577: A capacity of up to 600. The venue is run by Middlesbrough Council and is funded, in part, by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation specialising in music. It was refurbished with the assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and reopened in 2018. The Middlesbrough Theatre (formerly the Little Theatre) is in the suburb of Linthorpe . It was designed by architects Elder & De Pierro and
798-544: A cinema, a golf shop and a gym. Captain Cook Square, with the Future High Streets Fund, transitioned from majority retail sector to having a hospitality sector; mini-golf, indoor go-kart track, e-sport venue and bowling alley. Industry in the town was once dominated by steelmaking, shipbuilding and chemical industries. Since the late 20th century and into the 21st century, the demise of much of
931-542: A healthy musical heritage. A number of bands and musicians hail from the area, including Paul Rodgers , Chris Rea , and Micky Moody . Middlesbrough Town Hall is the pre-eminent theatre venue in Middlesbrough. It has two concert halls: the first is a classic Victorian concert hall with a proscenium stage and seating 1,190; the second, under the main hall, is called the Middlesbrough Crypt and has
1064-462: A lone bomber dropped 13 bombs between South Bank Road and the South Steel plant. More bombing occurred throughout the course of the war, with the railway station put out of action for two weeks in 1942. By the end of the war over 200 buildings had been damaged or destroyed within the Middlesbrough area. Areas of early and mid-Victorian housing were demolished and much of central Middlesbrough
1197-524: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of
1330-781: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as
1463-605: A representative seat on the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA). Middlesbrough started as a Benedictine priory on the south bank of the River Tees , its name possibly derived from it being midway between the holy sites of Durham and Whitby . The earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough's name is "Mydilsburgh". Some believe the name means "middle fortress", as it was midway between the two religious houses of Durham and Whitby; others state that it
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#17328013304391596-475: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of
1729-774: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,
1862-410: A total workforce of 4,200; the engineering division had higher turnover, but lower profit than the port business. The Hamworthy Bellis & Morcom compressor division (see Belliss & Morcom ) was sold to Gardner Denver Inc. of the United States for £26 million. The company's maritime and port businesses was rebranded in 2003 as PD Ports, Logistics and Shipping (PDPLS). In 2004 the company
1995-531: A two-front war, as it had in World War I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as
2128-448: A unit of Nikko Cordial Corp. of Japan, with shareholders accepting 570p per share, a valuation of £507 million. In the late 1990s/early 2000s the company was restructured; selling multiple business interests; after acquisition in 2000 the company's engineering interests were Hamworthy KSE (marine engineering), Hamworthy Belliss and Morcom (compressors), Hamworthy Combustion, and Geesink (waste disposal equipment), representing 2500 of
2261-647: A unit of Nikko Cordial Corp. of Japan. In 2003 the company re-branded as PD Ports . In 2005 the company was acquired by infrastructure division of Babcock & Brown , and then sold to Brookfield Asset Management in 2009. The business started in Newport , Wales in the late 18th century as by Thomas Powell who had inherited the family business at the age of 14 on his father's death – in 1810 Powell acquired land in Llanhilleth and began coal mining. Powell expanded his coal business, opening several collieries in
2394-601: A year. Temperatures range from mild summer highs in July and August typically around 21 °C (70 °F), to winter lows in December and January falling to around 0 °C (32 °F). Seasonal variations are small and both the mild summers and cool winters are far removed from the average climates of the latitude (54.5°N). This is mainly due to the British Isles being a relatively small land mass surrounded by water,
2527-415: Is an Old English personal name ( Midele or Myhailf ) combined with burgh meaning town. In 686, a monastic cell was consecrated by St. Cuthbert at the request of St. Hilda , Abbess of Whitby . The cell evolved into Middlesbrough Priory . The manor of Middlesburgh belonged to Whitby Abbey and Gisborough Priory . Robert Bruce, Lord of Cleveland and Annandale , granted and confirmed, in 1119,
2660-608: Is near the Riverside Stadium and the Parkway Centre is in Coulby Newham. Cleveland retail park (South Bank) and the retail part of Teesside Park (between Thornaby and Middlesbrough) are on the council's outskirts. The leisure part of Teesside Park is in the council area, including a cinema and bowling alley. Middlesbrough Leisure Park is located at the eastern edge of the town centre: it has restaurants,
2793-770: Is one of the Tree Cities of the World . The town centre is approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) from the coast, 7 miles (11 km) from Roseberry Topping in the North York Moors National Park and 25 miles (40 km) from the Yorkshire Dales National Park . Middlesbrough is within the Teesside , which is centred around the River Tees ; it includes nearby towns such as Stockton and Redcar . The following list shows
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#17328013304392926-604: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had
3059-689: The British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East , the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of
3192-548: The Cleveland non-metropolitan county until its abolition and in 1996 , the Borough of Middlesbrough became a unitary authority of North Yorkshire . In 2011, a local enterprise partnership was formed from the former Cleveland boroughs and the borough of Darlington called Tees Valley , in 2016 the area appointed a combined authority mayor. The Middlesbrough constituency is represented by Andy McDonald for Labour in
3325-634: The Conservative Party , who won the seat from Labour in the 2017 general election . Prior to Clarke's election, the seat had always been Labour since it was created in 1997. Different constituencies have historically covered the town: Middlesbrough is south of the River Tees with nature reserves and heavy industry on the opposite bank. Some open spaces in the town are off the B1380 road (Ladgate Lane): Sandy Flatts, Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Course, Stewart Park and Ormesby Hall 's grounds. It
3458-581: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into
3591-853: The German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for the beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and
3724-576: The Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled
3857-553: The Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration ,
3990-695: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to
4123-731: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against
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4256-690: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as
4389-590: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that
4522-539: The Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1830, Middlesbrough experienced booms in heavy industry during the 19th century. The town experienced deindustrialisation beginning in the late 20th century. Part of Yorkshire since before the Domesday Book , Middlesbrough became a town with a municipal borough in 1853. When Yorkshire was split into its ancient ridings in 1889, Middlesbrough was large enough to become
4655-598: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact
4788-709: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed
4921-707: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with
5054-531: The Tees Valley . It is located 41 miles (66 km) south of Newcastle upon Tyne , 43 miles (69 km) north of York , 66 miles (106 km) north-west of Leeds , and 217 miles (349 km) north of London . With a population of 148,215 recorded in 2021 , Middlesbrough is one of the largest settlements in North East England . A hamlet surrounded by rural farmland until the expansion of
5187-466: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded
5320-506: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which
5453-401: The United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and
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5586-426: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and
5719-451: The aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to the war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting
5852-404: The reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered
5985-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10 May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent
6118-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack
6251-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27 May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,
6384-403: The Cambrian Wagon Works, adding an engineering arm to the business. During the Second World War the companies' engineering subsidiary expanded in order to fulfill military orders. The 12 colliery Cory Brothers & Co. Ltd was acquired in 1942, forming Powell Duffryn Ltd. . In 1946 the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 led to the formation of the National Coal Board , which took over
6517-405: The European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in the Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and
6650-410: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed
6783-426: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6 October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of
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#17328013304396916-430: The House of Commons. He was elected in a by-election held on 29 November 2012 following the death of previous Member of Parliament Sir Stuart Bell , who was the MP since 1983. Middlesbrough has been a traditionally safe Labour seat. The first Conservative MP for Middlesbrough was Sir Samuel Alexander Sadler , elected in 1900. The Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency is represented by Simon Clarke of
7049-450: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured
7182-434: The Newport area – by 1830 Powell's business had become successful – aided by the increasing demand for coal in steam engines ; good transport connections via the River Severn and canal system, and later by the railways; and by the high quality of the Welsh coal. Removal of a coal export tax in the 1830s allowed Powell to more widely export the coal, and compete for the market in northern England. The company's first deep mine
7315-412: The Rhymney Iron Company, the Windsor Colliery, collieries from Lewis Morthyr, the Great Western Colliery Company and the Nantgawr Colliery; all acquired in the 1920s. In 1935, Powell Duffryn merged with the Welsh Associated Collieries, who owned 34 collieries, and formed the joint venture company Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries , which had an output of 20 million tons p.a. The merged company included
7448-416: The River Tees to find a suitable new site downriver of Stockton on which to place new coal staithes . As a result, in 1829, he and a group of Quaker businessmen bought the Middlesbrough farmstead and associated estate, some 527 acres (213 ha) of land, and established the Middlesbrough Estate Company. Through the company, the investors set about a new coal port development (designed by John Harris ) on
7581-452: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged
7714-423: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to
7847-421: The Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and the Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and
7980-418: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed
8113-575: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued
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#17328013304398246-402: The US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago , the possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking
8379-424: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced
8512-489: The United Kingdom attacked on 3 July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in
8645-401: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14 June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which
8778-473: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in
8911-434: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with
9044-498: The amongst the world's largest coal producers. Powell's Duffryn was one of Thomas Powell's companies (Dyffrn meaning literally "Valley"). Powell's mine conditions were poor, leading to a number of explosions in the 1850s. In 1858 Powell cut wages by 15% resulting in strikes which were met with strike breaking methods; Strikebreaker labour was introduced from England. By 1862 Powell controlled 16 mines, which exported more than 700,000 tons of coal. Shortly before his death he arranged
9177-424: The area in 2006 and the remaining companies are now members of the Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC). The Middlesbrough Mela is an annual, multi-cultural festival attracting an audience of up to 40,000 to enjoy a mix of live music, food, craft and fashion stalls. It began in Middlesbrough's Central Gardens, now Centre Square, and is either held there or in Albert Park. Middlesbrough also has
9310-403: The area today. The expansion of Middlesbrough southwards, eastwards and westwards continued throughout the 20th century absorbing villages such as Linthorpe , Acklam , Ormesby , Marton and Nunthorpe and continues to the present day. The local authority is Middlesbrough Council , a unitary authority . Middlesbrough also forms part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority . Middlesbrough
9443-501: The area; for example, Ormesby , Stainsby and Tollesby were once separate villages that belonged to Vikings called Orm, Steinn and Toll that are now areas of Middlesbrough were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1801, Middlesbrough was a small farming township with a population of just 25. From 1829 onwards it experienced rapid growth. In 1828, the influential Quaker banker, coal mine owner and Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) shareholder Joseph Pease sailed up
9576-435: The borough covered the civil parish of Middlesbrough and parts of the parishes of Linthorpe (where the old township had been made a separate parish in 1866), Marton , Normanby , Ormesby and West Acklam. The Local Government Act 1894 said that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so the parish of Middlesbrough was enlarged to cover the whole borough. The borough was further enlarged in 1913, taking in
9709-461: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding
9842-643: The church of St. Hilda of Middleburg to Whitby. Up until its closure on the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1537, the church was maintained by 12 Benedictine monks, many of whom became vicars, or rectors, of various places in Cleveland. After the Angles , the area became home to Viking settlers. Names of Viking origin (with the suffix by meaning village ) are abundant in
9975-572: The companies coal business – after a decade of negotiation Powell Duffryn was paid £16 million for the assets. The firm diversified, expanding its former secondary interests: engineering, fuel distribution and shipping. Additional interests included timber, quarries, and brickmaking. Engineering interests included Powell Duffryn Engineering in Llantrisant and the Powell Duffryn Wagon Company . Hamworthy Engineering
10108-614: The company operated as the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company having been amalgamated into the business of Sir George Elliot . During the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the company expanded its mining activities, also acquiring shipping firm Stephenson Clarke in 1928. After number of colliery acquisitions and a merger with the Welsh Associated Collieries in 1935 it became Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries In 1947
10241-618: The company's debt burdens. As of 2013 PD Ports owns and operates the Ports of Tees and Hartlepool under the name Teesport . The company also operates the Hull Container Terminal at the Port of Hull , and provides stevedoring and warehousing services at the Port of Immingham ; logistics and warehousing at the Port of Felixstowe , Scunthorpe , and Billingham ; and operates a wharf on the Isle of Wight . The company also owns
10374-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it
10507-526: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of
10640-757: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of
10773-712: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied
10906-511: The end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming
11039-487: The estate covering approximately 779 acres. Steel, petrochemical, agribulks, manufacturing, engineering and high street commerce operations are all supported through Teesport, in addition to the renewable energy sector, in both production and assembly facilities. In 1875, Bolckow, Vaughan & Co opened the Cleveland Steelworks in Middlesbrough, beginning the transition from iron production to steel and, by
11172-575: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until
11305-864: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing
11438-490: The heavy industry in the area, newer technologies (such as the digital sector) have emerged. Middlesbrough also remains a stronghold for engineering based manufacturing and engineering contract service businesses. To help support this, the new TeesAMP advanced manufacturing park is designed to accommodate businesses associated with advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. Announced in September 2020, TeesAMP will be
11571-466: The infamous SS Mont-Blanc , the steamship which caused the 1917 Halifax Explosion in Canada. The area is still home to the nearby large Wilton International industrial site which until 1995 was largely owned by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). The fragmentation of that company led to smaller manufacturing units being owned by multinational organisations. The last part of ICI itself completely left
11704-525: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of
11837-402: The land. Middlehaven has since had new buildings built there including Middlesbrough College and Middlesbrough FC's Riverside Stadium amongst others. Also situated at Middlehaven is the "Boho" zone, offering office space to the area's business and to attract new companies, and also "Bohouse", housing. Some of the street names from the original grid-iron street plan of the town still exist in
11970-467: The location of the UK's first hydrogen transport centre. Teesport , owned by PD Ports , is a major contributor to the economy of Middlesbrough and the port owners have their offices in the town. The port is 1 mile (2 km) from the North Sea and 4 miles (6 km) east of Middlesbrough, on the River Tees . In 2019 it handled over 4,350 vessels each year and around 27 million tonnes of cargo with
12103-506: The main coal mining division of the business was nationalised into the National Coal Board . The remainder of the company diversified, mainly into shipping and engineering, and acquired the ports of Tees and Hartlepool in the 1990s. Restructuring in the late 1990s/early 2000s resulted in the sale of engineering businesses and a focus on port operations. The company was acquired in 2000 by Nikko Principal Investments Japan Ltd.,
12236-594: The merger of his business interests with those of Sir George Elliott , forming the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Ltd in 1863 with a capital of £500,000. Powell died 24 March 1863. In 1867 the company acquired the Aberaman Estate from iron master Crawshay Bailey , the land of which held much good quality 'steam coal'. By the 1900s the company had begun generating electricity and utilising it in mining. In 1916, E.M Hann
12369-416: The mid-1870s Middlesbrough was producing one third of the entire nation's Pig Iron output. It was during this time Middlesbrough earned the nickname "Ironopolis". On 21 January 1853, Middlesbrough received its Royal Charter of Incorporation , giving the town the right to have a mayor, aldermen and councillors. Henry Bolckow became mayor, in 1853. In the latter half of the 19th century, Old Middlesbrough
12502-599: The mild south-westerly Gulf Stream air that dominates the British Isles, and the propensity for cloud cover to limit temperature extremes. In nearby Scandinavia , more than ten degrees further north, there are coastal Bothnian climates with warmer summers than Middlesbrough; and winters in Middlesbrough can be less cold than those at lower latitudes in mainland Europe. Middlesbrough has four shopping centres accessible from Linthorpe road: Cleveland Centre , Hill Street, Captain Cook Square and Dundas. Gateway Retail Park
12635-619: The new "Bell Hopper" system of closed blast furnaces developed at the Ebbw Vale works. The new system and nearby abundant supply of Ironstone in the Eston Hills in 1850, made the works a success with the area becoming known as the "Iron-smelting centre of the world" and Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., Ltd the largest company in existence at the time. By 1851, Middlesbrough's population had grown from 40 people in 1829 to 7,600. Pig iron production rose tenfold between 1851 and 1856 and by
12768-502: The permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In the wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with
12901-589: The political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and the 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of
13034-531: The port meant it soon became overwhelmed by the volume of imports and exports, and in 1839 work started on a dock to the east of Middlesbrough. The first water for the dock was let in on 19 March 1842, while the formal opening took place on 12 May 1842. Iron dominated the Tees area since 1841 when Henry Bolckow in partnership with John Vaughan , founded the Vulcan iron foundry and rolling mill . Vaughan introduced
13167-599: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at
13300-722: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,
13433-622: The rest of Linthorpe and the North Ormesby area from the parish of Ormesby. In 1932 it gained West Acklam and smaller parts from other parishes when the Middlesbrough Rural District was abolished. In the latter half of the 20th century, Middlesbrough was affected by three reforms: in 1968 , Middlesbrough became part of the Teesside County Borough ; in 1974 , it became the county town of
13566-603: The same area was made a municipal borough . The borough boundaries were extended in 1858, 1866 and 1887. When elected county councils were created in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888 , Middlesbrough was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services and so it became a county borough , independent from the new North Riding County Council , whilst remaining part of the North Riding of Yorkshire for ceremonial purposes. By this time,
13699-476: The second half of the 19th century (fuelled by the iron and steel industry), the population reaching 90,000 by the dawn of the 20th century. Middlesbrough was the first major British town and industrial target to be bombed during the Second World War . The steel making capacity and railways for carrying steel products were obvious targets. The Luftwaffe first bombed the town on 25 May 1940, when
13832-503: The ship engineering arm was expanded by the purchase of "Kvaerner Ships Equipment" (KSE) for £34 million from the Kvaerner shipping group. In 1992 the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority (THPA) (see Teesport and Port of Hartlepool ) was acquired by Powell Duffryn Plc, 3i , and Humberside Holdings Limited in 1992; Powell Duffryn became sole owner in 1995. The company was acquired in 2000 by Nikko Principal Investments Japan Ltd.,
13965-543: The short sea ports in Scunthorpe (Groveport), Howden ( Howdendyke , River Ouse, Yorkshire ), and Keadby ( River Trent ). Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( / ˈ m ɪ d əl z b r ə / MID -əlz-brə ), colloquially known as Boro , is a port town in North Yorkshire , England. Lying to the south of the River Tees , Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside built-up area and
14098-462: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in
14231-510: The southern banks of the Tees. The first coal shipping staithes at the port (known as "Port Darlington") were constructed with a settlement to the east established on the site of Middlesbrough farm as labour for the port, taking on the farm's name as it developed into a village. The port was linked to the S&;DR on 27 December 1830 via a branch that extended to an area just north of the current Middlesbrough railway station. The success of
14364-498: The start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed
14497-593: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,
14630-610: The turn of the century, the area had become one of the major steel centres in the country and possibly the world. In 1900, Bolckow, Vaughan & Co had become the largest producer of steel in Great Britain. In 1914, Dorman Long , another major steel producer from Middlesbrough, became the largest company in Britain, employing a workforce of over 20,000, and by 1929 it was the dominant steel producer on Teesside after taking over Bolckow, Vaughan & Co and acquiring its assets. It
14763-645: The two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as
14896-513: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising
15029-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which
15162-572: The wards that correspond to the Middlesbrough built-up area ; those in bold have civil parishes. Middlesbrough has an oceanic climate typical for the United Kingdom. Being sheltered from prevailing south-westerly winds by the Lake District and Pennines to the west, and the Cleveland Hills to the south, Middlesbrough is in one of the relatively dry parts of the country, receiving on average 574 millimetres (22.6 inches) of rain
15295-512: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to
15428-707: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed
15561-439: The world's countries —including all the great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring the distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II
15694-614: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to
15827-493: Was acquired in 1962. By the 1980s the company was showing good profitability; the Hanson Trust made an unsuccessful takeover attempt in 1984. From the late 1980s onwards the company disposed of its railway, shipping and bulk liquid assets: Stephenson Clarke was sold; the loss making railway engineering division was closed in 1993/4; much of the fuel distribution and storage assets were sold between 1996 and 1998. In 1998
15960-457: Was created in 1744, also covering the neighbouring township of Linthorpe , and the curacy of Middlesbrough gradually came to be treated as a civil parish . After construction of the modern town began in 1830, there was a need for more urban forms of local government. In 1841 a body of improvement commissioners was set up covering the township of Middlesbrough and part of the township of Linthorpe. The commissioners were superseded in 1853 when
16093-400: Was demolished to make way for the road. Middlesbrough F.C.'s modern Riverside Stadium opened on 26 August 1995 next to Middlesbrough Dock. The club moved from their previous home in the town for 92 years, Ayresome Park . The original St.Hilda's area of Middlesbrough, after decades of decline and clearance, was given a new name of Middlehaven in 1986 on investment proposals to build on
16226-502: Was historically a township in the ancient parish of West Acklam in the Langbaurgh Wapentake (also known as Cleveland ) of the North Riding of Yorkshire . After the dissolution of the monastery in 1539 the former Middlesbrough Priory was used as a chapel of ease to West Acklam for a time, but by about 1660 the building had been demolished. Despite having no church building, a perpetual curacy of Middlesbrough
16359-662: Was made a director of the company. After the First World War he drove the development of the company, acquiring all the adjoining collieries (Aberaman, Lletysiencyn, Abernant, Gadlys and Blaengwawr), succeeding in sinking every one of the company's collieries in the Aberdare Valley to the lowest seam. The company started a joint venture in the shipping industry with Stephenson and Clarke in 1920, later acquiring their partners outright by 1928. The company expanded by acquisition of land and construction of pits, including
16492-676: Was possibly the largest steel producer in Britain at the time. The steel components of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932) were engineered and fabricated by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough. The company was also responsible for the New Tyne Bridge in Newcastle . Several large shipyards also lined the Tees, including the Sir Raylton Dixon & Company , which produced hundreds of steam freighters including
16625-456: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign
16758-408: Was redeveloped. Heavy industry was relocated to areas of land better suited to the needs of modern technology. Middlesbrough itself began to take on a completely different look. Post war industrial to contemporary un-industrial Middlesbrough has changed the town, multiple buildings replaced and roads built. The A66 road was built through the town in the 1980s; Middlesbrough's Royal Exchange building
16891-772: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with
17024-673: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed
17157-472: Was sold to stockbrokers Collins Stewart for £450 million (£170 equity, £280 million debt), followed by an immediate stock market flotation. A bid by Babcock and Brown Infrastructure (BBI) at 150p per share, with total value £337 million was recommended in December 2005. In November 2009, Brookfield Asset Management acquired 100% of PD Ports. from BBI for a nominal $ 1, taking on $ 113 million of debt, as part of BBI port asset sales to reduce
17290-439: Was starting to decline and was overshadowed by developments built around the new town hall , south of the original town hall . On 15 August 1867, a Reform Bill was passed, making Middlesbrough a new parliamentary borough, Bolckow was elected member for Middlesbrough the following year. In 1900, Bolckow, Vaughan & Co had become the largest producer of steel in Great Britain. The town's rapid expansion continued throughout
17423-430: Was sunk at Cwmbach , Aberdare in 1840, opening further mines in both Aberdare and the Rhymney Valley in the following decades. Together with Thomas Prothero and John Latch he formed the first South Wales coal syndicate in 1833, the "Newport Coal Association". From the 1830s Powell began assembling his own shipping fleet, and also invested £20,000 in the Taff Vale Railway . By the 1840s Powell's mining interests were
17556-480: Was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including the Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in
17689-429: Was the first purpose designed theatre to be erected in post-war England when it was opened on 22 October 1957 by Sir John Gielgud . Second World War Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers . Nearly all
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