The second book in the final volume of the World History series includes an analysis of the history of World War II: genesis, forces at play, key events and its significance for humanity. Issues related to the Cold War period and the peculiarities of the formation of the post-war bipolar world are considered. The volume reflects the main specific processes characteristic of this particular period - the formation and collapse of the world socialist system, the appearance of African and Asian states on the political map, the emergence of the phenomenon of regional integration and the collision of a rapidly globalizing world with new challenges. For historians and a wide range of readers .