Which statement accurately describes how world war ii began?
a. the soviet union attacked germany; japan and poland declared war on the soviet union.
b. the united states attacked japan; france and the soviet union declared war on the united states.
c. france attacked italy; poland and germany declared war on france.
d. germany attacked poland; france and great britain declared war on germany.

Statement (D) is the most accurate. 
Keeping in mind that WW1 was a huge disaster, countries like Britain were trying very hard to avoid it's nation into war, resulting in obtaining an appeasement with Germany. This obviously didn't work as France and Germany went into war. Britain had to go into war due to the alliance formed with France, called the Entent Cordial formed in the early 1900s (1904). With France and Britain into war, it also tangled Russia into war, also because of the alliance system.