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Nazi Invasion of Poland
The morning after the Gleiwitz Incident, Germany began to invade Poland. The Glewitz Incident helped give a reason for the Germans to attack/invade Poland. When the German's won the Battle of the Bzura in mid-September, they had the advantage. The Russian invaded Poland in the east on Septemeber 17,1939. The two fronts overwhelmed Poland, and their loss at the Battle of Kock gave the Russians and Germans full control. Poland never officailly surrenedered. -
Period: to
WWII
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Britain and France Declare War on Germany
Britain declares war on Germany because Germany invaded Poland. The British and French had both sworn to protect Poland. so they entered the war. -
Auschwitz Opened
The Germans opend Auschwitz, an infamous concentration camp, for Jews. It was also the largest concentraition camp, and was located in Oświęcim, Poland. Heinnrich Himmler designed it. Auschwitz consisited of Auschwitz I (the base camp), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the extermination camp), Auschwitz III-Monowitz (a labor camp). 1.1 million people died at Auschwitz, 90% were Jews. Auschwitz was liberated on January 27, 1945 by Soviet Troops -
The Battle of Britain
Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began bombing Britain in hopes to gain air superiority over the RAF (Royal Air Force). The Luftwaffe dropped a total of 35,000 tons of bombs, and 18,000 tons were dropped on London. The Luftwaffe destroyed cities, but no one was really dying. The British could pick up the Luftwaffe on their radars, and people could escape to bomb shelters. Winston Churchill uttered the immortal words, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few." -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese bomb US military base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They did this becuase the US ceased oil exports in Japan and trying to prevent the US from becoming involved with the fighting in the Pacific. The opposite happend because the next president FDR declared war on Japan, then on Germany and Italy on December 11. -
USA Declares war on Japan
President Franklin D. Roosevelt delared war on Japan the day after Pearl Harbor. One of his famous quotes about this event is, "a date that will live in infamy". -
D-Day (Normandy Landings)
The landings began at 6:30 AM (British Double Summer Time). There were 24,000 landing from an air-born assault and more than 160,000 troops landing on the beaches coming from the water. This was the largest amphibious invansion in the world. -
Atom Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
President Harry Truman ordered for the atomic bomb "Little Boy" to be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. This bombing saved millions of lives, Allied forces and Japanese, that would have been lost if there was combat on land. By dropping the bomb 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima died.
