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World War II
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U-boats sink merchant vessels
There were approximately 1,768 American merchant vessels sunk, damaged, captured or detained during World War II. -
Vichy France begins
France was divided into occupied and unoccupied zones. The Germans controlled three-fifths of France and all Jews living in France had to surrender to the Germans. -
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Battle for Britain
German forces attempted to gain control of Southern Britain and the English Channel by destroying the Royal Air Force. The Germans were successful in destroying the Royal Air Force. -
FDR approves “shoot on sight”
Roosevelt approved “shoot on sight” because Germany had been attacking U.S. ships. -
Japan joins Axis
Japan joins the Axis Powers because Japan had goals to control the Pacific. -
Hitler breaks Non-Aggression agreement and invades the Soviet Union
Invasion of RussiaWhen Hitler invaded Russia, Russia had no idea it was coming although the British had warned Stalin beforehand. The invasion resulted in destruction of the Red Army. -
Pearl Harbor attacked
A Japanese aerial attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor. The United States officially entered World War II after the attack of Pearl Harbor. -
Japanese ambassadors arrive in Washington, DC
The Japanese ambassadors arrived in Washington, DC on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked to destroy all official documents as well as deliver a 14-page document to the Secretary of State at a specific time that day. -
Germany and Italy declare war on US
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States because the United States declared war on Japan after the attack of Pearl Harbor -
MacArthur promises to return
President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur and his troops to go to Australia to fight. MacArthur made the promise to the Filipinos of "I shall return" -
Bataan death march
The Bataan death march was the forcible moving of about 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war to prison camps. During the march, prisoners were physically abused and murdered. -
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Battle of Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral SeaAllied forces ambushed Japanese naval force on the Coral Sea when the Japanese planned to invade Port Moresby. It was the first notable Japanese setback. -
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Battle of Midway
Battle of MidwayJapan moved on Midway in order to "draw out" and ravage the U.S. Pacific Fleet's aircraft carrier striking forces. The result was that four Japanese fleet carriers were destroyed, one U.S. fleet carrier was missing, and the U.S. base was still operating. -
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Guadalcanal
The Allies fought a super difficult air-sea-land campaign against the Japanese for the Guadalcanal, (The Allies were successful) -
General Eisenhower and his forces land in North Africa
The Allies' first strike at the Axis and Eisenhower was in command. Operation Torch was the largest amphibious operation and Eisenhower is the one who led it. -
End of Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was the first military setback for the Third Reich. The battle ended because all hope was lost for the Germans, About 209,000 German troops were lost and the remainder of the men were weak and could not go on. -
Sicily falls
Italian guerillas captured Mussolini and executed him after the long Italian campaign and many battles between the Axis Powers and the Allies. -
Rome falls
Rome, the first Axis capital falls to the Allies. -
D-Day
Along a 50 mile stretch of French coastline on the beaches of Normandy, more than 160,000 fighting Allied troops with 30,000 vehicles landed. -
MacArthur returns
MacArthur returns to Leyte, Philippine Islands just how he had promised. -
Kamikaze attacks begin
Kamikaze or "divine wind" attacks are suicide attacks made by military aviators. -
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Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the BulgeThe Battle of the Bulge was the largest land battle of WWII; Over than a million men fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The Allies were once again successful. -
US flag raised on Mt. Suribachi
The 28th Regiment and the 5th Division captured Mount Suribachi; Before Mount Suribachi was captured, American troops hoisted a U.S. on a steel pipe, so when other U.S. troops saw the flag over the island, it gave them the strength and motivation to take over Mount Suribachi. -
Truman becomes president
Truman becomes PresidentTruman becomes president when Roosevelt dies while World War II continues on. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
Hitler commits suicide because he was about to lose the war. -
V-E Day
The day of victory in Europe for the Allies in World War II. -
Okinawa taken
Once Okinawa had been taken, the Allied armies and the Japanese Islands had nothing standing between them. So since the war in Europe was ending, the Allies planned to move some troops out to the Pacific. -
Hiroshima
The United States dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. The atomic bomb that was dropped was named, Little Boy. The bomb killed approximately 90,000 to 166,000 people in Japan. -
Nagasaki
The United States dropped their atomic bomb, fat man, over Nagasaki and approximately 60,000 to 80,000 people were killed. -
V- J Day
The day Japan accepted the Allied surrender terms in World War II. -
Formal surrender of Japan
A large group of Allied ships gathered in Tokyo Bay and on the battleship USS Missouri, a formal surrender document was signed by the Japanese.
