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Battle for Britain
It was the name given to the air campaign waged by the German Air force. The objective was to get air superiority over the RAF (Royal Air Force) supposively last resort. -
Vichy France begins
Where the collaboration of a Nazi govt. was formed in Paris. (Govt against jewish people). -
FDR approves “shoot on sight”
Once fed up with the Germans attacking US ships FDR approves for the US to fight back and shoot Germans when seen. -
Japan joins Axis
Japan joins Germany and Italy's group hoping to gain better control over the pacific and become more powerful. -
Hitler breaks Non-Aggression agreement and invades the Soviet Union
Non-Aggression agreement was signed by Hitler and Stalin. Hitler signed so they would not go to war with eachother, and so Hitler could have half of poland while Stalin got the rest. After that Hitler took over Germany in fear that communism would take over in the future. -
Pearl Harbor attacked
An un-announced military strike by the Japanese navy against the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This was the start of the US involvement in WW2. -
Germany and Italy declare war on US
The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the US declares war on Japan thus Japan's Axis allies, Italy and Germany declared war on the US. -
MacArthur promises to return
MacArthur a commander for the US Military left the Philippines to go to Australia thanks to the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor and other air strikes in the Philippines as well wiping out more than half of MacArthur's air force and soon stationing themselves there. In 1944 he was given permission to begin campaign to recapture the Philippines. -
Bataan death march
Took place in the Philippines which was a 60 mile march of American and Filipino POWs to prison camps. One of the main tortures were sun treatments. The POWs were denied food and water for days at a time and were beaten at any moment. -
Battle of Coral Sea
It was a first major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Alled naval/air forces from US/Australia. This battle was for the US to protect Port Moresby. Te Japanese were actually trying to take out Hawaii and Australia. (May 7) Island hopping: 1. Hawaii-Philip. (Nimitz) 2. Australia-Philip (McArthur -land- Halsey -sea-) 3. Burma-China (Stilwell) -
Battle of Midway
Regarded as the most important Naval battle of the Pacific Campaign. It was about a month after the battle of Coral Sea and about six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. (It was also a day after the bombing of Japanese carriers) US dive bombers managed to hit a few japanese aircraft carriers which set off a chain of explosions. -
U-boats sink merchant vessels
Allied merchant ships were sunk by German U-boats. -
Guadalcanal
Once the Japanese took over Guadalcanal (July) it threatened the Allied shipping throughout the region. The Allies launched an offensive sending marines onto the island, it was easy to take over at first since there weren't many Japanese on the island at first. The Allies were able to capture an airfield. Soon a series of Japanese air raids came which were fought off by the US naval air support. Japanese troops were were sent to the opposite end of the island to fight but lost. (Ended Feb 1943) -
General Eisenhower and his forces land in North Africa
General Eisenhower (and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Euorpe) he US and British troops landed in North Africa hoping to take out axis troops, and for the oil as well, preserve Suez Canal, and protect Mediterranean shipping lanes. N. Africa was targeted 1st because they couldn't hit german dierectly. Erwin Rommel lead Axis forces aka Desert fox (he was sneaky). Afrika Korps was the German general tank force. -
End of Battle of Stalingrad
A 5 month battle between the German and Soviet forces for the industrial city of Stalingrad. The battle involved air raids by the German Luftwaffe, along with street fighting. Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrendered German forces to the Red Army despite Htiler's orders. -
Sicily falls
Following the Axis defeat in North Africa Allies persued the Axis to the island of Sicily where the British and US forces invaded the island. Sicilian capital of Palermo fell to the Allies, making Sicily secured.(July 10-22) -
Rome falls
Even after the surrender of the Italian govt. the Germans were determined to keep Rome from falling to the Allies. The Allies secured some of Italy while Germans tried to form a defense line ('Winter Line' crossing Monte Cassino). Allied forces kept pushing Germans back and back till more than six months later when Monte Carlo fell (May 18) Rome finally fell in June. This was the first Axis capital the Allied forces took over. -
D-Day
Allied troops (US lead by Eisenhower) landed along a 50 mile stretch of French coastline to fight German Nazi's on the beaches of Normandy, France. While the Americans attacked in the west the Russians attacked from the east. Germany was going to lose, but this wasn't the end of the war. (Allied Invasion) This fight was to get Axis out of france/restore France. -
MacArthur returns
MacArthur returned to free the Philippines, and restore their govt. -
Kamikaze attacks begin
These were suicide attacks made to destory as many war ships as possible. This tactic was used after the Japanese realized they were losing. The message sent was that the Japanese were fearless and willing to fight till the very last person. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans made their last counteroffensive of the war. In Ardennes Forest they tried to divided the Allies fronts with a goal of taking Belgian city of Antwerp back. The Germans launched the attack during a heavy snowstorm. Dressed as American soldiers they decieved the Americans creating chaos. By the 24th German troops penetrated French territory making a bulge in the frontline. Germans had to retreat once the weather got better. (divide and conquer) Mc Auliffe said "nuts" to defeat. -
US flag raised on Mt. Suribachi
After winning at Iwo Jima, marines raised the flag atop of Mt. Suribachi. -
Okinawa taken
On the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa the Japanese were defeated. The US occupied this land as naval/air base and was to head towards the Japanese mainland. -
Truman becomes president
Before the term ended for President FDR, he died leaving the vice president (Truman) to be the next president. -
Hitler commits suicide
Knowing he'd lose the war with no way out Hitler committed suicide by cyanide and a gun shot to the head. -
V-E Day
The day Allied forces declared victory in Europe. -
Hiroshima
The US dropped an Atomic bomb here as well as Nagasaki. The blast blew up most of the central city, not only did the blast kill people instantly, but the people who didn't die were later affected and died from the radiation. More than 200,000 died. -
Nagasaki
The US drops an atomic bomb over Nagasaki hoping for this to be the last effort to make the Japanese surrender. -
V- J Day (victory over Japan)
The victory over Japan which ended the war! (Treaty not signed till 1951 which was in San Francisco) it when Japan asked for Armistice . -
Formal surrender of Japan
(August 15 was when Hirohito announced Japan's surrender.) After the bombing of Nagasaki, Emperor Hirohito said he didn't want to continue letting his people suffer so he finally signed a formal surrender (on USS Missouri battleship). WW2 had finally ended. This date was actually 6 years after WW2 started in Europe.
