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Battle of Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk lasted untill June 4th in 1940. It was a strategic retreat from the shores of France into Britain to regroup as the Germans were taking over France. This was an emergency manuever that utilized all civilian and military vessels available in Great Britain and saved about 300,000 people. -
Hitler breaks Non-Aggression agreement and invades Soviet Union
Having begun plans for Operation Barbarossa (the unanounced attack on the USSR by Nazi-Germany) on the December 18th 1940 and started preparations in the following Spring, Hitler had the USSR invaded with 600,000 motor vehicles, 750,000 horses and over 4 and a half million soldiers. This was the largest offensive staged in History at this point, and was seen at the outset as a major victory. it signalled the Decline of Nazi Germany in WWII. -
Pearl Harbor
The japanese attacked pearl harbor. There were three waves. The first consisted of 183 planes that dropped bombs and the second had 167 planes. japanese wanted to neutralize american naval power. many people were killed. -
Germany and Italy declare war on US
After Japan attacked Pearl HArbor, starting war with the U.S., Germany and Italy soon followed through with thier agreements in the Tripartite and also declared war on the U.S., claiming that the U.S. were either fundamentally against thier axis and/or were a cause of the war and/or already assisting in attempts to destroy it. -
Macarthur promises "I shall return to the philipine people"
When MAcarthur was ordered to Australia Mar 11, 1942, he made a promise to return to the Philipines, to take them back, as it was predicted Japan would take them over. -
Battle of Coral Sea
A naval battle in the Pacific theatre between Japanese and U.S. and Austalian forces that lasted for 4 days. The battle took place when Japanese air craft carriers were sent to destroy nearby American vessels after having taken Tuliga in New Guinea. This battle helped lessen Japanese ship availability in the following battle of Midway, and stemmed the tide of Japanese advances, even though the Japanese sunk more ships. -
Germans surrender at Stalingrad
After a campaign from July 7th to February 2nd, German forces attempting to take Stalingrad surrendered rather then opting to fight to the death at the end of a long struggle that resulted in failure. -
Sicily falls
The Allied forces launched a combined attack upon Sicily by the sea, land and air with over half a million troops during the night of July 9th, eventually taking the area 38 days later after an indecisive but successfull campaign. -
Truman becomes president
President Roosevelt suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while taking a two-week period of recouperation in Georgia and died within minutes. After this, Vice President Truman became president of the United States. -
Hitler commits suicide
Hitler married Eva Bruan on the April 28th just before midnight. The next day he was informed of the death of Mussolini and the downfall of Mussolini's regime, tested some poison on his favorite dog before handing some poison capsules to his two secretaries in case the Soviets stormed the bunker. The 30th he shook the hands of his staff members, retreated into his private suit and Eva and Hitler poisoned themselves and Hitler shot himself (after his new wife died) -
Formal surrender of Japan
On this day, General Macarthur of the Allies and United States and representatives of 11 different countries, including Japan, signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender while on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
