-
Lend-Lease Act
Congress approved the Lend Lease Act allowing President Roosevelt to send military aid to allies without declaring war. This allowed the United States to indirectly support Great Britain without declaring war on the Axis powers. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Unprovoked, Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The attack killed more than 2,000, and injured more than 1,000. 20 American ships were destroyed, including 8 battleships. The attack changed the American public's opinion on the war, instead of resisting, almost all Americans now supported a war with Japan. -
United States Declares War
President Roosevelt addressed a joint session of congress, and asked for a declaration of war against Japan. 21 minutes after Roosevelt's speech, the Senate voted 82-0 in favor of war, and the house voted 388-1 in favor of war. -
Bataan Death March
Trapped and low on provisions, Allied troops on the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon were forced surrender to the Japanese. Over 70,000 American and Filipino troops were forced to march over 60 miles to internment camps. Over 5,000 troops died during the march, most of which were caused by dehydration. . -
Battle of Midway
The US Navy, along with the British Navy, halts Japan's progress in the Pacific Ocean. The Battle of Midway was a tipping point of power; the United States was able to shift from a defensive to offensive position in the Asian-Pacific Theater after inflicting serious damage to the Japanese navy. -
Land Invasion of Italy
Allies land on the Beaches of Salerno near Naples, Italy. This was the beginning of the Allies' liberation of Europe. After a foothold was gained in Italy, Germany was vulnerable to direct airstrikes. -
D-Day
156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops assault a 50 mile stretch of heavily fortified beach along the French coast in Normandy. The assault was one of the largest sea invasions in the modern history of warfare. Over 4,000 Allied troops died during the invasion, with many more wounded or missing. Within a week of the invasion, all five beaches were secured. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major offensive campaign launched by the Germans near the end of the war. It was a last ditch attempt to save the failing Western front. The object was to recapture Antwerp and split the American and British armies to force an Allied surrender. -
German Surrender
The Germans formally surrendered to the Allies. After the suicide of Hitler, the Axis powers began to fall apart. Several parts of the Axis powers had already surrendered to the Allies, Fighting continued in several isolated locations before the news of surrender broke through. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
An American B-29 Bomber dropped the world's first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. 80,000 people died instantly, and thousands more would die from radiation exposure. Unfortunately, the first detonation didn't bring a Japanese surrender. -
Bombing of Nagasaki
When the Japanese refused to surrender after the bombing of Hiroshima, a more powerful atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. The geography of the area reduced the destruction of the bomb, but still, 40,000 died as a direct result of the bomb blast. -
Japan Surrenders
After the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders the condition that their emperor remain in power. The news was broadcast over the radio along with the famous VJ! message.
