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Rape of Nanking
In six weeks, Imperial Japanese Army forces brutally murdered hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the Chinese city of Nanking (or Nanjing). These horrific events are known as the Nanking Massacre or the Rape of Nanking. Between 20,000 and 80,000 women were sexually assaulted. Nanking, then the capital of Nationalist China, was left in ruins, and it would take decades for the city and its citizens to recover from these attacks. -
Germany's invasion of Poland
Adolf Hitler claimed the massive invasion was a defensive action, but Britain and France were not convinced. On September 3, they declared war on Germany, initiating World War II. To Hitler, the conquest of Poland would bring Lebensraum, or “living space,” for the German people. -
Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact was an agreement between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany which renounced warfare between the two countries. However, German forces invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, less than two years after the German-Soviet Pact was signed. -
German Blitzkrieg
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Fall of Paris
Paris started mobilizing for war when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. On May 10, 1940, the Germans attacked France and quickly defeated the French army. The French government fleed from Paris on June 10, and the Germans occupied the city on June 14. By September, most of France was already back in Allied hands. 580,000 French people were killed by the time the liberation started. There were 92,000 military deaths in the years of 1939 and 1940. From 1940 to 1945, 58,000 more died. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is where the U.S. Pacific Naval fleet was stationed. On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. The U.S. sent all of its aircraft carriers and most of its planes to sea. The Japanese disabled 19 ships, destroyed 188 airplanes, wounded 1100 and killed 2400. This event caused the U.S. to declare war on Japan on December 8, 1941. -
Bataan Death March
After the U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the island of Luzon to the Japanese, approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make a 65 mile march to prison camps. 1,000 American and 9,000 Filipino men died during the Bataan Death March. Those that survived the march would spend the next 40 months in horrific conditions in confinement camps. Most were transported to the Japanese man island aboard “death ships'' and many did not survive the voyage. -
D-Day
Churchill, Roosevelt & Eisenhower planned a land invasion of France while Stalin promised to attack Germany at the same time from the east. D-Day was also known as "Operation Fortitude". This invasion needed 150000 soldiers, 5000 ships, 11000 planes and gliders. The resistance blew up railroads and bridges to distract Germans and spied on German troop movement. Allies entered by parachute and on gliders the night before and the invasion began at dawn. -
Battle of the Bulge
The battle of the Bulge was Hitler's last attempt to defeat the allies in Europe. He planned to use a tactic he had used in previous battles where he looped around and encircled the allies. However, it did not work this time. 600,000 Americans fought in the battle and 80,000 were killed. Germany was low on resources, so they ended up losing because they ran out of fuel. In the process, Germany lost 100,000 soldiers.Germany surrendered, leading to VE Day and Hitler committed suicide. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima proved to be a major turning point in World War II because it was part of a plan by the United States to end the war with Japan. The island of Iwo Jima was a strategic location because the US needed a place for fighter planes and bombers to land and take off when attacking Japan. It was the only large engagement of the war in which Allied forces suffered more casualties (dead & wounded) than their Japanese counterparts. -
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious attack in the Pacific. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. Ended in an Allied victory. -
VE Day
VE (Victory in Europe) Day is occurred on May 7, 1945. This event marked the end of the war in Europe. This takes place after the battle of the bulge when Germany surrenders. -
Hiroshima Bombing
President Truman decided to bomb Hiroshima to preserve American lives instead of sending them into battle. Extreme measures were necessary to make Japan surrender. Hiroshima was bombed by an atomic bomb that hadn't been tested before. Approximately 70,000 were killed instantly, 135,000 was the final death toll. -
Nagasaki Bombing
President Truman wanted the Japanese to surrender. However, excessive measures were necessary because the Japanese believed that it was honorable to die in battle instead of surrendering. The U.S. dropped a 21-kiloton plutonium device known as "Fat Man." 40,000 were killed instantly and 50,000 was the final death toll. After the bomb was dropped, many people suffered from radiation sickness. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945 -
VJ Day
Victory in Japan Day was the day Japan surrendered after the atomic bombings.
