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Japanese Invasion of China
War between China and Japan over the control of Korea that resulted in the nominal independence of Korea and the Chinese cession to Japan of Formosa and the Pescadores. The war began as a Japanese invasion into China and ended with the World War 2 defeat of Japan. -
Rape of Nanking
Also known as Nanking Massacre and sometimes in Japan as the Nanking Incident which refers to the widespread atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany invaded Poland only days after signing the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, under which the Soviet Union agreed not to defend Poland from the east if Germany attacked it from the west. -
German Blitzkrieg
It was a form of warfare used by German forces in World War 2. A blitzkrieg was a quick surprise strike from troops in tanks supported from airplanes. -
Pearl Harbor
A major United States naval base in Hawaii that was attacked without warning by the Japanese air force with great loss of American lives and ships. -
Wannsee Conference
The conference was a meeting of senior officials of Nazi Germany, held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee. -
Battle of Midway
A naval and air battle fought in which planes from American aircraft carriers blunted the Japanese naval threat in the Public Ocean after Pearl Harbor. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Act of Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German-occupied Poland and opposed Nazi Germany's final effort. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
Allied amphibious landing on mainland Italy that took place during the early stages of the Italian Campaign of World War 2. -
D Day
The day in World War 2 on which allied forces invaded northern France by means of beach landings in Normandy. -
Battle of the Bulge
Last major German offense campaign that was launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg on the Western Front towards the end of World War 2 in the European theatre. -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg) was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War 2. It resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the allies. -
VE Day
Public holiday celebrated to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War 2 of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces -
Potsdam Declaration
Also known as the proclamation which defines terms for Japanese Surrender is a statement that called for the surrender of all Japanese armed forces during World War 2. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
President Harry S. Truman warned by some of his advisers that any attempt to invade Japan would result in horrific American casualties ordered that the new weapon be used to bring the war to a speedy end. The American bomber, Enola Gay, dropped a five-ton bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. -
VJ Day
The day where Japan ceased fighting in World War 2 and the day when Japan formally surrendered.