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WW2 Timespan
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Invasion of Poland
At 4:45 a.m. on September 1st, 1939, over 1 million german troops invaded Poland. The reason why it happened according to Germany was because it was a defensive act. Although they said it was a defensive action, Britian and France were not convinced. With this invasion of Poland, Britian and France declared war on Germany. This initiated World War 2.
Citation: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland -
Operation Barbarosa
On June 22, 1941, Germany launched a massive invasion on the Soviet Union (Russia) with over 3 million germans. Over three-thousand tanks smashed across the frontier into Russia. The invasion covered a front of more than two-thousand miles. By this point, the effectivness of german combat had preached its apogee. Barbarosa was a crucial turning point in World War 2. The failure forced the Nazi army to fight a two-front war.
Citation: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbaross -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, people were awakened with the explosions of bombs from japenese fighter pilots. Hundreds of fighter pilots bombed a naval base at Pearl Harbor. The attack from Japan lasted just two hours but was still a devasting effect. The japenese had managed to destroy almost 20 naval vessels. More than 2000 americans were killed in the attack while over 1000 were wounded. This attack made the United States enter World War 2 along the allied powers.
Citation:http://www.history.com/top -
Wannsee Conference
On Janurary 20, 1942, 15 high-ranked Nazi officials meet to discuus the final solution for "The Jewish Question." Most of the jews that were occupied bt the germans, were to be deported to poland and murdered. Legalized discrimination of jews begin immediately after the Nazi's seizure of power on Janurary 30th, 1933. After the invasion of polad, the extermination of jews began and eventually pushed it's way into the Soviet Union. Cittation:History.com -
Operation Gomorrah
On July 24, 1943, operation gomorrah is launched. Operation gomorrah was the raiding of british bombers on Hamburg, Germany. Britain bombed Hamburg at night while America bombed them by day. The reason for the bombing was the deaths of 167 civilians caused by the german bombings previously in July. In the evening of July 24th, over 2,300 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped. More than 1,500 german civilians were killed in the first bombings. Citation: History.com -
D-Day
D-Day, was the invasion of the allied forces against the axis powers. On June 6, 1944, the allied forces invaded Normandy. Over 156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches and fought against a heavily fortified coast. This attack was one of the largest amphibious military assault in history. this invasion gave the allied forces liberation of Western Europe. This was considered to be the beginning of the end of war in europe. Citation: History.com -
Battle of Iwo Jima
When the american troops landed on Iwo Jima, they were met by over 23,000 japanese troops. The reason for the attack was because of japanese changes in their defensive tactics of defending more inland than the coast. The conditions were rough at Iwo Jima and american troops spent over a month fighting there. Over 5,900 americans dies while 17,400 were wounded.
Citation:http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Battle of Okinawa
On April 1st, 1945, over 50,000 U.S. combat troops land on the southwest coast of Japan on a island known as Okinawa. Suprisingly to the americans, the japanese army changed their strategy and made the americans come into mainland rather than confronting them at the coast. The japanese would suffer 50,000 casualties and staged a desperate defensive strategy. The japanese started using kamikaze attacks but this proved to be counter-productive. The japanese would surrender. Citation:History.com