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Germany's invasion of Poland
Germany used the strategy know as lightning war to invade Poland. They smashed through enemy lines and captured by using tanks. They also used the air-force and bombed Polish cities to scare the enemy. Poland eventually surrendered. Hitler wanted Poland for living space and more German expansion. During German occupation more than three million Polish Jews were killed in concentration camps. This causes Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
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German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is a German term for lightning war. It is a military method that involves using mobile forces and firepower to disorganize enemies. Germany used it to invade Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. It allowed Germany to be victorious for 2 years. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan bombed a U.S. Pacific Naval Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. Japanese disabled 19 ships, destroyed 188 planes, wounded 1,100 and killed 2,400. Japan wanted to surprise attack America and destroy the Navy as quick as possible. This causes U.S. to declare war on Japan on December 8, 1941. -
Battle of Stalingrad
It was the largest confrontation of World War II. Germany and its allies fought the Soviet union for control of the city of Stalingrad. 1.8-2 million killed, wounded or captured. -
Allied invasion of Italy
The British army under Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery began an allied invasion of the Italian peninsula. Benito Mussolini at the Tim was trying to make Italy like Rome but after battles like this he failed. Mussolini was forced to resign. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
Churchill, FDR, and Eisenhower planned a land invasion of France. Stalin promised to attack Germany at the same time from the east. "Operation Fortitude" The invasion included 150,000 soldiers; 5,000 ships; 11,000 planes and gliders. D-day was known as "Operation Overload". The attack began on June 6 . Allies went on parachutes and on gliders behind enemy lines the night before the invasion. By July more than 1 million Allied troops in France. -
Battle of the Bulge
Hitlers last attempt to defeat the Allies in Europe. 600,000 Americans fought in the battle. 80,000 killed. Germans lost because they ran out of fuel. May 7, Germany surrendered known as Victory in Europe. Hitler commits suicide (took a cyanide pill then shot himself) -
Battle of Iwo Jima
American forces invaded the island of Iwo Jima because it had three airfields that could be a facility of invasion of Japan. The battle lasted for 5 weeks. Almost all 21,000 Japanes forces were killed. This battle was important because the air bases were in striking distance of Japan. -
Battle of Okinawa
This was the last major battle of World War 2. On Easter Sunday U.S. army and marine corps went on Okinawa as a part of "Operation Ice burg". This took place after Iwo Jima. The U.S. wanted to destroy the airbase. -
VE Day
V-E stands for Victory in Europe. This was a day that Great Britain and United States celebrates the Germans surrendering. This was the end of the war in Europe. Hitler had his last attempt at the Battle of the Bulge and failed. -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
President Truman decided to drop the bomb in order to save American lives from a land invasion. In Hiroshima around 70,000 were killed instantly and 135,000 was the final death poll. In Nagasaki 40,000 killed instantly and 50,000 was the final death toll. -
VJ Day
This stands for Victory in Japan day. This marks the day Japan surrendered to the Allies ending World War 2. This took place soon after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
