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Invasion of Manchuria
Japan took advantage of China's political turmoil situation, and decided to invade Manchuria. Manchuria is a region in China that is rich in resources, so Japan decides to capture it. The world protests Japan's actions, and Japan ignores them. The world's nations fail to do anything about it, and Japan then learned that the world is all talk and no action. -
Battle of the Atlantic
From the start to the end of the European side of WWII, there was an ongoing naval battle in the Atlantic. It lasted from 1939 to 1945, being the longest continuous military campaign in World War II. It lasted until Germany's defeat. -
Blitzkrieg into Poland
Germany demands Poland. The Allies supported Poland and promised to defend them. Both sides of this seek for support from Russia. Russia and Germany later have a secret agreement to split up Poland's territory between themselves. -
Dunkirk
Germany captured Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Later, Germany blitzed into France, driving a wedge between the British and French troops. The British are forced to evacuate 340,000 troops from Dunkirk, France to Britain. -
German Invasion of France
Hitler made France surrender in the same rail car Germany signed the WWI Armistice in. Germany then has direct control over northern France in preparation for the invasion of Britain. Germany set up the Vichy (puppet) Government to control Southern France. This led to French natives to create the French Underground led by Charles De Gaulle, and they acted as a continuous irritant to Germans in France. -
Battle of Britain/The Blitz
Germany began to bomb British airfields, key ports, military bases. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, tries to round up the British people while gaining foreign aid and support. The British Royal Air Force holds off the Lauftwaffe, which makes Germany desperate enough to bomb cities, especially London. British strategies include blackouts, and by Spring of 1941, Hitler gives up on the invasion. -
Germany Takes Greece
Germany and Italy invade and capture Greece from Britain. Then, they begin attacking North Africa in hopes of capturing it. Not long after, Germany backstabs Russia and invades Russia. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for when the Axis powers would turn and invade the Soviet Union. This happened right after the Axis powers gained control of Greece. -
Pearl Harbor
360 Japanese planes attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US lost 19 ships, 150 planes, and 2400 soldiers. Luckily, most of the US aircraft carriers were out. This kicked the US into mobilization, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt creates the Office of War Mobilization. -
Philippines 1942
After attacking Pearl Harbor, the Japanese continued to take over. Japan attacked bases on Guam, Midway, Wake Island, and the Philippines. Before the attack, the US decided to allow the Philippines it's freedom from American hold. This way, when the Japanese attacked, it would not be counted as an American territory. The US basically set up the Philippines to get themselves out of trouble. -
Bataan (Battle and March)
60,000 US prisoners marched through 70 miles of steamy jungles to POW camps. Over 10,000 prisoners die from abuse, starvation, and exhaustion -
Doolittle Raid
The US made specially modified planes to bomb Tokyo. This did little damage, although the bombings gave the United States a good boost in their morale. -
Coral Sea
Right off of northeastern Australia, the Japanese planned to cut off shipping lanes between the United States and Australia and set up an invasion in Australia. This was a 2-day air battle which was the first naval battle in the air. The US was victorious, and forced the Japanese to retreat. -
Midway
The Battle of Midway was but a stepping-stone for Japan. Historians can assume that their goal was to capture Hawaii, and possibly United States' mainland. United States code breakers learn of the attack Japan is planning. US Admiral Chester Nimitz gets everyone prepared to defend Midway. This 4-day battle gives the US heavy losses, although, Japan has even more. This battle became the turning point in the Pacific; Japan lost it's ability to have the offensive. -
Stalingrad
In Stalingrad, there was deadly street fighting in the rubble of the big city. Germany was trying to fight into Russia for control of Stalingrad. -
Guadalcanal
On the Solomon Islands, this battle lasted 6 months until the United States took control. The Navajo Indians helped with battlefield communications, since their language was very complex. The US had never fought in a land like this, so this war taught the United States to fight in the jungle. -
El Alamein
Mostly fpught between Commanders Montgomery and Rommel, the Battle of El Alamein was another victory for the Allies. It led to the Afrika Korps troops retreating, and German surrender in Northern Africa. -
Operation Torch
The US begins invading Algeria and move east. General Eisenhower trapped General Rommel, leader of Afrika Korps, between the US and British, forcing his retreat to Italy. By May of 1943, the Allies control North Africa. -
Kursk
The Battle of Kursk is best known for being a famous battle of tanks. This was between the Germans and Soviet Union on the Eastern Front near the city Kursk. -
Anzio
This battle on the Italian Campaign was between Germany and the Allies. The Allies had to hold onto the shoreline of the area. After waiting for reinforcements, the Allies marched with victory into the capital, Rome. -
D-Day
After midnight, paratroopers dropped behind German lines, and gliders drop in Jeeps and light tanks. They cut railroad lines and captured airfields. At 6:30 am, troops land in Normandy, France. They were on 60 miles of beaches, not where Germans expected the invasion. The beaches were difficult, but was mostly easy since it was a surprise. The Allies launched a second front in Southern France. By August, Paris is freed, De Gaulle sets up a French government, and Germany is pushed from France. -
Philippines 1944-45
This was the time for the Liberation of the Philippines. The American and Filipinos stick together to break the Philippines free from the Japanese. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
This is best known to be the largest naval battle in history. Admiral Nimitz and MacArthur converge on the islands. The Japanese fleets meet United States fleets in the gulf. The US traps them in a straight, and takes them head on. The Japanese use Kamikaze pilots, but it is not enough. The US retakes the Philippines, and almost completely destroys the Japanese navy. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans found a weak spot in the Allies' lines. They create a 50 mile deep, 80 mile wide bulge. Some US troops were trapped in the middle at Bastogne. Other US troops dig in, stop the Germans, and force them to retreat. -
Yalta Conference
The Big Three - the United States, Russia, and England are there. Stalin of Russia demands to have control of Poland, and lots of eastern Europe post-war. President FDR approves, but states the the Russians must help fight in the Pacific, and that in Russian-controlled areas, free elections must be held. -
Iwo Jima
The United States Marine Corps landed on the island of Iwo Jima. Eventually, they captured it from Japanese hold. There is now a statue based off of a picture of American soldiers raising the flag on Japanese territory. -
Okinawa
Also known as Operation Iceberg, this battle consisted of a series of bombings from the US on the Okinawa islands. The continuous bombings meant that the Japanese would not have any bases in their direct flight path from there to the US. -
Hitler's Suicide and the German Surrender
Hitler and his wife, Eva, committed suicide together by cyanide pill and a gun. After German troops hear of his death, they surrender in a quick, high amount of people at a time. Germany agreed to unconditional surrender, which meant the war in Europe was officially over. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
America drops an atomic bomb at 8:15 am on Hiroshima. Four-fifths of the city is destroyed, and there are about 118,000 total deaths. Shortly after, a second atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki. Over 35,000 die. Two of Japan's big cities are instantly turned to rubble. -
Japanese Surrender
Japan surrenders unconditionally. They were worried we had more atomic bombs and they knew they would not be able to withstand it. This brought all of WWII to an end.
