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Japanese Invasion of China
http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war
Japan recognized China's abundance of natural resources and weakness so Manchuria was invaded and taken over. All of northern China was taken over. Stalin began to recognize Japan becoming a threat to the border of the Soviet Union, and began supplying weapons to Japan. -
Nanking Massacre (Rape of Nanking)
http://www.history.com/topics/nanjing-massacre
Soldiers and civilians were brutally murdered by Japanese forces. 20,000-80,000 women were sexually assaulted. 20,000-30,000 deaths. -
Molotov Pact
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
Germany and Soviet Union signed a pact to take no military action against each other for the next 10 years. Great Britain and France declared war on Germany in 1939. World War II had begun. Less than two years after that, Hitler turned his back on the pact with Stalin and sent some 3 million Nazi soldiers into USSR on June 22, 1941. PS THIS PACT WAS SIGNED ON MY BIRTHDAY. -
German Blitzkrieg
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005437
The Blitzkrieg required tactics such as tanks and planes along narrow fronts. Germany defeated 9 countries during this. The purpose of this was to defeat their opponents in order to avoid entering the war. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005070
The Polish army was quickly defeated with over 2,000 tanks and over 1,000 planes. Warsaw surrendered about 4 weeks after the invasion began. Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Nazi Germany occupied Poland until 1945. -
Fall of Paris
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris
By the time German tanks rolled into Paris, 2 million Parisians had already fled. Germans tried to take over. -
Operation Barbarossa
Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to invade the Soviet Union. This consisted of over 3,000,000 German soldiers and 3,000 tanks. Germany severely underestimated their opponent and lost a 2 year war. -
Pearl Harbor
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harborHundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. -
Wannsee Conference
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477
The Wannsee Conference was set up for Nazi officials and other German officials to discuss the final solution. -
Bataan Death March
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march
75,000 Filipino and American troops were forced to march 65 miles to prison camps if they were on Bataan. -
Operation Gomorrah
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched
British bombers raid Hamburg, Germany, by night while Americans bomb it by day. In July, Britain was bombed by Germany so this was their form of revenge. Britain lost 12 of the 791 aircraft involved in this attack that continued until November. More than 30,000 people were killed by over 9,000 tons of explosives dropped. -
D Day
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day
Allies crossed the English channel and invaded the shore of Normandy. By dawn 18,000 parachutists were already landed and land invasions began around 6:30 in the morning. Close to 14,000 aircraft were also involved. Although all the tactics and supplies were not used, it was a success for GB. -
Battle of the Bulge
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge
Hitler attempted to split Allied armies ny a surprise blitzkrieg. Suffered over 100,000 casualties. -
Operation Thunderclap
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge
This source vacuums -
Battle of Iwo Jima
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima
U.S. Marines landed on the island of Iwo Jima because B-29 bombers could land without having to return all the way to the Marianas. The United States were successful in this attack -
Battle of Okinawa
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa
287,000 US troops 130,000 Japanese. 82 days. Air bases were on the line during this battle. Japan lost over 77,000 soldiers and the United States suffered more than 65,000 casualties. -
VE Day
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe
German troops surrendered throughout Europe. Over 13,000 British POWs were released and sent back to Great Britain. “The age-long struggle of the Slav nations… has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over.” -Joseph Stalin -
Bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
1 bombing wiped out 90% (80,000 people) of Hiroshima. A different bomb dropped in Nagasaki killed 40,000 people. "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" were the bombs dropped. -
VJ Day
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
Japan surrenders. “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would.” -Harry S. Truman -
Battle of Midway
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway
Japan vs. US. US victory. Some historians see Midway as the turning point in the Pacific theater of the war, after which Americans rode straight to Tokyo.