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Manhattan Project
Fearing the Nazis were working on an atomic bomb, Roosevelt begins program to build an atomic bomb. Code-named the Manhattan Project, it was headed by General Leslie R. Groves. -
World’s first nuclear reactor built
Szilard and Erico Fermi built the first nuclear reactor at the University of Chicago -
Hedgerows
Surrounding many fields in Normandy, dirt hedgerows built to fence in cattle and crops, enabled Germans to defend their positions. The battle of the hedgerows ended July 25 1944 when 2,500 U.S. bombers blew a hole in German lines enabling U.S. tanks to race through the gap. -
Paris celebrates
Allies liberate Paris and streets fill with French citizens celebrating their victory. -
Bombs miss their targets in Tokyo
B-29 Superfortress bombers fly more than 1,500 miles from American bases in Mariana Islands to bomb Tokyo. By the time the B-29s reached Japan, they did not have enough fuel to correct navigation errors due to high winds and many of the bombs missed their targets. -
Battle of the Bulge
Hitler staged an offensive to cut off Allied supplies coming through the port of Antwerp Belgium. The Germans took the defenders by surprise. As the German troops raced west their lines bulged outward. -
Patton to the Rescue
Eisenhower ordered General Patton to the rescue. Arriving faster than expected Patton slammed into German lines. -
Germans forced to halt
Out of fuel and weakened by heavy losses, German troops headed for Antwerp were forced to halt. -
Soviets push towards Berlin
By the end of the Battle of the Bulge, the Soviets had driven Hitler’s forces out of Russia and across Poland. February 1945, the Soviets were 35 miles from Berlin. -
Nuremberg Trials
International Military Tribunal (IMT) formed
The U.S., Britain, France, and the Soviet Union creat the IMT to punish German and Japanese leaders for war crimes.
22 German leaders were prosecuted at Nuremberg Trials
3 acquitted, 7 given prison sentences and 12 were sentenced to death
Trials until April 1949 leading to 24 more executions and 207 prison sentences.
25 Japanese leaders were charged with war crimes. 18 defendants sentenced to prison, the rest sentenced to death by hanging. -
Germans withdraw
Having suffered more than 100,000 casualties, the Germans began to withdraw. They had very few resources left to prevent the Allies from entering Germany. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
60,000 troops land on Iwo Jima because it was located halfway between the Marianas and Japan. 6,800 Marines were killed capturing the well fortified island. -
Americans cross the Rhine
American tanks crossed the Rhine as German defenses crumbled. American troops raced to within 70 miles of Berlin. -
Firebombing Japan
While American engineers prepared airfields on Iwo Jima, General Curtis LeMay ordered the B-29s to drop napalm so even if they missed the fires would spread to their targets. -
Okinawa
The U.S. needed a place close to Japan to stockpile supplies and build up troops, Iwo Jima was too. Small so Okinawa was chosen. Japanese took up positions in the mountains instead of the beaches. American troops had to fight up steep slopes to dig the Japanese out of the caves and trenches. 12,000 American soldiers, sailors, and marines died during the fighting. June 22, 1945, Okinawa was finally captured. -
President Roosevelt Dies
President Roosevelt dies of a stroke April 12, 1945 in Warm Springs Georgia. Vice President Harry S. Truman became the president -
Soviets reach Berlin
Soviet troops smash through German defenses and reach outskirts of Berlin April 21. -
Hitler commits Suicide
Deep in his Berlin bunker, Hitler commits suicide. -
Germany Surrenders
Germany accepted the terms of unconditional surrender, -
V-E Day
May 8, 1945 proclaimed V-E Day, for Victory in Europe -
World’s first atomic bomb detonated in New Mexico
Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer led the team that built the first atomic bomb in Los Alamos New Mexico. -
Hiroshima
B-29 Ebola Gay drops atomic bomb code named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima destroying 63% of the city, killing between 80,000 and 120,000 people instantly. Thousands more died later from burns and radiation sickness -
Soviets Declare War on Japan
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V-J Day
Japan surrenders,