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Germany Invades Poland (World War II begins)
Germany invades Poland on 1st September, 1939. Britain and France respond by declaring war on Germany, thus World War II breaks out. Poland is divided amongst Germany and the Soviet Union due to prior agreement. -
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Major Events of World War II
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Phoney War
Germany its allies at war with the United Kingdom and France, but there is a lull from October 1939 to April 1940. Aside from a few battles at sea, nothing much occurs. This resulting in the perioid being called the "Phoney War". The British were prepared for mass choas, but nothing happened...yet. -
German Invasion of Denmark and Norway
The "Phoney War" suddenly ends. German forces invade Denmark and Norway with effective procision. The Danes, Norwegians, and British can provide only token resistance. Strategically valuable Norway quickly falls under complete control of the Third Reich within weeks. -
Battle of France
Germany invades France, the Netherlands and Belgium. The German blitzkireg tactic overwhelms the French and British in just a few short weeks. France surrenders, and Britain evacuates its forces from Dunkirk to Britain. Germany now controls Western Europe. -
Battle of Britain
With Western Europe under German control, the United Kingdom remained the last democracy in Europe. German Luftwaffe planes carried out constant attacks over the skies of Britain in battle with the Royal Air Force. By gaining control of the skies, the Luftwaffe was attempting to set the stage for a German invasion. However, the determined British were able to hang on and win the battle in the air despite the devastating consequences of boming to British cities. -
Operation Barbarossa
Nazi Germany shocks the world by invading the Soviet Union. The Soviets, who had been under a "non-aggression pact" with Germany, immediately seek whatever assistance the United Kingdom can provide. Germany is met with vast early success, its blitzkrieg tactics moving it deep into the Soviet Union in mere weeks. -
Battle of Moscow Launched
German assault on Moscow has the world holding its breath. However, the brutal Russian winter leads the Germans to stall after getting to within sight of the Kremlin. The Soviets counterattack, and while the German line holds, any hopes of a quick Axis victory in the war are dashed. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing over 2,000 U.S. sailors. The U.S. declares war on Japan, and Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S. Thus, the U.S. was now brought into World War II. -
Battle of Midway
Japan had launched an all-out assault in unison with the attack on Pearl Harbor and controlled all of East Asia and was aiming to extend their dominance to the Central Pacific. However, at the Battle of Midway, the U.S. Navy struck a crippling blow to the Japanese ambitions. It was clear that the Japanese would no longer sail the Pacific unchallenged. -
Battle of Guadalcanal Begins
U.S. Marines land on Guadalcanal to start going on the offensive against the Japanese. Japan was threatening Australia, but in ferocious fighting in horid conditions, the U.S. Marines were able to prove victorious over the Japanese defenders. This was the first major victory on land against the Japanese and is noted as a turning point in the war in the Pacific. The U.S. was now on the offensive and the "island hopping" campaign towards Japan was underway -
Operation Torch
U.S. and U.K. forces successfully land in North Africa. As a result, they are able to push the German forces out of North Africa and back into Italy. Eventually, the Allies invade Italy and bring about Italy's surrender in 1943. -
Soviet Victory at Stalingrad
The largest battle in the history of warfare resulted in a Soviet victory with the surrender of the German 6th Army. This battle, which became a personal test of will between Hitler and Stalin, resulted in horrific casualties on both sides in the hand to hand figting that took place. The loss of the 6th Army was a crippling blow to the Germans. The Soviets had turned the tide and gained the initiiative on the Eastern Front -
Battle of Kursk
After stabalizing the front after the disastrous defeat at Stalingrad, the Germans resumed one last major offensive on the Eastern Front in July 1943 at Kursk. This was the largest tank battle in the history of warfare, but thanks to an intelligence tip off, the Soviets were ready. The resulting Soviet victory left the Germans severely weakened and short on manpower and materiel. From this point onwards, it was the Soviets who were on the offensive and the Germans forced to retreat. -
Operation Overlord (D-Day)
The U.S. and U.K. storm the beaches at Normandy and begin the liberation of France. This opened the Western Front, and Germany was now facing a two front war with the U.S. and U.K. advancing from the West (and South through Italy) and the Soviets from the east. -
Battle of the Bulge
With the U.S. and U.K. about to invade Germany from the west, and the Soviets from the east, Hitler took one last ambitious gamble to try and cut the Western Front in two and force the U.S. and U.K. to a settlement. The Germans advanced ferociously with poor weather taking away Allied air support. However, after a couple weeks the advance was halted. Germany was exhausted and the stage for the invasion of Germany was set. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The U.S. island hopping campaign had continued success, albeit at heavy costs. At Iwo Jima, Marines encountered ferocious Japanese resistance and their general refusal to surrender. This was the first time they had landed on Japanese territory. After a month of savage fighting, Iwo Jima was in U.S. hands. Iwo Jima is the site of the famous flag-raising by the U.S.M.C. -
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa begins. The last stop of the island hopping campaign, Okinawa was a Japanese island with a large civilian population. US Marines and Army faced suicidal resistance from the Japanese, who wanted to make sure the U.S. realized how costly an invasion of mainland Japan would be. Japanese kamikaze attacks were constant, and Japanese troops fought to the death. However, the U.S. was able to overcome the dogged resistance and take Okinawa. -
Battle of Berlin
With U.S. and U.K. troops storming across Germany from the west and the Soviets from the east, the Soviets were given the right to take Berlin. With Hitler's Reich crumbling, the Soviets fought their way into Berlin and took the German capital, committing horrific reprisals against German civilians in retribution for German actions in Russia. Hitler committed suicide April 30 with the Soviets just blocks away from his bunker. -
Germany Surrenders
With Germany occupied by the Allies, Hitler dead, and the situation futile, Germany surrenders unconditionally. Europe begins the long process of rebuilding, and the horrors of Nazism and the war become fully known. Germany divided into American, British, French and Soviet zones of occupation -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima.
Fearing the extremely high costs of an invasion of Japan, and after warning the Japanese about possessing a weapon capable of unprecented destruction and receiving no response, President Truman ordered an atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The Japanese still refused surrender, so another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later. On Aug 15, the Japanese announced their surrender to the Allies. -
Japanese Sign Instrument of Surrender.
Japan signs the instrument of surrender. World War II, a conflict that spanned the globe and resulted in tens of millions of deaths, had officially ended. America entered the postwar era as an unprecedented world superpower.
