Major World War 2 Battles

Battle of France/ Miracle of Dunkirk

May 10, 1940

1. The Germans invaded France, sending the British and French military forces back out to sea.
2. After the Germans sent the Allies to the sea, Hitler ordered them to stop and resupply.
3. The battle resulted in the fall of France, shortly after.
4. The invasion started with German air raids on Holland and Belgium.
5. The invasion is also known as The Fall of France This invasion caused France to fall, and drop out of the war. Parts of France were put under German and Italian occupation.

Battle of Britain

Jul 10, 1940

1. The battle was a military campaign by Nazi Germany.
2. It ended October 31, 1940
3. The British were victorious in this invasion/battle
4. The British had developed a highly effective air defense network, which caused them to win.
5. While the invasion started in July, the air raid didn't start until August. This battle was a significant turning point in the war because Germany could not gain superiority over the Birtish air force.

Battle of Leningrad

Sep 8, 1941

1. This battle is also called the 900-day siege.
2. Over one million civilians died in this siege.
3. The Soviet Union won, they lifted the blockade of Leningrad.
4. The victory was a big humiliation for Hitler.
5. The end date was January 27, 1944 This battle was the longest and bloodiest battle in the history of warfare.

Battle of Stalingrad

Aug 23, 1942

1. The battle resulted in Soviet victory, and destruction of the 6th German army.
2. The battle was the first major loss of Germany in the war.
3. After Germany lost, they didn't gain advance further into eastern Russia or Europe.
4. The battle effectively achieved its goal of stopping Germany from advancing any farther in the war.
5. The battle turned the course of the war in favor of the Allies. The battle decisively turned the war in favor of the Allies, stopped Germany from advancing.

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

1. The battle was initially called "Operation Gymnast"
2. The battle ended on November 11th, three days later.
3. Operation Torch was lead by the Algerian-Moroccan military.
4. This battle was the first time the British and Americans worked together on an invasion plan.
5. The African military surrendered, leaving America and Britain victorious. This battle was the first time America and Britain worked together, amking the ivasion important to the Allies.

D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

1. The code name for the battle was Operation Overload.
2. The invasion was postponed from the 4th to the 6th because of bad weather.
3. More than 160,000 Allied troops invaded Western Europe.
4. The Allied casualties are estimated to be over 10,000.
5. It was the largest amphibious invasion in history The battle was one of many that lead to the conclusion of the war. This battle also resulted in Allied victory, and freedom in France.

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

1. This battle involved the Allies, Canada, and Germany.
2. Germany tried to push the Allies front line to northwestern Belguim from northern France.
3. The Germans lost the battle, and it lasted about a month and a half.
4. The battle was also called "Operation Mist".
5. The battle was the largest fought on the western front in WWII. The Germans lost so many resources and people, they could not suffer to attack again. This can be sonsidered the "beginning of the end" of the war.

Battle of Berlin

Apr 16, 1945

1. The battle involved Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and Poland.
2. The Soviets were victorious in this battle.
3. The Soviet Union took power over Berlin.
4. This resulted in the fall of Germany, and the end of Hitler's rule.
5. This was the final invasion/battle of WWII. This battle resulted in part of the end, the fall of Germany, the end of Hitler's rule over Germany, and it was the final major offensive battle in WWII.