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Pearl Harbor
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii. Japan intended to destroy important American fleet units to enable them to conquer Southeast Asia without interference. Thousands of Americans died and were injured and the U.S. joined WW2. -
Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. The United States was able to preempt and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy due to major advances in code breaking. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position. -
Battle of the Bulge
Adolph Hitler conducted a surprise blitzkrieg to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe. American units fought desperate battles to stem the German advance. The Allied line took on the appearance of a large bulge to stop the Germans from securing vital bridgeheads. Lieutenant General George S. Patton’s successful maneuvering of the Third Army to Bastogne proved vital to the Allied defense, leading to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive despite heavy casualties. -
D-Day (Battle of Normandy)
156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. They attacked because they had been cut off by Germany in the battle of France. Thousands died during D-Day and by the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the Seine River, Paris was liberated and the Germans had been removed from northwestern France. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima stemmed from America's need for a base near the Japanese coast. Three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting. The battle earned a place in American lore with the publication of a photograph showing the U.S. flag being raised in victory. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
US forces liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar, Germany, a few days after the Nazis began evacuating the camp. American forces liberate more than 20,000 prisoners at Buchenwald. American forces also liberate the main camps of Dora-Mittelbau, Flossenbuerg, Dachau, and Mauthausen. -
Battle of Okinawa
The last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. The Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. A countless number of Japanese took their own lives.Winning the Battle of Okinawa put Allied forces within striking distance of Japan. -
VE Day
The public holiday celebrated on 8 May 1945 to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. It thus marked the end of World War II in Europe. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
President Harry S. Truman was warned by some of his advisers that any attempt to invade Japan would result in horrific American casualties. He ordered that the new weapon be used to bring the war to a speedy end. An American bomber, Enola Gay, dropped a five-ton bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. -
VJ Day
It was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as “Victory-over Japan Day.”
