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German Invasion of Poland
Location: Poland, eastern Germany, and the Free City of Danzig.
Countries involved: (Axis Won) Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, Slovak Republic, Poland
Importance- This battle is what basically started World War 2. It made Germany the bad guy and raised major red flags. -
Battle of Britain
Location: British airspace
Countries involved: (Allies Won)United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy
Importance- First major battle fought with planes. Also the first defeat for Hitler. -
Operation Barbarossa
Location: Central, Northeast, and Eastern Europe
Countries involved: (Allies Won)Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Soviet Union
Importance- A crucial turning point in the war. Made Germany fight two different ways. -
Battle of Moscow
Location: Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR
Countries involved: (Allies Won)Germany, Soviet Union
Importance- The Soviets held off the serious attempt to capture their capital. One of the biggest battles in the war. -
Pearl Harbor
Location: Primarily Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S
Countries Involved: (Axis Won)Empire of Japan, United States
Importance- Japan wanted to sink US aircraft carriers. Brought the US into the war. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
Location: Coral Sea, between Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands
Countries Involved: (Allies Won) United States, Australia, Japan
Importance- First carrier vs carrier battle ever. First time allies stopped Japanese from advancing. -
Battle of Midway
Location: Midway Atoll
Countries Involved: (Allies won) United States, Japan
Importance- Turned the tide of war in pacific.Dashed japans hopes of defeating US navy. -
Guadalcanal Campaign
Location: Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands
Countries Involved: (Allies won)United States, United Kingdom, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, Japan
Importance- First major offensive victory for allies. Often considered a turning point in the war. -
Operation Torch
Location: French Morocco and French Algeria
Countries Involved: (Allies won) United States, United Kingdom, India, Free France, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Vichy France, Algeria, Morocco, Germany, Italy
Importance- First time USA and UK worked together with a plan. Allies defeated Axis colonies in North Africa -
Battle of Kursk
Location: Eastern Front near Kursk (450 kilometres or 280 miles south-west of Moscow) in the Soviet Union
Countries Involved: (Allies won) Soviet Union, Germany
Importance- Biggest tank battle in WW2. Resulted in severe crisis for Germany’s war machine. -
Normandy (D-day)
Location: Normandy, France
Countries Involved: (Allies Won) United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, New Zealand, Germany
Importance- Largest military operation by sea in history. Also considered a Turning point in the war. -
Philippines Campaign
Location: Philippines
Countries Involved: (Allies won) United States, Philippine Commonwealth, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Philippine Republic
Importance- a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. Initiated by Japan but won by Allies. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Location: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands
Countries Involved: (Allies won) USA, Japan
Importance- It was the first major battle of World War II to take place on Japanese homeland. The island of Iwo Jima was a strategic location because the US needed a place for fighter planes and bombers to land and take off when attacking Japan -
Battle of Owikana
Location: Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture, Ryukyu Islands, Empire of Japan
Countries Involved: (Allies won) United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Empire of Japan
Importance-It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies.
