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Allies Liberate Paris
With the help of the French Resistance--French civilians who had secretly organized to resist the German occupation--the Allied Forces liberated Paris. French citizens flooded the streets and greeted Allied troops to celebrate France's liberation. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive launched toward the end of World War II. For the Americans, with 840,000 men and 89,000 casualties, the Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest battle that they fought. After three weeks of fighting, US troops claimed victory. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
60,000 U.S. Marines land on the Island of Iwo Jima in order to have closer access to the Japanese mainland. Iwo Jima was perfectly located but the terrain was a nightmare. 6,800 marines were kiled capturing the island. -
Firebombing Tokyo
Napalm bombs dropped by B-29s to destroy Japan's war production. Napalm was a kind of jellied gasoline and started huge fires that resulted in the destruction of Tokyo and the deaths of many civilians. 80,000 people were killed and more than 250,000 buildings were destroyed. -
The Invasion of Okinawa
US military leaders believed that Japan would not surrender until the mainland had been invaded. Strategists chose Okinawa, 350 miles from Japan, as a base. Japanese troops hid in the mountains and forced US troops to fight their way up steep slopes against machine gun fire. 12,000 American soliders died. US finally took the island on June 22. -
FDR dies
President Roosevelt dies of a stroke and VP Harry Truman is named President. -
Battle of Berlin
Soviet troops smash through German defenses and reach outskirts of Berlin. Hitler commits suicide inside a Berlin bunker of April 30. -
V-E Day
After losing Berlin, Germany accepts Allied terms of unconditional surrender and "Victory in Europe" is proclaimed. -
The Manhattan Project
The secret American program to build an atomic bomb was code-named the Manhattan Project. A team of engineers and scientists led by Robert Oppenheimer built the world's first atomic bomb in a laboratory in New Mexico. It was detonated on July 16, 1945 in the desert. -
Hiroshima Bombed
A B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb, code named "Little Boy" on Hiroshima. 63% of the city was destroyed and between 80,000 and 120,000 people were killed instantly. -
Nagasaki Bombed
3 days later, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and the US dropped a second atomic bomb, code-named "Fat Man" on the city of Nagasaki. "Fat Man" killed between 35,000 and 74,000 people. -
V-J Day
Faced with such massive destruction and the shock of the Soviets joining the war, the Japanese emperor ordered his government to surrender. "Victory in Japan" meant the long war was finally over.
