Timeline of Key Events in WWII

By brian_
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    Kokoda Campaign

    • It happened on the Kokoda Trail/Track during 1939/1945.
    • The Japanese were trying to capture Port Moresby by going along the Trail which would give them a base to attack Australian mainland and Pacific shipping. The Japanese forces failed after Australia managed to drive them out of Ioribaiwa.
    • The Australians were able to drive the Japanese out, ceasing all Japanese resistance in Papua. Thousands either died of sickness or injuries.
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    Battle of Britain

    • It happened between July and September 1940 in the skies above Britain
    • The Battle of Britain was between Great Britain’s and Germany’s air forces. Germany attempted to air raid Britain, and Britain defended itself in this battle.
    • The Battle of Britain allowed Britain to avoid being invaded by the German army. This victory allowed Britain to survive and eventually defeat Germany.
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    Evacuation from Dunkirk

    • Happened between 26 May to 4 June 1940 in Dunkirk (Northern France)
    • The evacuation from Dunkirk was the evacuation of over 300 thousand Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk. This evacuation helped the Allies retain a significant amount of troops.
    • This event led to increased efforts to improve Britain’s military capabilities against the Germans. It also boosted the morale of the soldiers.
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    Fall of Paris

    • Happened between June 5–25, 1940 and happened in Paris, France
    • The French were unable to stop Germany’s invasion. The Axis took control of France.
    • This caused France to be put under German occupation, and it allowed Germany to make further advancements on other fronts to expand its territory.
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    Battle of Tobruk

    • Happened between 10 April and 27 November 1941 in the North African port of Tobruk.
    • The Battle of Tobruk was a battle between Allied and Axis forces in North Africa. This siege lasted for over 240 days.
    • The Allies eventually made it past the German forces and managed to take back the garrison at Tobruk. With this victory, the Allies were able to hold and defend Egypt and the Suez Canal. This forced the Axis to send supplies for much longer distances.
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    Operation Barbarossa

    • Happened in Russia (Soviet Union)
    • Was an attempted invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany and its Axis allies.
    • Failed because Germans had a lack of resistance to the harsh winters in the Soviet Union.
    • This was the first time the German army suffered from a major defeat. Germany’s military capabilities were significantly weakened after the event and the Soviet Union cooperated with the Allies, which in turn led to the victory of the Allies.

  • Attack on Pearl Harbour

    • Happened in Pearl Harbour (Hawaii, USA)
    • The attack on Pearl Harbour was a naval and air surprise attack carried out by the Japanese. A Japanese dive-bomber initiated the attack and the attack damaged a large amount of the infrastructure and ships stationed there.
    • The American navy was significantly weakened. However, many of the ships damaged in the attack were quickly repaired on-site. The Americans quickly shifted focus to fighting with Japan. This eventually led to Japan’s surrender.
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    Fall of Singapore

    • It happened between 8 February 1942 - 15 February 1942 in Singapore.
    • Australia invested in making a base in Singapore where there would be a very strong navy. This was called the Singapore Strategy. However, the Japanese were experienced and organised and were able to quickly capture Singapore.
    • Many Allied troops were taken prisoner and this caused a “paradigm shift in the foreign policy for the Australian Government”.
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    Bombing of Darwin

    • Happened in the city of Darwin, Australia
    • Darwin was a key asset in Australia’s defences against the Japanese attacks in the Pacific. Japanese bombers bombed Darwin over 64 times throughout the event.
    • Hundreds of Allied soldiers were killed in the bombings. Many facilities in Darwin were destroyed. This led to a slight change in plans by the Australian’s defence. They cooperated more with other Allied countries and spent more money on Northern defence.
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    Midget Sub Attack on Sydney

    • Happened between 31 May and 8 June 1942 in Sydney Harbour, Australia
    • Japanese submarines attempted to enter Sydney Harbour and sink some Allied warships. Two were detected and attacked. One submarine tried to torpedo a warship but instead sank a ferry.
    • This was the first time Australia had been attacked by a foreign power since the Europeans settled. This attack heightened security measures and highlighted weaknesses in Sydney Harbour’s defences.
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    Battle of Midway

    • It happened between 4th and 7th June 1942 in Midway Atoll.
    • It was a major naval battle between the United States and Japan
    • Japan lost massive amounts of vehicles and men. Some Japanese survivors were found by the US Navy in the following days and they were interrogated in order to earn vital intel about the Japanese naval capabilities.
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    D-Day

    • Happened between June 6, 1944 - and July 9, 1944, on five different beach fronts in France.
    • Troops from the US, Canada, UK and other Allied countries landed on the northern beaches of France and assaulted the beaches of Normandy.
    • This allowed them to get more troops in Europe and were able to push back against the Axis powers. This eventually led to the defeat of Germany.
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    The Bombing of Dresden

    • Happened between February 13–15, 1945, in the German city of Dresden.
    • The Allies (the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces) bombed the city of Dresden, in Germany. This destroyed over 12000 buildings in the city. It killed over 22 thousand civilians.
    • Some argue that this was an unnecessary act of terror by the Allies but others say that it was required to bring an end to World War II.

  • Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima

    • It happened on 6th August 1945, in Hiroshima.
    • The United States wanted to reduce their casualties by forcing the Japanese to surrender. At this point, Germany had already surrendered and the United States decided to bomb Hiroshima.
    • This caused the end of WWII as Japan, the only opposing force to the Allies, surrendered. Half of Hiroshima’s population was killed within 1 year either due to the blast or radiation.