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German Blitzkrieg (1939-1940)
What happened: Germany used rapid, surprise military tactics (Blitzkrieg or “lightning war”) to invade Poland and other countries, overwhelming them with speed and force.
Why it happened: This was part of Hitler’s strategy to expand the Nazi Empire and assert German dominance in Europe.
Effects: It led to the swift fall of Poland, France, and other nations, and changed the nature of modern warfare, influencing military strategies for decades. -
Pearl Harbor (1941)
What happened: Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.
Why it happened: Japan sought to weaken the U.S. military presence in the Pacific, secure resources, and expand its empire in Asia.
Effects: The attack led to the U.S. entry into WWII, significantly altering the war’s global dynamics. -
Wannsee Conference (1942)
What happened: High-ranking Nazi officials met in Berlin to discuss the "Final Solution," the systematic extermination of Jews.
Why it happened: The Nazis sought a more "efficient" and systematic method of genocide as part of their broader racial policies.
Effects: It formalized the Holocaust, leading to the genocide of six million Jews and millions of others, which remains one of the darkest chapters of human history. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion, 1944)
What happened: Allied forces launched a massive invasion of Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944.
Why it happened: The Allies sought to open a Western front to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union and to begin the liberation of Europe from Nazi control.
Effects: The successful invasion was a turning point in WWII, leading to the liberation of France and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge (1945)
What happened: In December 1944, Germany launched a final counteroffensive in the Ardennes region to split Allied forces and capture key supply routes.
Why it happened: Hitler hoped to drive a wedge between the Allies and weaken their advance into Germany.
Effects: Despite initial German successes, the Allies eventually repelled the offensive, hastening Germany's defeat and the end of the war in Europe. -
Battle of Iwo Jima (1945)
What happened: U.S. Marines captured the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in a brutal battle from February to March 1945.
Why it happened: The U.S. needed the island for its strategic airbases in the Pacific to launch bombing raids on Japan.
Effects: The battle showed the fierce Japanese resistance, but it ultimately provided the U.S. with a critical base for further attacks on Japan. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps (1945)
What happened: As Allied forces advanced into Nazi-occupied Europe, they liberated the concentration camps where millions of Jews and others had been imprisoned and killed.
Why it happened: The Allies' military successes in Europe led to the discovery and liberation of these camps.
Effects: The liberation revealed the full extent of the Holocaust, leading to global outrage and a reevaluation of international human rights. -
VE Day (1945)
What happened: Victory in Europe (VE) Day, celebrated on May 8, 1945, marked the formal surrender of Nazi Germany.
Why it happened: Germany's defeat was assured after the successful Allied invasions and the Soviet capture of Berlin.
Effects: It marked the end of WWII in Europe, but the war continued in the Pacific until Japan's surrender later that year. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs (1945)
What happened: The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Why it happened: The U.S. sought to force Japan's surrender without a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland.
Effects: The bombings led to Japan’s surrender and ended WWII, but also began the nuclear age and raised moral and ethical debates about nuclear warfare. -
VJ Day (1945)
What happened: Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, celebrated on September 2, 1945, marked Japan’s official surrender.
Why it happened: Following the atomic bombings and the Soviet declaration of war on Japan, the Japanese government agreed to surrender.
Effects: It brought an end to WWII, with global implications for international relations and the balance of power in the postwar world.