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Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (Manchuko)
(September 18th, 1931- February 27th, 1932)
Japan invaded Manchuria for raw materials to help fuel the industries that were growing at the time. Manchuria was seized and became a puppet state for Japan. -
Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany
Hitler was finally appointed Chancellor of Germany after the Nazi party gained popularity throughout the majority of the country. -
Battle of Midway
(June 4th- June 7th, 1942)
A naval battle of WWII in which it was almost entirely fought by aircraft. The US destroyed most of Japan best trained naval pilots. -
Nanking Massacre/Rape of Nanking
A series of rape and murder were committed by the Japanese against the Chinese. They executed about 150,000 male war prisoners, murdered about 50,000 male civilians, and raped around 20,000 females of all ages most of which were mutilated, killed, or both in the process. -
Kristallnacht
(November 9th- November 10th, 1938)
Kristallnacht was a wave of antisemitic violence that occurred throughout the night of November 9th. Nazi members would raid houses and it became known as ‘The Night of Broken Glass’ due to the amount of windows of Jewish homes and stores that were shattered by Nazi regime members. -
Munich Conference
This conference made Czechoslovakia surrender its Suedeten region (border and defenses) to Nazi Germany in order to avoid war. It was attended by Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany. -
Non-Aggression Pact is signed
A pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany to divide Poland between them and an agreement to not go to war with each other. -
Germany’s Invasion of Poland/Blitzkrieg
(September 1st- October 6th, 1939)
A campaign started by Hitler where an ethnic war and unspeakable, unrelentless brutality was committed by Nazis, Police Squads, SS troops, and the army in Poland. -
Dunkirk
(May 27th- June 4th, 1940)
During these 9 days, around 338,000 French and British soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk. This event boosted British morale significantly during the war. -
Fall of Paris
(June 14th 1940)
A month after the German Wehrmacht invaded France, Paris fell to Nazi Germany. -
The Blitz
(September 7th, 1940- May 11th, 1941)
An 8-month-long bombing campaign done by Nazi Germany against the United Kingdom in which Germany dropped bombs on top of major cities -
Selective Training and Service Act is passed
(September 16th, 1940)
This act required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft and was the first time the US used a draft. -
Operation Barbarossa
(June 22nd- December 5th, 1941)
Nazi Germany’s plan to conquer the Soviet Union by seizing cities and overthrowing the government. However, this plan failed due to mainly being unprepared for certain conditions. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
(December 7th, 1941)
A surprise aerial attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor was done by the Japanese against the US. This worsened US relations with Japan and ultimately lead the US to join WWII. -
Bataan Death March
(April 9th, 1942)
The death march of an estimated 80,000 prisoners of war (approximately 70,000 Filipino and 10,000 Americans) on which the Japanese military forced them to march 66 miles while suffering from starvation and sleeping in harsh conditions. Those who could not make it were beaten, sometimes beheaded, and killed. -
Battle of Stalingrad
(July 17th 1942- February 2nd, 1945)
A major battle in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought unsuccessfully against the Soviet Union unsuccessfully for control over the city of Stalingrad -
D-Day
(June 6, 1944)
160,000 allied troops landed along a 50 miles long stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline. This became known as the largest invasion force in human history. -
Battle of Bulge
(December 16th, 1944- January 25th, 1945)
During the Battle of Bulge, the Allies won. This meaning higher casualties on the German side even though they succeeded in a surprise attack on Allied forces. The Germans lost 120,000 people and military supplies while the Allies only 75,000 casualties. -
Yalta Conference
(February 4th- February 11th, 1945)
Each leader had their own agenda. Roosevelt wanted Soviet support in the U.S. Pacific War against Japan. He also wanted Soviet participation in the UN. Churchill wanted free elections and democratic governments in Central Europe more specifically Poland and Eastern Europe. Stalin wanted a Soviet sphere of political influence in Central and Eastern Europe. But even after all of this talk the Yalta Conference failed. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
(February 19th- March 26, 1945)
One of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history. Iwo Jima was an emergency landing site for more than 2,220 B-29 bombers and saving 24,000 lives of U.S. airmen. Iwo Jima prepared for the last and longest battles in the Pacific the invasion of Okinawa. -
VE Day
(May 8th, 1945)
VE Day meaning "Victory in Europe Day", Germany surrendered military forces to the Allies. This day marks the end of WWll in Europe. -
Battle of Okinawa
(April 1st- June 22nd, 1945)
Taking Okinawa would provide Allie forces an airbase in which bombers could strike Japan and advantage anchorage for Allie fleets. From Okinawa, US forces could increase air strikes against Japan and blockade important logistical routes. -
Dropping the Atomic Bombs
(August 6th- August 9th, 1945)
The United States detonated two atomic bombs over Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This killed 129,000 to 226,000 people. -
VJ Day
(August 15th- September 2nd, 1945)
VJ Day meaning "Victory over Japan Day", marks the end of WWll. Japan surrendered, -
Adolf Hitler commits suicide
Hitler hid in a bunker under his headquarters and committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head.
