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Start of WWII
Germany Invades Poland and WWII begins. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Japan bombed United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. The bombing killed more than 2,300 Americans. -
US enters WWII
Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Declaration of War on Japan, entering the United States into World War II. -
Germany Declares War on United States
On this day, Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States. -
Battle of Midway
The United States defeated Japan in a naval battle with the few ship they had left. This win allowed US and allies to move into an offensive stance. -
D-Day
Allied powers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. By day’s end, 155,000 Allied troops–Americans, British and Canadians–had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches. Within 3 months, the northern parts of France would be freed from Germans. -
Adolf Hitler Dies
Adolf Hitler commits suicide as he knows that the Germans had lost the war. -
Germany Surrenders
Germany surrenders to the Allies. -
US Drops First Bomb
On this day, the US dropped the first atomic bomb, named Little Boy, on the city of Hiroshima in Japan. The bombed immediately killed more than 80,000 people, about 40,000 later died of radiation exposure. -
US Drops Second Bomb
The US dropped the second atomic bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, on the city of Nagasaki, Japan. This bomb killed more than 40,000 people. This bomb weighed more than 10,000 pounds but did less damage because it was released in a valley between mountains. -
Japan Surrenders
Japanese Air Force and navy had been destroyed, their cities bombed, and their economy left devastated. On August 15, the Japanese had announced their surrender. September 2, the ceremony was held for Japans surrender, as they signed their defeat.
