-
Japanese invasion of China
Japan's invasion of China was due essentially to Japan's desire to be an imperial power. There was both an economic and a militaristic element to this desire. Economically, Japan needed more resources. For this reason, it expanded into Korea and Taiwan and eventually Manchuria. This was also a reason for wanting to break out of Manchuria and dominate China itself. http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/why-did-japan-invade-china-1937-an-what-was-marco-315915 -
Germany's invasion of Poland
Germany invades Poland
German forces have invaded Poland and its planes have bombed Polish cities. The attack comes without warning or declaration of war.
Britain and France have mobilized their forces and are prepared to wage war on Germany for the second time this century.
Today, German tanks, infantry and cavalry penetrated Polish territory on several fronts with five armies, a total of 1.5 million troops. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland) -
German Blitzkrieg
Germany successfully used the Blitzkrieg tactic against Poland (attacked in September 1939), Denmark (April 1940), Norway (April 1940), Belgium (May 1940), the Netherlands (May 1940), Luxembourg (May 1940), France (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941), and Greece (April 1941). Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from German ground attack by the English Channel and the Royal Navy. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005437 -
Fall of Paris
Paris fell to the Germans yesterday. The French, decided not to fight in the capital itself, and withdrew south of the city.
In deciding not to defend Paris the French Command "aimed at sparing it the devastation which defence would have involved. The command considered that no valuable strategic result justified the sacrifice of Paris." http://www.theguardian.com/century/1940-1949/Story/0,,128218,00.html) -
Operation Barbarossa
On 22 June 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Codenamed Operation Barbarossa, it was the largest military operation in history, involving more than 3 million Axis troops and 3,500 tanks. It was the logical culmination of Hitler’s belief that the German ‘master race’ should seek ‘lebensraum’ (living space) in the east, at the expense of the ‘subhuman’ native Slav people, who were to be exterminated. http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/barbarossa) -
Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941: the surprise was complete. The attacking planes came in two waves; the first hit its target at 7:53 AM, the second at 8:55. By 9:55 it was all over. By 1:00 PM the carriers that launched the planes from 274 miles off the coast of Oahu were heading back to Japan.
Behind them they left chaos, 2,403 dead, 188 destroyed planes and a crippled Pacific Fleet that included 8 damaged or destroyed battleships. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pearl.htm -
Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project was a US government research project which developed the first atomic bomb.Only one method was available for the production of the fissionable material plutonium-239. It was developed at the metallurgical laboratory of the University of Chicago and involved the transmutation in a reactor pile of uranium-238. In December 1942 Fermi finally succeeded in producing and controlling a fission chain reaction in this reactor. http://www.britannica.com/event/Manhattan-Project -
Bataan Death March
These brave soldiers were responsible for the defense of the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines.
They fought in a malaria-infested region, surviving on half or quarter rations with little or no medical help. They fought with outdated equipment and virtually no air power. On April 9, 1942, tens of thousands of American and Filipino soldiers were surrendered to Japanese forces. http://bataanmarch.com/bataan-death-march-history/ -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway–one of the most decisive U.S. victories against Japan during World War II–begins. During the four-day sea-and-air battle, the outnumbered U.S. Pacific Fleet succeeded in destroying four Japanese aircraft carriers while losing only one of its own, the Yorktown, to the previously invincible Japanese navy. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-midway-begins -
Battle of Stalingrad
The successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), Russia, U.S.S.R., during World War II. Russians consider it to be one of the greatest battles of their Great Patriotic War, and most historians consider it to be the greatest battle of the entire conflict. It stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the tide of war in favour of the Allies. http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Warsaw Ghetto UprisingOn April 19, 1943, the Warsaw ghetto uprising began after German troops and police entered the ghetto to deport its surviving inhabitants. By May 16, 1943, the Germans had crushed the uprising and left the ghetto area in ruins. Surviving ghetto residents were deported to concentration camps or killing centers. -
Operation Gomorrah
Hamburg was bombed in July 1943 and was the first time that Nazi Germany might have to call for peace. The attack on Hamburg was called ‘Operation Gomorrah’. It was a joint British-American venture. Many of the attacks on Germany up to ‘Gomorrah’ had been separate British (at night) and American (at day) attacks. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/the-bombing-campaign-of-world-war-two/the-bombing-of-hamburg-in-1943/ -
D-Day - Normandy Invasion
June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. https://www.army.mil/d-day/ -
Battle of the Bulge
On December 16, 1944, the largest battle the US Army had ever fought in history began in Belgium. US intelligence had determined that the Ardennes sector was ideal for the rest and reorganization of American combat infantry units, since, by their research, it was defended by limited-service veterans, severely wounded soldiers missing an arm or an eye, too young or too old to pose a serious threat. http:///www.nationalww2museum.org/see-hear/collections/focus-on/bulge-70th.html -
Operation Thunderclap
Twenty aircraft attacked Dresden as detailed. Very slight ground fire was only opposition. The first aircraft over the target reported thin cloud which had cleared for later aircraft. Some aircraft were able to bomb visually. Crews reported the whole town was well alight and could see the glow of fires 10 miles away on return A highly successful raid. http://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/13245-attack-against-dresden-operation-thunderclap/ -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was the first major battle of World War II to take place on Japanese homeland. The island of Iwo Jima was a strategic location because the US needed a place for fighter planes and bombers to land and take off when attacking Japan. http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/battle_of_iwo_jima.php -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima took place during World War II between the United States and Japan. It was the first major battle of World War II to take place on Japanese homeland. The island of Iwo Jima was a strategic location because the US needed a place for fighter planes and bombers to land and take off when attacking Japan. http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/battle_of_iwo_jima. -
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa started on 23 March 1945. The island of Okinawa is located approximately 350 miles south of mainland Japan. The southernmost prefecture of the then-Japanese Empire. The strategic importance of this island cannot be overemphasized. In a time when an invasion of mainland Japan was necessary to end the war, Okinawa was an essential preparation ground and jumping-off point. http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/2012/11/okinawa-final-great-battle-world-war-ii -
VE Day
V-E Day commemorates the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces in 1945, ending World War II in Europe. German military leaders signed surrender documents in Europe on May 7, capitulating to each of their victorious foes. Germany’s partner in fascism, Italy, had switched sides in 1943, though many Italians continued to fight alongside their German comrades in Italy. http://www.historynet.com/v-e-day-1945-the-celebration-heard-round-the-world.html -
Potsdam Declaration
On July 26, 1945, the U.S., Great Britain and China issued the Potsdam Declaration demanding Japan's unconditional surrender and contained no provision guaranteeing continuation of the emperor system, which was key to obtaining surrender. Neither did it hint at the existence of an atomic bomb nor any intent to use such a weapon on Japan. The Japanese government did not accept the Potsdam Declaration. http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/visit_e/est_e/panel/A2_2/2201d.htm -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The United States becomes the first and only nation to use atomic weaponry during wartime when it drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Though the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan marked the end of World War II, many historians argue that it also ignited the Cold War. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
VJ Day
VJ Day, stands for Victory Over Japan or Victory in Japan. V-J Day has sometimes been applied to August 14—the day Japan announced it would surrender unconditionally—but usually refers to August 15—the first day of a two-day celebration in 1945—or to September 2, the day the official instruments of surrender were signed in Tokyo Harbor. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima http://www.historynet.com/v-j-day-1945-the-world-rejoices.htm
