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The Rape of Nanking
During the Japanese invasion of China, the capital city of China, Nanking had fallen to Japanese forces. Japan destroyed most of the city. The rape of Nanking was called this as the Japanese had brutally murdered both civilians and soldiers, and sexually assaulted many Chinese women. It was estimated 150,000 war prisoners were butchered, killed an additional 50,000 male civilians and raped 20,000 women and girls.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-rape-of-nanking -
Japanese Invasion of China
Conflict broke out between China and Japan due to China resisting the expansion of Japanese influence in China's territory. Japan controlled most of Manchuria, knowing that Chinese citizens wanted to take back control over Manchuria. the Japanese quickly took all of the key Chinese ports and industrial centres. The effects of Japan invading China were; 20 million casualties and 15 million wounded for China.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Sino-Japanese-War -
German Blitzkrieg
In German the word blitzkrieg translates to lightning war. Germany used the blitzkrieg strategy to avoid long wars. In blitzkrieg weapons such as tanks, planes, and artillery were used. Germany used the blitzkrieg strategy to attack Poland(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)
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
The Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was a non-violent pact that was signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939. Before WWII had even begun, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to not to be included in any military action between them for ten years. This gave the Soviet Union to be on peaceful terms and to not worry about war between Germany. In Germany's perspective this gave them time to build up an army. In June 1941 the pact was broken due to Nazi Germany invasion on the Soviet Union. -
Pearl Habor
On December 7, 1941 Japanese forces attacked a U.S naval base in Honolulu. The United States and Japan were leaning towards war fighting for years, the United States did not like how Japans attitude towards China, talking about the invasion and the rape of Nanking. The effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor include, the damage to 8 battleships, and over 300 air planes, it is estimated that about over 2,400 Americans died during this also including civilians, and 1,000 were wounded. -
Operation Barbarossa
Germany had launched an invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II on January 22, 1941. This invasion was called Operation Barbarossa. Adolf Hitler was too quick to think of victory, instead he and his Nazis had failed attempts due to the strategic blunders and harsh winter weather. German forces had suffered attrition.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa -
Wannsee Conference
Rienhard Heydrich was the chief of the main office that convened the Wannsee Conference. At the conference, Heydrich presents a plan to organise a European- wide final solution. The final solution was a plan to annihilate the European Jews. It was to be said around 11 million Jews would fall during the final solution.
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/wannsee-conference-and-the-final-solution -
Bataan Death March
The Bataan death march forced 75,000 both Filipino and American troops on the Philippine Island to walk a 65 mile march to prison camps. The Japanese were in control of the Island after the U.S had surrendered. So the Japanese subjected the American and Filipino troops to brutal treatment. It was estimated that 17,000 men died during the Bataan death march.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
D-Day
D day was the invasion of the beaches at Normandy located in Northern France, from the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. America and the British considered doing an Allied invasion across the English channel. D-day was the critical turning point for ending World War II.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The battle of Iwo Jima was between U.S marines and the imperial army of Japan in 1945. The U.S marines invaded Iwo Jima on the day of February 19,1945. This war happened because the Japanese fighters had been intercepting B-29s and also attacking Mariana airfields. The fighting between the U.S and Japan had lasted 36 days and within those days, 7,000 U.S marines were killed, 20,000 were wounded and the marines had captured 216 Japanese soilders and the rest were killed in action. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The Nazis of Germany had created concentration camps, mass graves and other Nazi crimes. The allied and soviet troops had encountered these such things as they were moving across Europe. The unspeakable things were going on in concentration camps such as killing of Jews, slavery, poverty etc. The first camp to be liberated was Majdanek near Poland in July 1944. Another concentration camp that had been liberated was Auschwitz in January 1945. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The battle of the bulge was in the Ardennes region of Belgium, and it was Hitlers last offensive in WWII against the western front. During the Six weeks between December 16 1944 to January 25 1945 30 German divisions attacked battle-fatigued American troops across the Ardennes forest. The effects of the battle of the bulge was america had suffered over 100,000 casualties
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
Atomic bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Hiroshima was bombed on August 6, 1945 and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 both by the U.S. These two bombings marked the first use of atomic weapons in WWII. Tens of thousands had been killed in the initial explosion and countless more were wounded. The two bombs were apart of the Manhattan project.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
VJ Day
VJ day also known as victory over Japan day marked the end of World War II, which is similar to VE day. President Harry S. Truman announced that Japan had surrendered on August 14, 1945. Citizens around the world celebrated happiness.
https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Experience/VJ-Day/#:~:text=V%2DJ%20Day%2C%20or%20Victory%20over,the%20world%20erupted%20in%20celebration. -
VE Day
VE day is known as victory day in Europe. Day of celebration is May 8, 1945. The VE day is the marking of the end of World War II. World War II lasted for 5 years, the U.S and allied troops invaded Normandy, France. This invasion ended the Nazi party and the reign of Adolf Hitler. Making a day to celebrate
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe