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Lebensraum
Lebensraum was a German belief for “living space”. It is the territory that a nation believes is necessary for its development. For Hitler and Nazi Germany, it focused on Slavic people and the Soviet Union. He wanted to turn it into a colony and have control over all of its natural resources. -
Second Sino-Japanese War
In 1937, Japan invaded China. A small dispute on the Marco Polo bridge led to a battle which led to the full scale war. The war was the result of Japanese imperialistic policies to acquire raw materials, food, and labor. This event is seen as the start of the war in Asia and initial event in World War II. It took up all of the fighting in the Pacific until the attack on Pearl Harbor. -
Germany Annexes Sudetenland
After Germany reoccupied the Rhineland, the British and French prime minister felt they had to sign the Munich Pact with Hitler. After World War 1, they wanted to avoid war at all costs, so giving the land over without fighting seemed like the best solution. This agreement gave Germany Sudetenland without Czechoslovakian consent. -
Munich Conference
Hitler,Mussolini,Daladier,and Chamberlain met to try and keep peace in Europe.To achieve this they came to an agreement that Germany could have the sudetenland of czechoslovakia if they in turn would promise peace.With most of Czechoslovakia’s resources Germany had the advantage it needed to take over the rest of the country.In an effort to keep peace Germany was given just what it needed to begin a war. -
Tanks in the War
Tanks were used much more often and much more efficiently. They helped prevent the stalemate that was World War 1. Germans used them in their Blitzkrieg while the French tended to put them in their slow-moving infantries. Tanks were mass produces on both sides and were a major source of income for people. They were seen in most battles. -
Invasion of Poland
1.5 million german troops invade poland,bombed polish airfields,and battle polish navy claiming it was a defensive move.Hitler intendended to enslave the slavs and split the land with the USSR.This and the pact made with Poland to protect them, lead to Britain and France's declaration of war on Germany. -
Battle of Britain
In the summer of 1940, the largest bombing campaign ever took place between Germany and Great britain's air forces. It lasted for several months with the the British coming out victorious. This victory kept the Germans from invading their homeland and capturing more territory.Proving that they should not underestimate Great Britain and that winning this war will not be easy for the Germans. -
Women in the War
World War ii brought millions of women into the workforce. They began to do many more jobs outside of traditional jobs, like welding and building. Japanese women faced discrimination and were dislocated to concentration camps during the war. Childcare became much more efficient as mothers went to work; the First Lady created seven centers, serving 105,000 children. Rosie the Riveter became a national figure of strength for women as she was feminine yet tough. -
Pearl Harbor
In December 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and brought the United States into the war. The American people were now against the Japanese and this ensured that they would enter the war. They had been preparing for years for the inevitability of war. This led America to become a “great arsenal for democracy” and sell arms to France and Britain. -
Operation Barbarossa
Adolf Hitler sent 3 million German soldier into battle against the Soviet Union on June 22 1941. The soldiers sent represented Germany's best and how strong they were as a country. They went into battle not only intending to win but assuming they would. When the operation failed it was devastating to Germany, they were now fighting a war on two fronts weakening their stance immensely. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The battle is famed for being one of “the largest, longest, and bloodiest engagements in modern warfare”.The battle took place from August 1942 through February 1943 during which 2 million people died. Stalingrad was one of Russia's foremost industrial cities, the battle here pushed the allied forces to an advantage in WWII. -
Battle of Alamein
The Battle of Alamein took place in El Alamein, Egypt between the Axis and Allied powers. The Allies were able to prevent the Axis powers from advancing further into Egypt while both sides accumulated weapons. After the battle, British General Sir Claude Auchinleck was relieved from duty and two other Generals took his place. The war was eventually won with General Montgomery. It led to the retreat of the African Korps and Germany’s surrender of Northern Africa in May 1943. -
Invasion of Italy
On July 10 1943 the allied troops invaded Italy and in just 3 days had brought along 150,000 troops.On July 25 Mussolini resigned and Marshal Pietro Badoglio took power and immediately sought agreement with the allied troops in secret. On September 8th it was announced that the italians would surrender to the allied forces.This demonstrated the power they had to Germany. -
D Day
The Battle of Normandy began on June 6, 1944, when 156,000 soldiers from Great Britain, The United States, and Canada invaded five beaches on the coast of France. It was one of the largest aquatic military assaults in history and resulted in the death of over 4,000 allied troop soldiers. The battle leads to the liberation of Paris and to Germany exiting northwestern France. It was the” beginning of the end of war in Europe” . -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
At the end of the war, the United Staes dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6. When the Japanese refuse to surrender, they dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki and the Soviet Union declared war all on August 9th. The Japanese surrendered on August 15th, 1945.
