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Japanese invasion of China
This is the date the Japanese invaded China (Asia), to expand their empire. This took place because the Japanese needed more resources for their empire as it grew. They resorted to the imperialistic nature of conquering Asia. They were successful and controlled China--even capturing their capital. This caused uneasiness between the Western nations and Japan--particularly, America. Later the Japanese joined the Axis powers. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Germany's invasion of Poland
The day World War II started, the invasion of Poland by Germany. After securing the non-aggression pact between Germany and Russia, Germany invaded Poland to restore the land taken from them in the treaty of Versailles. Through this act of aggression the Allied powers declared war on Germany--Thus, World War II started. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005137 -
German Blitzkrieg
The usage of Blitzkrieg warfare--lightning war, is a tactic used by the Germans during World War II. It's the use of rapid attacks to quickly topple defenses and forces in the swiftest fashion--hence lightning war. It was effective in the initial battles of the war, especially with modernized tanks that allowed the Blitzkrieg tactic to be as useful. This won Germany the initial battles of the war.http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
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Fall of Paris
This was the capturing of France by the Germans in World War II. The Americans were unable to send support to the French who were outmatched for the Germans; and so, when the German tanks mobilized into France--two million citizens fled the country. Those who stayed were put under the harsh German regime. As a result, France lost its territory to the Germans and was further occupied by German forces, acting as a front on the West for Germany. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was a German led invasion that betrayed the non-aggression pact by bombing Sterling. This resulted in a long war front in Russia by the Germans and thousands of civilian casualties--the city was destroyed. Russian civilians and military members fought back; however, arming themselves and fortifying cities. Germany was then surrounded and weakened by the conditions. Germany and Russia were at war and Germany lost. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Pearl Harbor
This was the surprise attack committed by the Japanese on the American navy in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This was done as a preemptive strike on the Americans to disable their naval threat from the Japanese, also as a way to discourage the Americans from the War. However, this led to the Americans joining the war after the nation united against the newly presented threat--Japan. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Bataan Death March
After a loss in the Bataan Peninsula, the Americans were forced to surrender. The remaining Americans and Filipinos were then forced on a sixty-five mile trek in intense heat and grueling conditions. Many perished along the walk giving it its name. once at the camp; however, the survivors found similar conditions of heat and brutality from the Japanese. This caused the deaths of thousands and the accusation of war crimes by the Japanese. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Midway
This was a major victory for the U.S. in the Pacific theater, after the Japanese attempted to surprise attack the American navy at Midway. The goal for the Japanese was to destroy the remaining aircraft carriers of the Americans and to capture the Midway island; however, the Japanese plan backfired as four of their aircraft carriers were sunk in battle--a devastating loss. As a result, the Japanese lost a lot of their naval power. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Wannsee Conference
This was a conference held by the German generals in the suburbs of Berlin (Wannsee), to discuss how to deal with the Jewish population. The decision was to send the Jewish people to work camps (concentration camps), where they would work to death; whoever survived the conditions for long enough would be gassed. This would come back at the end of the war--the surviving Nazis had the order commissioned against them in the end of war trials. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Operation Gomorrah
This was a revenge operation to the Germans by the British forces in June, 1943. After the bombing raids on British cities that caused thousands of deaths, Britain launched its own bombing campaign on the German city Hamburg, killing its citizens and war effectiveness. At the end of November of that year is when the bombing campaign ended, after 30,000 German deaths (civilian), and over 280,000 buildings destroyed. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Allied invasion of Italy
This was the Invasion of Italy to capture some European land and take Mussolini out of power--an ally of Germany. This happened as the Allied forces pushed onto the beaches at Sicily and moved their way north; much like Giuseppe in Italy's unification. When they reached Rome (with little resistance), Mussolini was taken from power and the Germans inside of Italy were promptly removed. After this the new Italian government joined the Allies in war. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
This was a massive sea invasion done by the Allied forces into France, which was occupied by Germany at the time.The invasion had over 150,000 soldiers in it that landed on beaches all along Frances coast, such as Utah beach or Omaha beach. This resulted in the deaths of thousands for the beaches, but the beaches allowed the Allied forces then to freely ship supplies and troops into Europe to fight the Germans. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Liberation of concentration camps
Initiated by the Soviets, who liberated camps such as Majdanek, Poland; and Auschwitz. They discovered the horrors of the camps and all of the victims that were hastily left there. Soon after, Allied forces such as Britain and America began liberating camps such as Buchenwald and Dachau and Bergen-Belsen. Throughout, the Allied forces discovered the crimes of the concentration camps which would be used against the Germans after the war. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Budge was a surprise attack by the Germans in the Ardennes Mountains of France. It's goal was to split up and conquer the Allied forces in France, but failed as the weather worsened in the battlefield. During which, soldiers died from the temperatures and ammunition; supplies diminished. By the end of it, Germany had no man-power, fuel or ammunition to sufficiently fight with. They lost and thus lost the Western front in France. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap, also known as the firestorm over Dresden, was a bombing campaign for two days committed by the Allied forces onto the German city of Dresden. It caused thousands of deaths of German citizens and refugees alike, but, had no cause for the attack. The city was only a city of culture and medieval history. As a result, the city was in shambles and between 35,000 and 135,000 civilians died from the bombings. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Iwo Jima
After capturing most of the Japanese extended territories in the Pacific, the Americans launch an amphibious attack on one of the territories in Japanese homelands--Iwo Jima. It was a strenuous battle that was aimed at capturing its airfield to allow air support and bombing campaigns in Japanese territory. This battle took a month as the Americans fought against a well fortified island with bunkers and Japanese tunnels. <http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii (Links to an external site.)> -
Battle of Okinawa
One of the last large battles of the Pacific theater, the Battle of Okinawa. This island was similar to Iwo Jima where the objective was to claim the airfield to have a base near Japan. However, this would result in an 82 day battle. This battle had the Japanese in defense lines all around the island to stop the Americans inside the island rather than the waters edge. However the Americans won giving them an airfield that could reach Japan. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
VE Day
Victory in Europe day, this is the day bot America and Britain celebrate for a victory in Europe. After a long war between the Allied forces and the Central powers, the Allied forces were victorious--decimating the Nazi forces and their allies. This resulted in the release of over 13,000 POW camps throughout Germany and the Nazi party was diminished. The war was over in the European front for the Americans. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii. -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
This was the final strikes on the Japanese that the Americans offered. After offering a peace treaty, the Japanese refused--and so with the invention of the atomic bombs, America dropped its first bomb on Hiroshima, killing 80,000 Japanese instantly. After a second peace treaty being denied by the Japanese, the Americans dropped its second bomb on Nagasaki killing 40,000 instantly. The second attack then prompted the Japanese to surrender.
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VJ Day
Victory over Japan day, the final day of World War II, where the Japanese signed the peace treaty ending the Pacific theater. This was celebrated throughout America and the Allied powers as the war was finally, totally and completely over. So, by the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima--the Japanese agreed to the peace agreement. Overall, this was the end of the war for good. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii
