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Germany/Soviet Union invade Poland
German forces led by Hitler attack Poland on land and from air. Adolf Hitler uses the blitzkrieg strategy and overwhelms Poland as early aircraft destroy Poland's defense weapons followed by land invasion with troops, tanks, artillery. Hitler wants to regain lost territory and he starts World War II in Europe (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland). -
Period: to
WWII
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Germany invades France and captures Paris
Germans invaded Paris through mobile and well organized operations. Armored units pushed through the cities which made it easier for German forces. Finally Germany invaded the 6 remaining French divisions, caused them to collapse, and so they moved in and and captured Paris when they surrendered (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml). -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain started when German bombers raided London. German and Britain air craft clashed in the skies and the Germans first attack was successful. Shortly after, Hitler suspended the Battle when their second attempt, on September 15, was unsuccessful as London outnumbered them and shot down the Germans (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-britain). -
Lend Lease Act
On March 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the led lease act mostly to benefit Britain by continuing to aid them with war supplies to fight Germany. Roosevelt proposed this act after Churchill notified him that his country could no longer pay cash for war materials. The lend lease act allowed Britain to "pay back" the U.S in postwar world in other ways such as military bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/lend-lease). -
Germany invades the Soviet Union
On June 22, 1941 Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union under the code name "Barbarossa." It had only been under 2 years since Hitler signed the German-Soviet nonaggression-pact. He moved in on the Soviet Union and the Soviet armies had no choice but to surrender as they were cut off from supplies. Six weeks later when the Germans reached Stalingrad, unequipped for the winter, they were defeated by Soviet troops on December 6th 1941 (https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005164). -
Pearl Harbor
On the Sunday morning of December 7 Pearl Harbor received a surprise attack from Japanese aircraft as they descended on to base. They fired and dropped bombs killing 2,400 civilians and wounding 1,000. They managed to destroy 20 American naval vessels, including 8 huge battleships, and 300 airplanes (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor). -
United States enters WWII
The day following the Pearl Harbor attack Roosevelt declared war on Japan and congress approved his declaration. More than 2 years after WWII started the U.S finally entered the conflict. Then 3 days later Japan and Germany declared war against the United States (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor). -
Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack of Pearl Harbor, Japan had been planning to sink American aircraft carriers that had escaped destruction that day. They had planned an ambush but thanks to U.S code breaking, they failed. The U.S and Japan engaged in a fleet battle in north-central Pacific Ocean and were prepared for what Japan had in store and were victorious (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor). -
D-Day
Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the allied military troops to land in Normandy, France for the liberation of Western Europe. Hitler was expecting attacks from the North and thus refused to release nearby divisions when allies attacked on the coast when he believed it was a distraction. The allies only had a fraction of supplies landed on France but were still victorious and ready to march across the rest of Europe (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day). -
Atomic bombs on Japan
When the allies demanded surrender from the Japanese and threatened them with "destruction," they refused. They were committed to fight to the death. To save the U.S the trouble, Truman decided on dropping the atomic bomb in hopes of a surrender. They dropped two bombs, three days apart, killing thousands of people. With that, Japan's Emperor announced his countries surrender on August 15 in a radio address (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki).
