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The Invasion of Poland
Germany invaded Poland to regain lost territory and ultimately rule their neighbor to the east. The German invasion of Poland was a primer on how Hitler intended to wage war–what would become the “blitzkrieg” strategy. This also was one of the first things the Nazis did to get back what they lost in WW I. -
Great Britain and France Declare War on Nazi Germany
This is significant because it is the beginning of WW II. The declared war to defend the balance of power in Europe and safeguard Britain's position in the world. They often called it the Phony War because little happened after that in Western Europe. -
The Invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and France
They conquered Western Europe and took out Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. They did this so they could invade France. This was bad for Jews because hundreds and thousands of them were now under German control. -
The Battle and Great Escape at Dunkirk
From May 27 to June 4, over 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated from Dunkirk. Critical to this process was the British Royal Air Force, which intercepted German bombers above the beach. Together with the civilians who aided the Royal Navy, they saved countless lives. This boosted morale for soldiers and citizens.This helped Britain to fight on in the summer of 1940. -
The Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was important because it kept Nazi materials of war focused on Britain, steeled the will of the British people to find the war to the end, and demonstrated that the Nazis were not invincible. By denying the Germans the ability to invade, the British were able to keep the war in mainland Europe. This saved a ton of British citizens. -
Selective Service and Training Act
On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in the United States' history. -
Lend-Lease Assistance Act
This system served as a two way purpose. It allowed Roosevelt to send material support to the ant-Nazi allies. It also allowed the U.S. to avoid direct involvement in the widening war. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
This unprovoked attack brought the United States into World War II, as it immediately declared war on Japan. Japan thought that if they attacked Pearl Harbor they wouldn't have to worry about the U.S. interfering but they will later understand the United States real strength. -
America Enters World War II
It's important because it will help lead to the defeat of Hitler and Hirohito. It also helped the United States get the nations economy back on its feet following the Great Depression. -
Germany and Italy Declare War on the United States
This is important because it tells us who likes the United States and who doesn't. It also shows who will be on whose team. It shows us that Germany and Italy want to team up to get the U.S. out of the war because they know that they have been playing a big role with giving the Allies war equipment. -
The Battle of the Coral Sea
This Battle was very important because it was the world's first carrier-vs. -carrier battle, and the first naval battle in which neither side's ships sighted the others. This also was one of the U.S.'s first major battles in WWII. -
The Battle of Midway Island
This Battle was a turning point for the United States. This critical US victory stopped the growth of Japan in the Pacific and put the United States in a position to begin shrinking the Japanese empire through a years-long series of island-hopping invasions and several even larger naval battles. -
The Invasion of North America
The mission was designed to divert German attention from the besieged Soviet Union by opening a second front in the Mediterranean. The success of Operation Torch turned the tide of the war, allowing the Allies to gain the offensive for the first time in three years. -
The Invasion of Sicily and Italy
Operation Avalanche gave the Allies an important foothold for which they could expand into Italy. The precarious situation on the beachhead could have ended in disaster but as it is the Allies were now ashore and ashore in force. Both of these operations helped the allies win the war. -
The D-Day Invasion of France
The Allied forces landed troops on Normandy beaches for the largest amphibious assault in history, beginning the march eastward to defeat Germany. In a larger strategic sense, the successful Allied landing in France was a psychological blow to the German occupation of Europe. -
Nazi Concentration Camps Discovered
This was the Nazis biggest secret and if any other found out about this earlier they probably would have fought more aggressive to stop the terrible massacre. This did save some people in the camps still alive but they killed so many Jews that it doesn't even compare to the people who survived. After this the Nazis were seen as terrible people and this will lead to all of them being executed. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge marked the last German offense on the Western Front. The catastrophic losses on the German side prevented Germany from resisting the advance of Allied forces following the Normandy Invasion. Less than four months after the end of the Battle of the Bulge, Germany surrendered to Allied forces. -
The Yalta Conference
At Yalta, Roosevelt and Churchill discussed with Stalin the conditions under which the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan and all three agreed that, in exchange for potentially crucial Soviet participation in the Pacific theater, the Soviets would be granted a sphere of influence in Manchuria following Japan’s surrender. -
V-E (Victory in Europe) Day
After six horrible years of war fighting the war was finally over. On Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day, Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States. Celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe. -
The Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
Truman's decision was framed by his belief that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would shorten the war and thereby save the lives of tens or hundreds of thousands of American soldiers as well as untold numbers of Japanese soldiers and citizens. This killed a total of 210,00 people including children, women, and men. -
The Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki
The bombs were necessary to bring a swift end to the war with Japan. It was believed that using atomic bombs would compel Japan to surrender unconditionally, thus avoiding a protracted conflict. The first Atomic Bomb had weakened Japan and it even made them think about surrendering, but three days later they would get bombed again and this will ultimately make Japan surrender. -
V-J (Victory over Japan) Day
This marks the end of World War II, one of the deadliest and most destructive wars in history. When President Harry S. Truman announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally, war-weary citizens around the world erupted in celebration. This war killed millions of lives so this made just about the whole world happy and nations will later get together to see what they will do to Japan.