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Nanking Massacre
The Nanking massacre was a mass killing and ravaging of Chinese citizens and capitulated soldiers by Japanese Soldiers after the Japanese seizure of Nanking, China in which the number of chinese killed ranged from 100,000 to over 300,000. https://www.britannica.com/event/Nanjing-Massacre -
The Third Reich invades Poland
On September 1 of 1939, Hitler orders troops to enter and invade Poland with overwhelming land and aerial military force leading Warsaw, the capital of Poland, to surrender on September 3 of 1939. This Event led France and Britain to declare war on the Third Reich thus beginning the Second World War.https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939 -
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg (German for "Lightning War") was a military tactic calculated to create psychological shock and resultant disorganization in enemy forces through the employment of surprise, speed, and superiority in material or firepower by Nazi Germany during WW2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/blitzkrieg -
The Battle of Britain
The Third Reich lays seige on Great Britain via air raids of the German Luftwaffe (air force) with Britain successfully defending itself against Germany with the Royal Air Force, Germany withdrew its forces. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Britain-European-history-1940 -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a Naval and Aerial battle between US and Japanese forces at the Midway Islands resulting in US victory. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a defensive battle of the Soviet Army against the invading German forces in the Russian City of Stalingrad which resulted in Soviet victory by February 2 of 1943. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad -
D-Day (Invasion of Normandy)
D-Day was a battle for the Allied forces of the US, Canada, and Britain to take back the French city of Normandy from German occupation resulting in Allied victory. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the Third Reich's last offensive against the invading allied forces which resulted in Allied Victory in the Ardennes Forest by January 25 of 1945. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a battle between US and Japanese forces on the Island of Iwo Jima located 750 miles off the coast of Japan which could serve as a staging facility for a potential invasion of Japan. The Battle resulted in US victory. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa (April 1, 1945-June 22, 1945) was the last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. On April 1, 1945 more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. The invasion was part of Operation Iceberg, a complex plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa. It resulted in an Allied victory,
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa -
VE day
On May 8 of 1945, Great Britain and the USA successfully defeated the Third Reich and Fascist Italy, thus celebrating on VE day or "Victory in Europe" day. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Potsdam Conference
The leaders of the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union met at the Potsdam Conference near Berlin from July 17 to August 2, 1945, in what was a crucial moment in defining the new, post-World War II balance of power. The summit also gave an early hint of the tensions that would develop between the U.S. and Soviet Union, which led to a Cold War struggle that lasted for more than four decades. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/potsdam-conference -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
On August 6 of 1945, an American B-29 bomber, called the Enola Gay, dropped the atomic bomb named "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima causing 15,000 tons of TNT worth of damage. 3 days later, a second B-29 bomber dropped another atomic bomb named "Fat Man" on the city of Nagasaki, killing about 40,000 people. The Japanese later, in August 15, surrendered to the USA. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
"Victory in Japan" day
On August 14, 1945, it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as “Victoryover Japan Day,” or simply “V-J Day.” https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day