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Fall of Paris
It was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries during the Second World War. German armoured units made way through the Ardennes and then in the Somme valley blocking and trapping the Allied units. When British, Belgian and French forces were pushed back to the sea by the German operation, the British evacuated the British Expeditionary Force and several French divisions from Dunkirk. Decisive Axis victory which caused some of France was placed under military occupation. -
Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor is over at 9:45 AM. More than 2,400 people are killed and 1,178 are wounded. 1,104 sailors die is USS Arizona. The Japanese did it for many reasons. Main reason was because America blocked the Japanese from receiving crucial materials, such as steel and fuel. America lost many people, battleships and planes during the attack putting the US in a tough position. Also, it changed the American citizens views on the Japanese American citizens. -
D-Day Normandy Invasion
It was code-named Operation Overload, began on June 6th, 1944 when 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50 mile stretch of France's Normandy region. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated. Allies carried out a massive deception operation intended to make the Germans think the main invasion target was Pas-de-Calais. Hitler committed suicide a week before Germany surrendered. -
Battle of the Bulge
In December 1944, Adolf Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in the northwest Europe by means a surprise Blitzterieg through the Ardennes to Antwerp. On December 16th, 3 German armies launched the deadliest and most desperate battle of the war in the poorly roaded, rugged, heavily forested Ardennes. A crucial German shortage of fuel and the gallantry of American troops fighting in the frozen forests proved fatal to Hitler's ambition to snatch. It brought about the end of the German army. -
Liberation of Concentration Camp
The Liberators entered Auschwitz and there found hundreds of sick and exhausted prisoners. The Germans had been forced to leave these prisoners behind in their hasty retreat from the camp. Despite the liberators' efforts, many camp survivors died. Half of the prisoners discovered alive in Auschwitz died within a few days of being freed. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The actions of the Japanese on Pearl Harbor caused three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops. The marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting, and the battle earned a place in America. The Japanese fought from caves, dugouts, tunnels, and underground installations that were difficult to find and destroy. The garrison was wiped out. American losses, 5,900 dead and 17,400 wounded. -
VE Day
This is the day the German army surrendered to the Soviets causing America and Great Britain to celebrate with joy because of this hard earned victory. The main concern of many German soldiers was to free the Soviet forces, to keep from being taken prisoner. The Russians took almost 2 million prisoners before and after the German surrender. 13,000 British PWOs were released in the meantime. -
Dropping the bombs
Due to the fact that Japan didn’t surrender, America decided it was time to amp it up so they decided to drop bombs on them. They dropped two bombs named “Little Boy” and “Fat Man”. Hiroshima, a manufacturing center, was selected as the first target. After they dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, Japan still did not surrender. Once they dropped the second bomb on Nagasaki, the Japanese surrendered. This was a great victory for America but devastated those two cities whom are struggling to this day. -
VJ Day
This day is when Japan’s formal surrender took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay. Photos capturing V-J Day celebrations around the world reflected the overwhelming sense of relief and exhilaration felt by citizens of Allied nations at the end of the long, bloody conflict.In 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, the administration of President Bill Clinton referred not to V-J Day but to the “End of the Pacific War” in its official celebrations.
