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New leaders take power
Major governmnets around the world were changing. The world was going through a depression at the end of the 1920s and the start of the 1930s. This allowed governments to be overthrown because the people were desperate for change. New leaders who came to power in major countries includes: Hideki Tojo in Japan, Adolf Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin in Russia, and Benito Mussolini in Italy. These new leaders promised the same thing; that they would pull their country out of the depression. -
Creation of Auschwitz
Auschwitz was a concentration camp in Poland. It is believed that 1,100,000 Jews died in this concentration camp. It was the largest in death totals and in population. Since the population of the camp was so large they would trap houndreds of Jews in cambers and poured gases in. This killed many people at a time. Also the Nazi's would put people in chambers and not give them any food to drink causing them to starve to death. This camp was eventually liberated by Russia. -
North African Campaign
North Africa was very critical to the war efforts because it gave the Allies a position to attack from. General Dwight Eisenhower commanded the Allied invasion of North Africa. The tank commander George Patton was given command of the US troops. His nickname was "Blood and Guts". The war effort against Rommel in North Africa started off slow but a change in leader turned the tables to the side of the Allies. Rommel eventually escaped but his army did not. The Allies capture 240,000 prisoners. -
Pearl Harbor
In 1941 Hideki Tojo became the prime minister of Japan. His plans were very different. He wanted to take over the Asias and also the countries in the Pacific. He thought the US stood in his way of capturing the Pacific. Pearl Harbor was the US main Pacific base. Japan sent 6 aircraft carriers and 360 airplanes. They attacked in two waves but luckily most of the US ships were out on patrol. This attack killed 2,402 and wounded 1,282. This event caused FDR to declare war on Japan. -
Battle of Midway
Midway was an American naval base in the Central Pacific vital to the defense of Hawaii. Losing Midway would force American defenses all the way back to the California Coast. This would give Japan a huge advantage. Unfortunetly for the Japanese, Admiral Chester Nimitz intercepted their plans of attack. This enabled the US to concentrate their forces there. The US destroyed Japan in this battle sinking 4 carriers and 250 planes when the US lost 1. This was the turning point in the Pacific. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Stalingrad was one of the 4 cities in Russia that Hitler attacked. In 1942 Hitler focused his army and resources on Stalingrad. Germany lost brutally and in the process of losing, they angered Russia. Up until this point in the war, Russia had been on the defensive side but the battle of Stalingrad turned Russia onto the offensive side. In the battle, 91,000 surrendered and only 5,000 made it back to Germany. The Russians were so furious they killed the Germans instead of taking prisoners. -
D Day
The Allies decided to invade France. The Allies created a fake army and fake headquarters in Calais. The fake army consisted of wood and cardboard tanks and useless ships. The deception worked because Hitler sent his top tank crew to Calais. 11,000 planes cleared the way and then thousands of Allied forces invaded 4 beaches. Within a month more than 1 million soldiers landed on Normandy. This was the first step in capturing Germany and it succeded. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Allies were winning at this point in time. They were pushing Hitler's army back one city at a time. This was Hitler's last effort. He sent his army in the middle of the Allied troops. He was trying to split them into two. Then he could have pushed each sector back toward the ports. His plan worked in the beginning because his soldiers were dressed in Allied uniforms and drove US jeeps. The Germans captured 8,000 soldiers but then the Allies caught on and destroyed the Nazi's. -
Death of Hitler
Hitler's death ended the thought of Nazi rule of the entirety of Europe. Hitler, his wife Eva, and their two dogs all committed suicide in a German Bunker. It is believed that Hitler took a cyanide capsule and shot himself to make sure he would die. His wife and dogs also took cyanide capsules. His death destroyed the Nazi party and ended the war with the Allies. Hitler's remains were taken outside and burned as he commanded. His death destroyed the Nazi party and ended the war with the Allies. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
The Manhattan Project was the codename given to the atomic bomb project. This was such a secret project the Vice President didn't know about it. After testing the bomb General Leslie Groves said, " One or two of those things and Japan will be finished." The first bomb, little boy, was dropped on Hiroshima. The bomb killed 60,000 people in 2 minutes. Japan did not surrender so the US dropped another on Nagasaki. This killed 35,000 more and caused Japan to surrender and end the war with Japan.
