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NAZIS INVADE POLAND
The morning after the Gleiwitz Incident, Germany began to invade Poland. The Glewitz Incident helped give a reason for the Germans to attack/invade Poland. When the German's won the Battle of the Bzura in mid-September, they had the advantage. The Russian invaded Poland in the east on Septemeber 17,1939. The two fronts overwhelmed Poland, and their loss at the Battle of Kock gave the Russians and Germans full control. Poland never officailly surrenedered. -
Period: to
WWII
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BRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARE WAR ON GERMANY
Britain declares war on Germany because Germany invaded Poland. The British and French had both sworn to protect Poland. so they entered the war. The allies would begin bombing German ships on Sep. 4th and they werent looking to harm the German civilians. The German military had different restrictions and mined a passage the stall the French. -
AUSCHWITZ OPENED
The Germans opend Auschwitz, an infamous concentration camp, for Jews. It was also the largest concentraition camp, and was located in Oświęcim, Poland. Heinnrich Himmler designed it. Auschwitz consisited of Auschwitz I (the base camp), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the extermination camp), Auschwitz III-Monowitz (a labor camp). 1.1 million people died at Auschwitz, 90% were Jews. Auschwitz was liberated on January 27, 1945 by Soviet Troops -
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began bombing Britain in hopes to gain air superiority over the RAF (Royal Air Force). The Luftwaffe dropped a total of 35,000 tons of bombs, and 18,000 tons were dropped on London. The Luftwaffe destroyed cities, but no one was really dying. The British could pick up the Luftwaffe on their radars, and people could escape to bomb shelters. Winston Churchill uttered the immortal words, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few." -
PEARL HARBOR
The Japanese bomb US military base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They did this becuase the US ceased oil exports in Japan and trying to prevent the US from becoming involved with the fighting in the Pacific. The opposite happend because the next president FDR declared war on Japan, then on Germany and Italy on December 11. -
US DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN
President Franklin D. Roosevelt delared war on Japan the day after Pearl Harbor. One of his famous quotes about this event is, "a date that will live in infamy". Pearl Harbor spread fear across America and all "enemy aliens" were requied to register with the gov't, submit to fingerprinting, and list their organizational affiliations. Any German, Italian, or Japanese Americans were subject to arrest or deportation if deemed dangerous. Most were held in camps and Japanese forced into internment. -
STALINGRAD
On June 2nd, Germany and its allies invade the Soviet Union. They fought deep into Soviet territory but couldnt conquer the Soviet Union. Hitler focused mostly on Stalingrad and refused to let his army surrender even though the winter was brutal and Germans were starving and sick. Stalingrad was a turning point of the war in Europe because it ended any realistic plans of Hitler dominating Europe. In the end, Feb. 2 1943, Nazi armies were forced to retreat toward Germany. S.U. went on offensive. -
D DAY
The landings began at 6:30 AM (British Double Summer Time). There were 24,000 landing from an air-born assault and more than 160,000 troops landing on the beaches coming from the water. This was the largest amphibious invansion in the world. Nazi soldiers were dug into cliffs, had dug trenches and built concrete "pillbox" structures from which artillery could be fired. Many Americans fought bravely and died but many fought bravely and survived. -
ATOMIC BOMB ENDS WAR
From Okinawa and other Pacific bases the US could bomb the Japanese home islands. At that point, Japan was virtually defenseless and Americans took advantage. The American bombers hit factories, military bases, and cities. In a single night, B-29 bombers destroyed 16 square miles of Tokyo. Killed over 83,000 Japanese and injured 100,000 more. The advances in nuclear weapons helped to end WWII. -
HITLER DIES
Germans were just pushed out of France by the Allies. By the time Americans, Brish and Russians reached Hitler, he was a wreck. He was shaken, paranoid from drugs, and the only thing keeping him going was his dreams of final victory. Hitler gave orders no one followed, he planned campaigns that no one fought. Along with a few of his closet associates on April 30th, he committed suicide.
