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Germany Invades Poland
Germany invading Poland marked the beginning of World War II. Hitler sent 1.5 million troops into Poland without any declaration of war. Germany not only invaded the land, but it also attacked Poland with bombs. Because of its weaker military and less-modernized equipment, Poland was no match for Germany, and it was taken over. -
Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7th, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor, an American naval base. Japan destroyed multiple American vessels, and 3,000 American troops were killed or wounded from the attack. Soon after the attack President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Japan attacking Pearl Harbor was what brought the United States into World War II. -
Battle of Midway
Midway was an essential U.S. Naval Base in the Central Pacific that defended Hawaii. On June 4th the United States and Japan fought for control of Midway. This battle was the most important naval battle of World War II because if the United States lost, it would force them back to the California Coast. The Battle of Midway was a turning point to the war in the Pacific. The battle ended on June 7, 1942. -
Tehran Conference
The Tehran Conference was the first time that the leaders of the Allies (Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin) met in person. At the conference-- which was held in Tehran, Iran-- they discussed D-Day, war strategy, and defeating Japan. By the end of the conference, the leaders agreed that they wanted to establish an "enduring peace". -
D-Day
On this day thousands of American, British,and Canadian troops landed at five beaches, which totaled 50 miles, along France's Normandy region. The beaches were Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, and Sword. This fleet was the largest ever, totaling 4,400 ships and landing crafts. At all of the beaches, troops were lightly opposed, except for at Omaha. The Germans fought fiercly. Not only that, but the beach was heavily mined. By invading Normandy, the U.S. was able to get into Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler's counterattack. Hitler's strategy was to create a bulge in the American line. He also hoped to drive a wedge between the U.S. and British forces. Although this strategy had succeeded in the past for Germany, this time it was to no avail. The Americans successfully held their ground in Bastogne, Belguim despite frostbite and German assults, and eventually were able to use bombs to push Germans out of France. The battle ended on Janurary 25, 1945. -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was one of the deadliest battles in the island hopping campaign. The U.S. needed to capture Okinawa because of its vital airbase, which were necessary for the planned vision of Japan. This battle involved 500,000 troops and 1,213 warships. The U.S. was victorious in this battle, but they did lose 50,000 troops. The battle ended on June 21, 1945. -
Germany Surrenders
On this day in Reims, France, Nazi Colonel General Alfred Jodl signed an unconditional surrender. This terminated Germany's involvement in World War II. Unfortunately, Franklin D. Roosevelt died before this, but President Truman was able to see the U.S. make it through the war. Adolf Hitler's "Thousand Year Reich" lasted for twelved years. -
The U.S. Bombs Nagasaki
On this day an American B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. The bomb killed 40,000 civilians and later killed thousands more from radiation. Three days earlier, the U.S. had dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, which killed 80,000 people. Bombing Nagasaki was the last straw for Japan and was essential for the American victory. Shortly there after,Japan announced unconditional surrender. -
Japan Surrenders
After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the U.S. taking control of Okinawa, Japan's economy and resources were depleated. On the morning of September 2nd, flags from the United States, Soviet Union, Britain, and China blew in the wind. Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed on behalf of the Japanese government, and General Yoshijiro Umezu then signed for the Japanese armed forces. Lastly, MacArthur signed for UN. This marked the end of World War II.
