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Japanese invasion of China
China was a divided country in the 1930's. Japan saw that as an opportunity. Japan invaded China in 1937 to cause the Sino-Japanese War. They invaded because the waqnted their resources. Japanese troops slaughtered an estimated 300,000 civilians and raped 80,000 women. The effects of this event was massive destruction in China and Pearl Harbor. http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war -
German Blitzkrieg
Germany took over most of Europe because of their war tactic named blitzkrieg, which means lighning war. To complete their tactic, they needed offensive weapons such as tanks, planes, and artillery. The German Blitzkrieg took place because Germany wanted to control Europe. The effects of this event included the downturn of many economies in Europe and the loss of control by the countries govrernments. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005437 -
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Memorial Death March is a challenging march through the high desert terrain of White Sands Missile Range, conducted in honor of the heroic service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II, sacrificing their freedom, health and, in many cases, their very lives. This event happened becasue of the surrender of the Philipines and Americas. The effects included 10,000 deaths. http://bataanmarch.com/ -
Fall of Paris
Germany invaded France and the lower countries. France hoped that America would come to their aid and help them stop Germany. Germany quickly got on top of the fighting and were stopping France from fighting back. The fall of Paris occured because Hitler wanted to control every European control there was. The effects of this event included the new alliance between Germany and Italy. http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/fall-of-france -
Pearl Harbor
Just before 8 in the morning on December 7, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval base called Pearl Harbor, located in Hawaii. The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. The effects of this event included the beginning of the war for America.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
A lot of highly ranked men from the Nazi party gathered together to discuss the Jews. The Wannsee Conference happened because the Nazi state wanted to get rid of all the Jews. The effects of this event included the Jews being deported to the east where they were then murdered. http://www.holocaust-education.dk/holocaust/wannsee.asp -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a naval battle between the United States and Japan. It was one of the most decisive battles in the war. Japan suffered a loss. It happened because America wanted revenge on Japan for Pearl Harbor. The effects of this event included the destruction of several Japanese aircrafts and their Navy was damaged severely. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Allied invasion on Italy
Once the invasion started, within three days, 150,000 Allied troops were ashore. The Italian government surrendered to the Allies. The effects of this event included the first time in the war that Germany surrenderedhttp because Italy had Britain and America on their side. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-invade-italian-mainland -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
D-Day was the Battle of Normandy. It occured because of the Allied liberation of Western Europe from the Nazi Germany's control. The effects of this event included the compete control of Germany by the Nazi party. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of Bulge
The Battle of Bulge was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. The effects of this event included 100,000 casualties from the Americans. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima is an island in the Bonin chain roughly 575 miles from the Japanese coast. The United States attacked it with their B-29 bombers. They damaged Japan before they took over the island and forced Japan to surrender. The effects of this event included the long term damage to Japan and the loss of 5,900 American troops. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
VE Day
Great Britain and America both celebrated a victory in Erurope on May 8. VE Day is known as the day when German troops finally surrendered causing the end of the war. Germany was forced to surrender because America and Britain were too strong together. They couldn't defeat them. The effects of this event included the stop of fighting and the end of the war. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Liberation of concentration camps
As Allied troops moved across Europe in a series of offensives against Nazi Germany, they began to encounter tens of thousands of concentration camp prisoners. US forces liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar, Germany, on April 11, 1945, a few days after the Nazis began evacuating the camp. The effects of this event include the prisoners being freed. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005131 -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Some people believe that this event ignited the Cold War. The United States dropped the atomic bomb because they were still mad at Japan for Pearl Harbor and they wanted them to pay for their actions. The effects of this event included the start of the Cold War, according to some people, and the deaths and destruction of Japan. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
V-J Day
V-J Day is Victory over Japan Day. That is the day when Japan officially surrendered to end the war. The war was basically over to begin with but not officially because Japan never surrendered. They could not go any longer becuase they had taken so much damage already so they were forced to surrender. The effects of this event include the offical end of the war. No more deaths would occur due to combat. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
