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Japanese Invasion of China
Many people believe this was the start of World War II. This was the Jap invasion of the Chinese Mainland for more natural resouces. -
Period: to
World War II
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The Rape of Nanking
Considered the worst single attrocity in either the European or Pacific Theatres. Over a six week period an estimated 300,000 people were killed by the Japanese military.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/nanking.htm -
Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact
Also known as the non-aggression pact between the Soviets and Nazis that stated that neither side wouldn't attack each other. This pact also split up Poland between Germany and Russia.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005156 -
German Blitzkrieg
The German tatic where they would over whelm their opponents with tanks and infnatry would clean up. Used in Poland, Belgium, France, and North Africa.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Fall of Paris
The German army rolled through France after sidestepping the Maginot Line and going through the Aredennes Forest through Belgium and France surrendered.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris -
Operation Barbarossa
The Nazi invasion of The Soviet Union.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
An unprovoked attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor which housed our entire Pacific fleet, minus the aircraft carriers -
Wannsee Confrence
The confrence where German officials discussed "The Final Solution". The Final Solution was the last attempt to kill all of the jews in Europe.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477 -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
Allied Invasion of the French beaches to liberate France from Garman occupation.
http://www.army.mil/d-day/ -
Battle of the Bulge
A last-ditch effort by the Germans to mount a counteroffensive against the fastly approaching Allied armies. In an attempt to split the forces by way of suprise Blitzkrieg in the Ardennes Forest, it failed. This did however result in the costliest single battle for the U.S. Army ever, at 100,000 casualties.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
An imporant Battle in the Pacific where the US took the island of Iwo Jima. A long and hard fought battle that resulted in 21,917 Japanese deaths and 5,700 American deaths, with 17,000 wounded.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Troops enter Auswitz and find hundreds of sick and dead prisoners, more and more death camps like these near the end of the European Theatre.
http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007724 -
VE Day
When Germany surrenedered in Eurpoe and The US and Great Britian celebrated the end of the European Theatre.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
Dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in an attempt to get the Japanese to surrender so that a land invasion would not be needed.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
VJ Day
After the dropping the Atomic Bombs, Japan surrenders and WWII officially ends.
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/September/vjday.htm
