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World War II
The second world war was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. -
Hitler invades poland
Hitler’s invasion of Poland on 1st September 1939 marked the beginning of WW2 in Europe. -
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The blitz
German Blitzkrieg on the United Kingdom lasted 8 months, from September 1940 to May 1941. -
New prime minister
Churchill became Prime Minister. -
Operation Barbarosa
Hitler began Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, the codename for the invasion of the Soviet Union. -
Pearl harbor
The Japanese military strike on the US naval base Pearl Harbor, was a turning point in WW2 as it led to America’s entry into the war. -
Invasion of itali
The Allied invasion of Italy took place on 3rd September 1943, following the successful invasion of Sicily. -
D-day
The Allied invasion of France began on 6th June 1944. It led to the eventual liberation of France from the Nazis and contributed to the Allies victory in the war. See below footage of the event. -
Liberation of concentration camps
The extent of Nazi brutality was revealed when the Soviet army liberated Auschwitz in early 1945. -
German surrender
Following the fall of Berlin, German forces began to surrender. -
Hiroshima and nagasaki
The final stage of WW2 saw American forces drop atomic bombs on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagaski in August 1945, killing at least 129,000 people. -
Truman becomes president
Following President Roosevelt’s death on 12th April 1945, Vice President Harry S. Truman assumed the role of President. -
Russians take berlin
Soviet forces had surrounded the city of Berlin by 24th April 1945, they began to make their way into the city centre, resulting in the eventual fall of Berlin on 2nd May. Below is footage of the Russians taking Berlin. -
Japan surrenders
The surrender of Japan on 15th August 1945 saw the hostilities of WW2 finally brought to a close.