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Invasion of the Rhineland
Nazi Germany, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, invaded the demilitarized Rhineland region, an act of aggression against Allied European powers. -
Invasion of Austria
The Nazi movement growing in Austria, coupled with economic crises, made Austria an easy target for German expansion. Annexation took place on April 10, 1938. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
In a planned invasion and occupation, Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in violation of the Munich pact. -
Invasion of Poland
In another expansion move, Nazi Germany quickly invaded and occupied Poland, in violation to agreements made with Britain and France. Ultimately, this was the conquest the broke the appeaser's back, leading to a declaration of war on Germany from Britain and France. -
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Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was the continous struggle for both the Axis and Allies to contol shipping over the Atlantic, with the Axis attempting to restrict or minimize US support of Britain and invading capacity. -
Invasion of France
Despite the mounting warning signs, France was ill prepared for the invasion from Germany. The resulting defeat and occupation presented a massive problem to the Allies, who were losing ground at an alarming rate to the Axis powers. -
Battle of Britain
The opening fight of the Battle of Britain, a continuous battle on the part of the Axis to gain a foothold on the British Isles for land invasion. The Axis did not succeed in a land invasion, with Britain successfully defending against the brunt of the attacks. -
Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act gave the United States authority to provide weapons and aid to the UK, France, the Soviet Union, as well as the other Allies. The act was an escalation of US involvement, but was designed to give support while not physically entering the war. -
Pearl Harbor
The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Axis aligned Japan marked the United State's entry into World War II. Following the declaration of war on Japan, the US also declared war on Germany and her allies. -
Battle of Stalingrad
A turning point in World War II, the battle of Stalingrad was a much needed victory over Germany by the Soviets, taking place at Stalingrad on the Eastern front. Heavy casualties were lost on both sides, crippling the German push into the Soviet Union. -
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was an invasion of occupied French North Africa by the Allies, with the purpose of securing a foothold in Africa, control of the Mediterrarean Sea, and lessening German pressure on the Eastern Front. -
Invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy, was meant to gain complete control of the Mediterranean, stage an advance further into Europe before D-Day, and to aid the Soviets by diverting Axis troops from the Eastern Front. -
D-Day
Allied invasion of Nazi occupied France through the beaches at Normandy. The largest amphibious assault in history, D-Day secured a foothold from which the Allies could push further into France and Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a surprise German offensive push against the Allied line in Belgium. Throwing all availbable German forces into this desperate attempt to regain ground and secure a victory, Hitler had believed that a major disruption to the poorly supplied and overstretched Allies on the Western Front would buy Germany time to develop more advanced weaponry to secure an eventual victory. The offensive failed, with 89,000 German casualties. -
V-E Day
V-E Day is the day on which the Allies accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany, ending World War II in Europe. Celebrations broke out in the UK, the United States, the Soviet Union, and other Allied nations, and the day was declared an international holiday (though we don't get school off).
