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Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
On this day, Hitler was appointed chancellor by the German President after rising to power by appealing to the people and gaining popularity. This was a turning point for the world, for he aimed to make Germany an excessively powerful state. Info: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adolf-hitler-is-named-chancellor-of-germany
Photo: http://cojs.org/adolf_hitler_appointed_chancellor_of_germany-_jan-_30-_1933/ -
Germany invades Poland - WWII begins
Hitler led his forces to invade Poland using the 'blitzkreig' method to regain lost territory and rule Poland overall. He bombed Poland using massive artillery to ultimately wage war and kill anyone against him, starting World War II which would later develop into a full-blown war.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland
Photo:https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005070 -
Churchill becomes Leader of British Government
Winston Churchill replaced the former prime minister, Chamberlain. Churchill was known for his military leadership skills, and led Britain through the war with the promise that they would not surrender.
Info: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-becomes-prime-minister
Photo: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/554789/Sir-Winston-Churchill-50-Facts -
Italy Enters WWII
Benito Mussolini, leader of Italy, made the decision to aid the Axis Powers and joined WWII. Italy declared war on both Britain and France in order to expand his country and prove his power. Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-declares-war-on-france-and-great-britain
Photo: https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005177 -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain started between Germany and Britain and continued for three and a half months. German troops demolished British radar sites with 120 bombers, but Britain did not end up surrendering and they shot down most Germans, causing Hitler to suspend it and give up. It was won by Britain's strong air force. Info and Photo: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-britain -
Axis Powers Break Non-Aggression Pact
Less than two years after Hitler signed an agreement pact with Stalin, promising not to take military action against each other, Germany broke the pact. It fell apart when the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union with 3 million soldiers, afraid that Russia would rise to greater power. Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
Photo: http://sibbotsonhistory12.weebly.com/nazi-soviet-non-aggression-pact.html -
Pearl Harbor Attack
On this day, Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, an American naval base. The Japanese managed to destroy the American battleships, planes, and vessels, and killed 2,500 soldiers in the process. Following this disaster, FDR declared war on Japan and WWII grew to greater dimensions.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor
Photo: https://www.britannica.com/event/Pearl-Harbor-attack -
Bataan Death March
On this day, the US surrendered the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines to Japan. About 75,000 defeated Filipino and American soldiers were forced to walk 65 miles to prison camps in intense heat with harsh Japanese guards. Thousands died over the five-day course due to disease, fatigue, and starvation.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march
Photo: https://www.britannica.com/event/Bataan-Death-March -
Battle of Coral Sea
Japanese sea and air power aimed to seize the Coral Sea (north east of Australia). American troops interfered in the Japanese attack with the lead of Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, causing them to attack each other and create damage. Japanese troops were forced to leave due to a insufficient amount of planes, resulting in US victory. Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-coral-sea
Photo: http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/battle-coral-sea -
Battle of Midway
This battle involved Japanese and American air and sea forces fighting in Midway, an island in the Pacific. They aimed to destroy each other to gain power in the Pacific, and it resulted in the outnumbered American forces to defeat the Japanese due to their code-cracking. Japanese suffered 2500 casualties, meanwhile Americans suffered only 300.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-midway-begins
Photo: https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
On this day, the Soviet Union successfully protected their city of Stalingrad from German forces. Nazis attempted to fight their way through to conquer but there were 2 million casualties including military and civilian losses. The Nazis suffered humiliation after a Soviet victory, causing a turning point in WWII.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad
Photo: https://www.reference.com/history/happened-battle-stalingrad-205df06426f2608 -
Italy Surrenders to Allies
Mussolini had been removed from fascist rule, causing Italy to weaken and surrender from war. Eisenhower publicly announced their surrender. Hitler refused to allow the Allies to take over Italy, so the Nazis reacted to invade Italy before they could.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italian-surrender-is-announced
Photo: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3064379/posts -
D-Day
Also known as the "Battle of Normandy," on this day thousands of American, British, and Canadian forces liberated the coast of the Normandy region in France from the Nazis. This attack was extremely large and planned, and ended when the Allies defeated the Germans.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day
Photo: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/03/world/europe/d-day-fast-facts/ -
1st Liberation of Concentration Camps
Soviet soldiers liberated concentration camps in the final stages of the war in Majdanek in Poland. Later, more allied forces released prisoners from the camps and liberated them.
Photo and Info: https://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007724 -
Liberation of Paris
Paris was liberated by both French and American forces from Nazi rule after 4 years. German forces were not very strong and the German general refused to destroy and burn Parisian landmarks as Hitler ordered, and he signed a formal surrender and was arrested. Resistance forces rose and attacked German forces quickly.
Charles De Gaulle led a liberation march in Paris on this day. Info and Photo: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-liberated -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans launch the last major battle of the war, using 250,000 soldiers to push the Allied front line on the Western front. It was fought along the Ardennes forest for three weeks, and German strategies against the US troops caused issues and lots of American soldiers were executed and infiltrated.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-bulge
Photo: https://www.army.mil/botb/ -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Americans invaded Iwo Jima on the Japanese coast with air and naval bombardment. It was defended by 23,000 Japanese troops, but the American marines wiped out the defense after a month of fighting despite harsh conditions. Americans raised the flag in victory.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima
Photo: https://forum.callofwar.com/index.php?thread/5007-where-is-iwo-jima/ -
Death of FDR
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president of the US, died on this day during World War II after 4 terms in office. The vice president, Harry S. Truman stepped up to presidential power and was left with the Manhattan Project.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-dies
Photo: https://www.emaze.com/@AICIQCII/Franklin-D.-Roosevelt -
Death of Hitler
On this day, the dictator of Germany, Hitler, committed suicide in an underground bunker in Berlin by swallowing a cyanide pill and shooting himself. After losing power and having Germany's losses collapse over him with no hope for winning WWII, he killed himself.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adolf-hitler-commits-suicide-in-his-underground-bunker
Photo: http://www.hitlerschildren.com/article/936-how-did-hitler-die -
Germany Surrenders
The German High Command surrendered German forces to the Allies on the east and west in France. Eisenhower demanded surrender of all forces as a threat, and the war in the west was over.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-surrenders-unconditionally-to-the-allies-at-reims
Photo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/07/germany-surrenders-allies-date-nazis-wwii_n_3230901.html -
1st Atomic Bomb
An American bomber plane dropped the first deployed atomic bomb (called "Little Boy") on the city of Hiroshima, causing tremendous damage. It wiped out 90 percent of the city and killed close to 80,000 people, killing more later due to radiation. It didn't end up causing the Japanese to surrender - yet.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
Photo: http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Hiroshima -
2nd Atomic Bomb
3 days after the first bomb, the US dropped another bomb on Nagasaki - "Fat Man" - which was larger than the first. It killed 40,000 people and the Japanese Emperor Hirohito surrendered to WWII stating the cruel power of the bomb.
Info: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
Photo: http://www.express.co.uk/news/history/596252/Hiroshima-Nagasaki-atomic-bomb-United-States-nuclear -
Japan Surrenders
After Japan's military forces and cities were destroyed, as well as US invasions on Japan and the atomic bombs, Emperor Hirohito and the Japanese were in a desperate situation. Hirohito ordered surrender from WWII instead of further destruction. In the US, their surrender was celebrated.
Info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-surrenders
Photo: http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/08/07/why_did_japan_surrender/
