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Lend-Lease
An act that was set up as a system that would allow the United States to lend or lease war supplies to any nation deemed "vital to the defense of the United States". Video: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pres10.socst.ush.dww.lendlease/fdr-and-the-lend-lease-act/
Article:
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/lend-lease-act -
Atlantic Charter
A joint declaration was issued by the United States and Great Britain, in which they stated to seek no territorial gain in the war, respecting the principles of free trade among nations and the right for people to choose their governments. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-msKSTzmQxk
Article:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/atlantic-conf -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is where Japan attacked the US naval base. It was a surprise attack by some 350 Japanese aircraft that sunk or badly damaged eighteen US naval vessels, including eight battleships, destroyed or damaged 300 US aircraft and killed 2,403 men. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNV8enpVwok
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/pearl-harbor-december-7-1941 -
Bataan
The siege of Bataan was the first major land battle for the Americans in World War II and one of the most devastating military defeats in American history. American and Filipino troops fought for three months. Eventually, the US and FIlipeans surrendered to Japanese troops and were forced into the Bataan Death March. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N86PrF8Hu54
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/battle-bataan-death-march -
Japanese Internment Camps
After the bombing at Pearl Harbor, there was a rise in anti-Japanese suspicion and fear. This led the Roosevelt administration to adopt a drastic policy toward these residents. Virtually all Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and property and live in camps for most of the war. Video:
https://www.pbs.org/video/japanese-internment-vlifur/
Article:
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/japanese-american-relocation -
Battle of Midway
Aircraft from Japanese carriers attacked and damaged the US base on Midway. The US Marine Corps force stationed on Midway endured devastating losses, but the facilities only suffered minor damage. The United States destroyed Japan's first-line carrier strength and most of its best-trained naval pilots. The US victory stopped the growth of Japan in the Pacific. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pJU3ahhR-E
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-midway -
Los Alamos
Los Alamos is where the United States operated a secret laboratory hidden away in the mountains of northern New Mexico. This project was called the Manhattan Project and there they produced the first atomic bombs. The bombs made here were used to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLb1O_W5Oyw
Article:
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/manhattan-project-science-at-los-alamos.htm -
Guadalcanal
The Guadalcanal Campaign ended all Japanese expansion attempts and placed the Allies in a position of clear supremacy. Some say that this Allied victory was the first step in a long string of successes that eventually led to the surrender of Japan and the occupation of the Japanese home islands. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2phJcVfRXUs
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-guadalcanal -
Operation Torch
Operation Torch, the first major Allied amphibious assault during World War II. It involved about 65,000 troops who landed at Casablanca, Algiers, and Oran on the French North African coast. The casualties were 556 killed, 837 wounded, and 41 missing for the Americans. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ga6d91ObLQ
Article:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Operation-Torch -
Island-Hopping
General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz employed a strategy of “triphibious” warfare to advance through the Pacific. This strategy involved combining air, land, and sea forces to navigate the challenging geography and distances. Over time, this strategy became known as Island Hopping. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBgxW3H_tsI
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/pacific-strategy-1941-1944 -
The Italian Campaign
The Italian Campaign helped secure the Mediterranean Sea for Allied shipping and contributed to the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The new Italian government surrendered to the Allies; however, the Germans were not prepared to lose Italy and seized control. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdF2UjC_o3o
Article:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Italian-Campaign -
D-Day
The D-Day operation brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the Allied armies in what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The operation, given the codename OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wg5x5WaZPo
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/d-day-allies-invade-europe -
Meeting at Yalta
The Yalta Conference, held 4–11 February 1945, was the World War II meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union to discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkZFlp9H4H0
Article:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/yalta-conf -
Fall of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin was fought between the German and Soviet forces. It was one of the final battles of WWII, it resulted in the death of Hitler and the complete destruction of the Nazi regime. Over 300,000 Berliners died due to the Soviets being so merciless towards them and war, 80,000 Red Army soldiers also died. Video:
https://www.britannica.com/video/180245/Soviet-troops-Adolf-Hitler-Berlin-suicide-April-1945
Article:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Berlin -
Meeting at Potsdam
In addition to settling matters related to Germany and Poland, the Potsdam negotiators approved the formation of a Council of Foreign Ministers that would act on behalf of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China to draft peace treaties with Germany's former allies. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v_CapsWAO8
Article:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/potsdam-conf -
Hiroshima
Hiroshima was the first military target of the U.S.'s nuclear weapon because it was an important economic and military hub that had escaped serious air raid damage. In the Pacific theatre, the United States Army Air Forces dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy" on the city. The dropping of "Little Boy" claimed the lives of an estimated 140,000 people. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wxWNAM8Cso
Article:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1946/08/31/hiroshima -
Nagasaki
A few days after the bombing of Hiroshima, the United States decided to drop a second bomb in Nagasaki. Truman, the US president at the time decided to bomb Japan once again to further force a surrender and to keep the Soviets out of Japan by displaying American military power. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncq_Wye43TM
Article:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/bombing-nagasaki-august-9-1945