-
Germany Annexes The Sudetenland
The Sudetenland was a section of territory that was assigned to Czechoslovakia when the country's borders were redrawn. The population was primarily German so the area was always of contention. In 1938, participants at the Munich Conference yielded to Adolf Hitler, who assumed control of the territory. https://www.britannica.com/place/Sudetenland -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is a U.S Naval Base located near Honolulu, Hawaii. On December 7th, 1941, Japanese attacked the naval base with bombs and destroyed dozens of ships as well as killing more than 2400 men. The day after the attack, President Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Philippines Campaign
Frequently expressed as the "Other Pearl Harbor", the Japanese attack on the Philippines occurred on December 8th 1941. The target was the Clark Air Force Base, in which many planes were being refueled and rearmed at the time of the attack. American planes were sent out to take out the bombers, but never made contact. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2018/12/29/japanese-attack-on-the-philippines-the-other-pearl-harbor/ -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a clash between the U.S Navy and the Japanese Imperial Navy that happened six months after Pearl Harbor. The Japanese fleet was led by Isaroku Yamamoto. He believed his forces had the upper hand on the Americans, but soon realized his communications had been intercepted. The American forces were prepared for the attacks by the Japanese. It is seen as a very decisive victory for the American Navy during WWII. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a brutal military engagement between the Russian forces and the Axis powers. It's considered one of the most brutal battles of the modern age. More than 2 million troops fought in close quarters during this fight. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Guadalcanal Campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign was a decisive and well needed victory for the Allied powers in the Pacific Theater. U.S Marines were stationed at the Guadalcanal in August 1942. During the invasion, U.S forces took control of an air base. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-guadalcanal -
D-Day
On June 6, 1944, some 150,000 troops invaded the beaches of Normandy on some 50 mile stretch of heavily armed defenses. It is one of the largest amphibious invasions in the history of mankind. Prior to D-Day, extensive planning was conducted, this included a large deceptive plan to confuse the Axis powers of the invasion target. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was the meeting between three big Allied Powers. This consisted of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. These leaders were considered the "Big Three" due to their massive influence in the outcome of the war. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/yalta-conference -
Island Hopping
After the Battle of Midway, the U.S launched a counter-offensive in the Pacific area. These series of strikes were known as "island hopping" which meant that the troops would land on an island, take control of it, and then move onto the next island. Most troopers stationed for these attacks were Marines. https://u-s-history.com/pages/h1671.html -
Death of Hitler
An American news report suggests that Hitler died with his men during a battle on May 1, 1945. This report was then later concluded as false, as the body of Hitler was supposedly found dead, by committing suicide the night before his bunker was raided. Hitler forced his wife to commit suicide as well as he supposedly killed his dog as well. -
Fall of Berlin
The capture and fall of the German capital occurred on April 16, 1945 when Stalin launched a massive attack of 6 armies, 8500 aircraft, and 6300 tanks. This attack led to the capture of Berlin by Stalin's forces, resulting in the crushing of any German resistance. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/berlin.htm -
Los Alamos (Trinity)
During the war, American Scientists were ordered to catch up to German advances in technological advances. A project was launched during this time code named The Manhattan Project. It was tasked with creating the first atomic bomb, which was completed and tested at Los Alamos. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/trinity-test -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held near the end of the war. This conference was the last time the "Big Three" met during the war before it's inevitable end. The heads of state all met to discuss what would become of Germany and it's economy. Land disputes were settled and troops were to be stationed in Germany for some time. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/potsdam-conference -
Hiroshima
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber named the "Enola Gay" dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. The bomb destroyed 90% of the city as well as took out 80,000 civilians instantly. Many more people would die after due to radiation poisoning. Only 3 days later, the U.S dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, ending Japanese Resistance. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
Japanese Internment Camps
During WWII, Japanese Americans were imprisoned in camps to help ensure the safety of the American People. These camps had harsh conditions, but were not deadly like the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Some 127,000 Japanese-Americans were imprisoned in camps all over the nation because of the fear of information getting out to the enemy. https://www.ushistory.org/us/51e.asp
