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Japanese invasion of China
During the earlier 30's, Japan was slowly gaining territory in China. In 1937 a fight broke out between the Chinese and Japanse troops, most likely due to rising tenions over the usurpment of Chinese land, which officially began the Second Sino-Japansese war. The war resulted in 10-20 million Chinese civilian deaths and a stalemate. -
Rape of Nanking
Continuing their campaign across China, Japanese troops eventually landed in Nanking. China predicting this attack decided to relocate nearly all of their troops. Japanese troops carried out their massacre over the next two months leaving approximentally 250,000 casualities. -
Invasion of Poland
In the 1930's there was a pact between the Soviets and Germans which said that Poland would be partitioned between the two. This enabled Germany to invade Poland without any fear of repercussion. Poland remained under German control until 1945. -
German Blitzkrieg
From 1939-1940 Germany used Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war," an overwhelming tactic that was extremely scucessful in their conquest of Europe. The reults of the blitzkrieg attacks was the acquisition of nearly all of the western European countries. -
Fall of Paris
On June, 14 the Germans walked into Paris and said they now had an 8pm curfew. The French who didn't escape surrendered. -
Operation Barbarossa
On June 22nd, Germany launched an invasion of the Soviet Union, sending around 4.5 million troops from German controlled countries near the Soviet Union. The Soviets were not expecting the attack and suffered nearly 600,000 casualities. As the German campaign went on and they neared Moscow they realized they were unprepared for the winter they would face and their conquest came to a halt. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched an unprecedented air attack against the Pearl Harbor naval base. After only a 2 hour attack there were already 2,400 American casualities. The attack finally gave America the push they needed and finally declared war. -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting held between Nazi officials in which the idea of a "final solution" was introduced. The conference came up with the idea to round up all of the Jews and put them in concentration camps. -
Operation Gomorrah
On July 24th British bombers raided Hamburg, Germany in response to the German bombing that had occured in England earlier that month. These air raids continued with the aid of America until November. -
D-Day
On June 6, 1944 the allies launched the largest amphibious attack in history on the beach of Normandy. By the following spring the allies had liberated all of Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
In an attempt to break up the allied armies in northern Europe Hitler launched a surprise Blitzkrieg attack. A defensive lined formed and General Patton was able to neutralize the attack. -
Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap was the infamous firebombing of Dresden. A two day campaign of Allied forces dropping tons of bombs over Dresden. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
To the allies Iwo Jima was the perfect site for a military base, logistically speaking. In Feburary the U.S. landed on the island to be greeted by roughly 20,000 Japense who fought from caves, andd elaborate underground tunnles. It took U.S. troops a month of fighting before they declared victory over the island. -
Battle of Okinawa
Okinawa was the largest and final battle fought at the Pacific theater. The campaign lasted 82 days, towards the end when defeat was guaranteed for Japanese soldiers they resorted to suicide attacks -
VE Day
This is the day Great Britian and the United States celebrated victory in Europe. Troops throughout Germany began surrendering, and some POWs were released. -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
After Germany had been defeated Japan just wouldn't give up. So Truman decided that the only way to finish the war would be to nuke the Japanese, so that's what he did, twice. -
VJ Day
After the two bombs Japan figured out what was best for them and unconditionally surrendered. The 14th is now known as Victory over Japan day which no one really notes.
