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Wall Street Crash
Otherwise known as Black Tuesday, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which would last for the following 10 years and affected global civilizations and trade markets. Other results of the Wall Street Crash were mass unemployment (13 million people) and the near collapse of the American banking system. Germany's economy crippled as a result of the US stock market crash,allowing Hitler and the Nazi Party to overthrow the Weimar Republic and rise to power. -
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Holocaust
The Holocaust was the mass murder/genocide of approximately 6 million Jews during WWII. The Holocaust was a systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of entire ethnic groups by the Nazi Regime. Other victims included Roma (Gypsies), homosexuals and mentally or physically disabled patients. German authorities targetted these groups because of their perceived racial and biological inferiority. -
German Invasion of Poland
Britain and France, standing by their guarantee of Poland's border, declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, signalling the beginning of WWII. The German Luftwaffe heavily bombed all road and rail junctions, while also targetting concentrations of Polish troops. Hitler dismissed the Anlgo-Polish treaty signed between the UK and Poland in August. Britain and France reject Hitler's peace offer and declare war on Germany. -
Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister
Winston Churchill becomes the most dominant figure in British politics as Prime Minister. His "bull-dog" spirit and refusal to surrender to Nazi Germany inspired the country to win the War. He worked tirelessly throughout WWII, building strong relations with the US President Roosevelt, while also maintaining a difficult alliance with the Soviet Union. -
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Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was the German Luftwaffe's (air force) attempt to gain air supremacy over the Royal Air Force from July to October 1940. Germany's ultimate failure was one of the major turning points of WWII, as it prevented Hitler from launching Operation Sea Lion and invading Britain. -
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Operation Barbarossa
Hilter wanted to conquer the Soviet Union in order to maximise "Lebensraum", or living space. Hitler launched the largest invasion in the history of warfare, with over 4 million Axis power troops attempting to invade the USSR. The Soviet Union emerged victorious and retained Leningrad and Moscow, while repelling the offensive and defeating Germany and its allies. Largest military operation in history in both manpower and casualties, with Soviets repelling Wehrmacht and opened up Eastern Front. -
Attack on Pearl Harbour
The surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, resulted in the US entering WWII and abandoning their policy of isolationism. The US had placed restrictive economic sanctions on Japan in order to qwell Japan's conquest of Asia. Instead of giving in to US demands, the Japanese retaliated in an attempt to destroy the United States' naval power. -
Invasion of Sicily
Codenamed Operation Husky, the Allied Invasion of Sicily was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation that was followed by six weeks of land combat. It paved the way to the Allied invasion of Italy. On July 24 1943, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini was deposed and arrested. The Invasion of Sicily opened the shipping lanes in the Mediterranean, eliminate Sicily as an Axis base, and encouraged the fall of Mussolini's government. -
Invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord was the largest amphibious invasion to ever take place, with the invasion consisiting of overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments and amphibious landings on 5 beaches. D-Day led to the loss of the German position in most of France and the secure establishment of a new major front. D-Day also allowed the Soviets to launch an attak from the Eastern Front. The Second World War had entered its most climatic phase. -
Bombing of Tokyo
Often referred to as a firebombing, the Bombing of Tokyo was conducted by the United States Army Air Forces during the Pacific campaigns of WWII. The B-29 Bombers' primary target was the industrial district of the city, destroying factories and businesses that supplied the manpower for Japan's war industry. The air-raid had a massive impact on Tokyo, marking the beginning of Emperor Hirohito's personal involvement in Japan's peace process. -
Victory in Europe Day
Marks the unconditional surrender of German armed forces, thus ending the war in Europe. Adolf Hitler had commited suicide on April 30, 1945 during the Battle of Berlin, and Karl Dönitz became Nazi Head as a result. Act of military surrender signed on May 8, in Berlin. -
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Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Although Nazi Germany signed its instrument of surrender on May 8, 1945, the Pacific War continued. On July 26, 1945 the US issued the Potsdam declaration, stating that if Japan failed to surrender it would face complete and utter destruction. Refusing to accept defeat, the US Army Air Forces dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Killing roughly 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki, the bombs effects had a major impact on Japan. -
Victory over Japan Day
This marks the day the Japanese Empire surrendered, officially ending WWII. Japan had suffered two devastating atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, while the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 10. Facing further destruction to their nation, the Japanese ultimately agreed to the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, accepting defeat and ending the war.
