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Period: to
WWII
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Invasion of Poland
Hitler and Stalin decided to work together. Eventually Germany invades Poland and attacks them. They blamed the Polish for the attacks. This is said to be the start of WWII. -
British Drops First Bombs On German Soil
On October 16 of 1939 the Germans attacked the British.They hit them at the First of Forth. The Germans ended up damaging cruisers like South-Hampton and Edinburgh. The British fought back by bombing German soil, the RAF hit the seaplane base at Hornum. -
German Invasion
The Germans invaded Denmark and Norway. Then about a month later, on May 10, the Germans invade Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. This increased a lot of tension. -
Italy Declares War
Italy had just joined the war as an ally of Germany the day before. On June 11, they declared war. Italy declared war against the Allies. After, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, and South Africa declare war on Italy. -
Pearl Harbor
At 7:55 AM on a Sunday, hundreds of Japanese warplanes launched from aircraft carriers, and attack the American Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Eight battleships, three light cruisers, three destroyers and four other navy vessels were sunk or damaged. 2,403 Americans were killed. It was "a date that will live in infamy." As said by President Roosevelt. -
The Battle of Midway
This was the first defeat of the Japanese navy in 350 years. In this battle the U.S. went on the offensive. The Japanese had plans to force the U.S. to sue for peace. The U.S. had already found out their plans. The Japanese would lose 3,500 men, four carriers, a cruiser and 332 aircraft. The Americans would lose 307 men, the carrier Yorktown, one destroyer and 150 aircraft. -
D-Day
D-Day was the greatest invasion in history. It begins just after midnight as the first of 24,000 paratroopers, flown over the Channel in more than 1,000 aircraft, are dropped behind enemy lines in Normandy. It was the bloodiest day in American history since the battle of Antietam in the Civil War. 2,500 Americans died. -
Hiroshima
The bomb was at first made for the Germans.The first atomic bomb tumbles through the bomb-bay doors of the Enola Gay. Forty-three seconds later, six miles below but still high above the city of Hiroshima, it detonates. 40,000 people were killed instantly, including children. The Japanese still would not accept the Allied surrender terms. -
Nagasaki
The Americans decide to drop a second atomic bomb. Another 40,000 civilians were killed instantly. In Tokyo, the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War is split between those who still want to fight and those who want to surrender. -
End of the War
After the bombings, many lives were lost. Japan was still trying to hold on but after seeing the power of the Allies, they surrendered. Japan formally surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending the war for good.
