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Invasion of Manchuira (Pacific)
While Japan was experiencing political trouble, Japan invades Manchuria. The world was upset and protested but Japan ignored it. Japan took control of the government and begins a big military and naval overhaul. Manchuria has an abundance of resources that could help Japan immensely. The resources, such as iron and coal, are important to Japan because Japan does not have a lot of resources. -
China falls to Japan (Pacific)
Japan captures the very resourceful country of China. China resisted for a little bit but officially ended resistance in February 1932. This was huge for Japan because it opened a lot of opportunities with all the resources in China. Since Japan is a small country, they do not have too many resources. China allowed them to build up the military and take more land. -
Blitzkrieg into Poland (Europe)
Blitzkrieg is a very fast and intense military strategy that often catches the enemy by surprise and overwhelms them. Blitzkrieg means "lightning" and "rapid attack". Germany invaded Poland to expand their empire and their power. Germany claimed it was a defensive attack but the USA and Britain didn't buy it. After Germany succeeded, they signed the Non-Aggression Pact with Russia to avoid military action against each other for 10 years. -
Battle of the Atlantic (Europe)
This battle started in September 1939 and ended in May 1945. It is the longest battle of the war. It started off as the British and Canada against the Germans, but ended with the US and Italy joining their respective sides. Over the course of the war, thousands of ships were destroyed as well as tens of thousands of men killed. To transport goods, the US and Britain would have escort ships for the supply ships. They needed convoys to make sure the supplies could get to their destination. -
German invasion of France (Europe)
Germany swiftly captured France in only a 6 week time span. Germany attacked in the west, but Britain and France thought they would attack through central Belgium. Germany easily pushed through the French defense lines. After capturing Holland and Luxembourg, Germany captured Paris in June of 1940. France surrenders in the same rail car Germany signed the WW1 armistice in. Then, Germany sets up a Vichy government. -
Dunkirk (Europe)
This battle took place while Germany was invading France. 340,000 troops were evacuated from Dunkirk, France back to Britain before the Germans trapped them. Britain used every boat, ship, and plane they could find to transport troops back to the land. This is huge because 340,000 troops is a significant number and losing those soldiers would be a devastating blow to Britain. It might have led to Germany capturing Britain. -
Battle of Britain/The Blitz (Europe)
Germany bombs British airfields, key ports, and military bases. However, the Royal Air Force was able to hold of the German's Luftwaffe. Britain had an advantage because of their pilots and plane technology. They also invented radar to see when planes were heading toward the islands. Germany also started to bomb cities such as London. To counter this, the British used blackouts to avoid bombings. This is very important because Germany in not able to capture Britain. -
Germany takes Greece (Europe)
Germany attacked Yugoslavia and Greece by sending in 24 divisions and 1,200 tanks. Germany really only invaded Greece because Italy had trouble doing it by themselves. Greece was split up between Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria. -
Operation Barbaroosa (Europe)
Hitler sent his best army groups, which included 3 million soldiers, 150 divisions, and 3 thousand tanks, into Russia. Germany was making great progress when it was slowed down, with the cold being a key reason. The attack meant that Germany would now have to fight on two fronts, which was significant to their fall. The attack also forced Russia to get involved in the war, teaming up with the US and Britain. -
Pearl Harbor (Pacific)
At 7:55 am, 360 Japanese planes attack a naval base in Hawaii. They destroyed 19 ships, 150 planes, and killed 2,400 soldiers. The USA never expected Japan to attack Hawaii, so they were caught by surprise. Most of the aircraft carriers were not at the base at the time, luckily. Pearl Harbor was important because it forced the USA to declare war on Japan. Since the USA declared war on Japan, the Axis powers declared war on the US. This is officially starts the world war. -
Philippines 1942 (Pacific)
(December 1941-May 1942) The Japanese invade the Philippines because of the forces the US had there. The islands were a strategic locations between Japan and the South Pacific. They also wanted to control the islands in the Pacific ocean and expand their land. The Unites States had 23 thousand deaths with over 100,000 soldiers captured. When the Japanese captured the Philippines, it was a huge morale loss for the US because of the unconditional surrender. -
New Guinea (Pacific)
Japan invaded the Australian controlled New Guinea. The US and Australian forces were able to clear the Japanese, leaving Japan with heavy losses. Disease claimed more Japanese lives than the battle itself. The US navy created a blockade to cut off the Japanese and the most Japs didn't even come into conflict with Allied forces. The battle ended when the war did, in August 1945. Many historians consider this to take all the steam out of the Japs -
Bataan Death March (Pacific)
The US surrendered the Bataan Peninsula of the Philippines to the Japanese. 75,000 troops had to march 65 miles to prison camps. In the heat, thousands of soldiers died during the march, giving it its' name. Also, people died from the harsh punishment of the Japanese. At the prisons, thousands died from disease and starvation. This was a minor morale loss for the US, but the country was still confident about winning the war. Douglas MacArthur vowed to return, boosting morale a little. -
Doolittle Raid (Pacific)
Lt. Colonel Jame H. Doolittle came up with a plane to use aircraft carriers and B-25 bombers to attack Japan's mainland. 16 planes total were deployed each dropping bombs over various cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe. The bombers then flew for as long as they could hoping to land in friendly territory. Even though there was not too much damage, the American people loved the move, as it seemed like we fought back after Pearl Harbor. -
Coral Sea (Pacific)
The battle is often referred as the first air-sea battle in history. Japan wanted to cut off shipping lanes between the US and Australia so they set up an invasion of Australia. The US predicted the move and met the Japanese. The two day battle led to a US victory and Japan was forced to retreat. This battle left Japan a little crippled for the key Battle of Midway, so it was important. -
Midway (Pacific)
Japan saw Midway as the next step to capture Hawaii. US code breakers were able to learn of he attack, allowing the US to prepare to defend the Midway Islands. After a brutal 4 day battle, the US leaves victorious despite heavy losses. Japan lost more, losing 275 planes and 4 aircraft carriers. Because of their losses, Japan no longer had the ability to try to capture new land. They had to become defensive. This is important because it gave the US the chance to start taking land back. -
El Alamein (Europe)
The Battle of EL Alamein is often referred to as the culmination of the North African war between Britain and Germany. It was fought in the deserts of North Africa. It was a stalemate, but it stopped the Axis powers from advancing. This battle led to the retreat of the Afrika Korps and the German surrender in North Africa. Stopping the Germans in North Africa was important because it allowed access to a lot of oil and raw materials. -
Stalingrad (Europe)
The battle (July 17,1942-Feb 2,1943) was one of the bloodiest battles in history, leaving 2 million dead. The Nazi Army started the war by bombing the city, but failed to finish what they started. The Russians were able to win the street battle while taking 300,000 German soldiers as prisoners. This ended Germany's ability to fight on the offensive in Russia/Eastern Front. This battle was also a turning point in the war because Germany was now forced to defend. -
Guadalcanal (Pacific)
This battle is the first major offensive victory for the Allies in the Pacific. The Japanese controlled Guadalcanal was important to the communication between US and Australia. The battle was fought in the air, sea, and land. It ended on February 9, 1943. Both sides had heavy ship losses but Japan lost around 30,000 more soldiers and their elite group of naval aviators. After Guadalcanal, Japan had no hope to stop the counteroffensive of the US. -
Operation Torch (Europe)
Operation Torch was brainstormed at the Tehran Conference between the Big Three. The plan was to attack into Africa to Sicily to Italy to create another front in France. The US invades Algeria and move east led by Ike Eisenhower. The Germans became trapped between the US and the British. This is key because Germany was in Africa for its' resources such as gasoline. -
Kursk (Europe)
Kursk was a battle between Germany and the Soviet Union after Germany tried to invade Kursk. This is considered one of the biggest battles in the war. The Soviets were able to hold off the German offensive because Hitler wanted to wait a few months to attack. This allowed the Soviets to strengthen their defenses. This battle changed the war on the Eastern Front, as the momentum swung towards the Soviet Union. -
Sicily (Europe)
The Allies wanted to attack Italy to remove them from the war, control the central Mediterranean, and distract Germany from the coast of France so the Allies could attack it later. The Allies invaded in July of 1943 and successfully took over in 38 days. After, the Allies prepared to attack the Italian mainland. The attack was codenamed Operation Husky. Germany and Italy were able to evacuate 100,000 soldiers. This was crucial because it made the attack against the mainland a lot harder. -
Salerno (Europe)
The Allies went through with their plan to attack the Italian mainland after Sicily. The Allies performed a land invasion in Salerno and the British also launched an airborne invasion in Taranto. Salerno was chosen because it is the northern most point the Allies could fly planes from Sicily. Salerno was captured in 6 days. It was also a huge stepping stone to continue the "Crocodile" plan. -
Gilbert and Marshall Islands (Pacific)
The Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign was between the US and Japan from November 1943 to February 1944. In their attempt to sweep across the Central Pacific, the US wanted to establish airfields and naval bases to set up future attacks. Additionally, the Allies knew that these islands needed to be captured in order to eventually get Japan to surrender. The Gilbert and Marshall Islands became an important outpost for their navy. The takeover helped chip away at the Japanese. -
Anzio (Europe)
Also known as Operation Shingle, was an Allied amphibious landing. The battle ended on June 5, when the Allies captured Rome. This attack was meant to collapse the Gustav Line, a major block to the Allies advance. The Allies thought it would be an easy and swift capture but there was a four month stalemate. The battle was a huge success and capturing a major city such as Rome was important to the Allies. It continues the Allies success moving through Europe. -
D-Day (Europe)
The Allies invade Western Europe through Normandy Beaches. 156,000 Allied soldiers land on a 50 mile stretch of Frances coast. Germany had the coast heavily defended. The Allies attempted to mislead the Germans for the location of the attack. This was a huge win for the Allies and led to the fall of the Nazis. The Nazis were no longer in northwest France and this allowed the Allies to eventually invade Germany. There were over 425,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or missing by the end of the war. -
Guam (Pacific)
In the first Battle of Guam in 1941, the Japanese were able to overpower the US and take it over. In July of 1944, the US recaptured it. Guam was one of the targets after the Marshall Islands. Guam was an important stepping stone to the Philippines. The island was turned into a base which included 5 airfields and some bombers that attacked Japan's mainland took off from Guam. -
Operation Dragoon (Europe)
(August 15-September 14 1944) Operation Dragoon was an invasion of southern France. The Allies effectively caused the Germans to fall back. It made it possible to capture all of France. It also crippled the Germans in terms of soldiers. The Allies continued their dominance while invading Europe. This operation was meant to be done the same time as D-Day, but the Allies felt they did not have enough resources and decided to wait. -
Philippines 1944-45 (Pacific)
America fought back into the Philippines. After vowing to return after Japan pushed them out, Douglas MacArthur kept his promise. The campaign started in October of 1944 and ended in August of 1945 with an Allie victory. The Japanese thought we were going to attack elsewhere, but were wrong. Total, there were about 336,000 Japanese soldiers killed to 16,000 US soldiers killed. The Philippines key cities, naval bases, and airstrips. The US victory eventually led to the Japanese surrender. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf (Pacific)
This is often considered to be the largest naval battle of the entire war. The Americans and the Australians teamed up to battle the Japanese. The US invaded the island of Leyte in the attempt to isolate Japan from their sources of oil. The Japanese suffered veryheavy losses and was never able to fully recover from it. This was the first battle that the Japanese used organized kamikaze attacks. At this point, the US had more vessels than Japan had planes. It might as well be the end of the war. -
Battle of the Bulge (Europe)
Germany is able to break through the Allied lines and make a 50 mile deep 80 mile wide bulge. There were Allied troops trapped in the middle (Bastogne). The battle is the largest on the Western Front and the largest by the US army in history. In the month long battle, Germany had significant losses. Germany began to run out of fuel and the Allies were able to hold them off. This was the end of Germany's offensive moves, as they were limited in soldiers and resources. -
Bastogne (Europe)
This was a battle in the Belgium town of Bastogne. It is a smaller battle in the Battle of the Bulge. Germany wanted to reach the harbour before the Allies could regroup. The Americans defending it were struggling and needed help. Germany was able to control the major roads making it easier to attack. However, General George S. Patton was able to relieve the Allies in Bastogne on the 26th. This was seen as Hitler's last major offensive, and it failed. Germany also suffered major losses. -
Yalta Conference (Europe)
At the meeting between the Big Three, they determined they wanted Germany to unconditionally surrender. They also began plans for after the war for how Europe would be fixed and controlled. Stalin agreed to let free elections in Eastern Europe but did not follow through. This would lead to the Cold War between the US and Russia. FDR also received a lot of heat for the actions of Russia. -
Iwo Jima (Pacific)
The battle, that lasted from February to March of 1945, was a major one. The Americans invaded hoping to capture the whole island, which included three Japanese airfields. However, after heavy losses, people began to question how important the island actually was. The Japanese death total was three times that of the US. This was another US win. Overall, the battle probably hurt the US more than it helped. The airfields were only used for emergency landings. -
Okinawa (Pacific)
The battle was fought in the Ryukyu Islands. It lasted 82 days and included the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War. On April 1st, the US invaded Okinawa itself. Like many other islands in the Pacific, the US wanted it so it can set up its attack of Japan's mainland. The country thought that Okinawa "exceeded all hope" in terms of military value. -
Hitler's Suicide (Europe)
In an underground bunker, Hitler and his wife Eva Braun, each took a cyanide pill. However, Hitler shot himself in the head to speed up the suicide. His remains were later found by Russian troops. Hitler's suicide was the final straw for the Nazi's. The death made it obvious to everyone that the Nazi's were done. All hope that was previously left for the Nazi's left. -
German Surrender (Europe)
General Alfred Jodl, the new German in command after Hitler's suicide, signs the unconditional surrender at Reims in northwestern France. This ended the European conflict in the war. Germany's surrender meant there was light at the end of the tunnel for the Americans, knowing they only had to worry about Japan now. It also meant that Germany would give back most of the land that it has conquered. -
Potsdam (Europe)
The Potsdam Conference took place near Berlin. It was a meeting of the Big Three. President Truman was there instead of FDR because FDR passed away. At the meeting, they determined that Germany would be run by an Allied Control Council. The Big Three also demanded the unconditional surrender from Japan. Also, Truman told Churchill that the US has a "new weapon" (Nuke). The meeting was important because they determined how Germany would be run and how they would take down Japan. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Pacific)
The USA warned Japan to surrender or else they will use a very destructive weapon. When Japan did not, an American B-29 bomber dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb over Hiroshima. 90% of the city was wiped out with over 80,000 people killed. A deadly amount of radiation was left killing more people. A few days later, the "Fat Man" was dropped over Nagasaki. This bomb killed 40,000 people. The devastating bombs ultimately ended the world war completely, as Japan unconditionally surrendered. -
Japanese Surrender (Pacific)
Japan unconditionally surrenders shortly after Hiroshima and Nagasaki in mid August, but signed the formal surrender in September. Japan signed on the U.S.S Missouri, a ship that was present for Pearl Harbor. This officially ended WW2 for the United States and the world. The Japanese surrendering was also important because it meant we didn't have to go into Japan and fight. This saved hundreds of thousands of American lives.
