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Rape of Nanking
The Japanese captured the Chinese capital city of Nanking during the second Sino-Japanese War. The leader of the Japanese army, General Matsui Iwane, commanded his troops to crush any rebellion by slaughtering the civilians living there. For six weeks, Japanese soldiers brutally raped, mutilated, and murdered innocent people. By the end of the massacre, 200,000-300,000 people had been killed, and the city was destroyed. -
Munich Conference
Hitler was making plans to invade Czechoslovakia, but the Soviet Union had signed a treaty to protect them in the event of an attack. Great Britain and France had also agreed to help out. However, neither of them wanted to start another war. A conference between the leaders of these countries was called in Munich to negotiate plans. It was ultimately decided that Germany would be allowed to invade Czechoslovakia without resistance from other countries. -
Blitzkrieg
The Germans invented a method to swiftly capture territory by concentrating their power all at once while the enemy is disorganized. The result was quick victories without heavy costs. The word itself means "lightning war." Germans used this tactic in WWI, but it was even more effective in WWII. It was so effective that it allowed Germany to take over countries all across Europe within a span of 2 years. -
Women in the War
Outside of wartime, women were expected to be caretakers, rather than hands-on workers. During the war, though, there weren't enough men to replace employees who had been drafted. Women had to step up and work in factories and offices instead. In addition, many women worked as nurses in the field, and others helped repair planes or drive supply trucks. Even women of racial minorities were allowed to help out. Although it was a total fix, much progress was made against sexism. -
Western Desert Campaign (Desert War)
Italy had a colony in Libya, and Britain had a colony in Egypt. Over several years, several clashes took place between them. The conflicts began when Britain moved westward to capture Italian territory, and Italians eventually retaliated. Battles went back and forth, with both sides desiring the city of Tobruk, a port city. By the end of the conflict, the Allied powers came out on top due to a lack of supplies for the Axis powers. -
Pearl Harbor
After war crimes committed by Japan in the second Sino-Japanese War, the United States imposed trade embargoes on Japan. In response, Japan planned a surprise attack on the United States. Pearl Harbor was an ideal target. Early in the morning, Japanese bombers descended upon Pearl Harbor with the intent to destroy the Pacific Fleet. The United States was unprepared, and as a result, the fleet was severely damaged and 2,403 Americans were killed. The United States entered the war. -
Battle of Stalingrad
German Wehrmacht forces attacked Stalingrad, an industrial Russian city. The Russian army was already weak at that point from other battles with the German, but was determined to defend the city. As the months went on, supplies ran low, but the Russians held out. When winter came, the German army refused to give up, even though they were unprepared. The Russians used their advantage to drive the German soldiers out. Overall, the conflict lasted 6 months, and both sides suffered heavy losses. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
The Allies were planning to cross the English Channel in order to invade France and drive out the Germans. The Germans had built up the coast with fortifications, but the Allies diverted the Germans' attention away with fake plans. Due to their large amount of troops and equipment and the Germans' confusion, the Allies successfully secured Normandy beaches. From there, they were able to march into France and liberate Paris. -
Battle of the Bulge
German forces attacked American units in the Ardennes in an effort to split the Allied forces. The American units were small and caught completely off guard, but they held out until reinforcements arrived. Between the rough landscape and the strength of the Ally reinforcements, the Germans could not come out victorious. The battle lasted over a month and claimed over 100,000 American lives. It was named after the bulging appearance of the Allied front. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
After hearing rumors of nuclear weapons in Germany, American scientists began work on their own nuclear bomb. When the bomb was ready, Germany had already been defeated, but Japan refused to surrender. America dropped a nuclear bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, then another on the city of Nagasaki three days later. Together, the bombs killed roughly 120,000 people, and Japan surrendered soon after.
