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Period: to
World War II
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Rape of Nanking
This is also known as the Nanking massacre. it was a mass murder that occurred during a six-week period following the Japanese capture of the city of Nanking in China. The Japanese brutally killed many chinese people throughout the city. Thousands of chinese citizens were murdered during this event. http://historyworldwar2-bodong.blogspot.com/2010/11/brutal-japanese-rape-of-nanking-1937.html -
German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is a military tactic, that means Lightning War, designed to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. It was very successful in short military campaigns. It preserved human lives and limited the ussage of artillery. The Germans first used this tactic when they invaded Poland and it worked. Germany used it to also gain territory in Northern Africa during WWII. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attacked Pearl Habor. They flew in and bpmbed many navel ships. They also killed more than 2000 Americans. This event ultimately caused the United States to enter WWII against Germany and Japan. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
On this day, Nazi officials met to talk about the Final Solution, the plan to kill all the Jews in Europe. They talked about ways of extermination such as death by firing squad and death by gassing. The Nazis planned to exile the Jews from the general public and kill them once they were away from the public. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-wannsee.htm -
Bataan Death March
On this event, the U.S. surrender the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese. The Japanese then made the U.S. and Filipino troops march 65 miles to the Japanese POW camps. Thousands of people died during this march, giving it the name. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Stalingrad
This battle was the U.S.S.R protecting the city of Stalingrad. They did so successfully. Russia conciders this the most important battle in their "Great Patriotic War." It was one of the deadliest battles in history. About 2 million civilians and soldiers died in this 8 month battle. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
From April 19 to May 16, 1943, residents of the Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland, staged an armed revolt against deportations to extermination camps. The Warsaw ghetto uprising inspired other revolts in extermination camps and ghettos throughout German-occupied Eastern Europe. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/warsaw-ghetto-uprising -
D-Day
D-Day, also known as the invasion of Normandy, took place on June 6, 1944. 156,000 US, Canadian, and British forces invaded Normandy beach. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated. The following spring the Allies defeated the Germans. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Bulge
In December 1944, Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe by means of a surprise blitzkrieg. The Americans were caught off guard and tried desperately to fight off Hitler. The Americans suffered heavy casualties and eventually were able to neutralize the Germans. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
This day was the day that Soviets liberated Auschwitz. The concentration camps were liberated at different dates but Auschwitz was one of the biggest. Concentration camps were the place Nazis sent the Jews to be executed. Concentration camps had horrible living conditions and were often too crowded. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005131 -
Operation Thunderclap
The operation was to bomb German cities and stop travel from city to city. They were to stop the transport of supplies to the front lines. This also was used to show the German people that their air defence was of little defence and that the Nazi regime had failed them. http://ww2today.com/13-february-1945-operation-thunderclap-raf-start-firestorm-in-dresden -
Battle of Iwo Jima
This was an American water invasion of Iwo Jima during World War II. This stemmed from the need for a base near the Japanese coast. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. The Americans still defeated them, however. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
VE Day
This day was the day that Nazi Germany surrendered. This was called Victory in Europe Day. Cities across Great Britain and the United States rejoiced the defeat of the Nazis. This is the day when all Germans laid down their arms and surrendered. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end WWII. They were dropped on two different Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The dropping of these bombs caused Japan to surrender and exit WWII. Although this ended the war, it killed about 220,000 people within the next few years. http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/atomic-bomb -
VJ Day
On August 15,1945, the Japanese surrendered and WWII ended. The Japanese had experienced a large loss of life after they had two atomic bombs dropped on them. On September 2, 1945 President Truman declared that day VJ Day. This day is also known as Victory over Japan Day. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
