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Battle of the Atlantic
-January 1939 - July 1943
-German U-Boats were sinking unprotected US (and other Allies') merchant ships
-Allies began using convoys to protect ships and a sonar system to detect German U-Boats
-Germany was successful at the start, however the Allies gained more power ad took the upper hand by mid 1943 -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
-The U.S. wanted to prevent Japan from invading other countries; they had a trade embargo on Japan for oil.
-The U.S. intercepted the code about Pearl Harbor and informed the U.S. navy about the attack.
-2 400 U.S. military and civilians died (1 178 wounded).
-118 ships sunk and 350 planes were damaged. -
U.S. Declares War on Japan
- As a result of the attacks on Pearl Harbour, the U.S. declares war on Japan.
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Period: to
Battle of the Coral Sea
-The Japanese were winning every battle and taking over the Pacific, until the Battle of the Coral Sea.
-US and Australia stopped Japan from invading in May of 1942.
-Japan won the, but the allies were able to stop Japanese invasion for the first time
-Beginning of the use of the USA's island hopping technique (to weaken Japanese forces). -
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Battle of Midway
-Admiral Chester Nimitz intercepted Japanese code and the U.S. launched a surprise attack on Japan, at Pacific island called Midway.
-U.S. was successful in the battle
-American deaths: 307
-Japanese deaths: (at least) 4800
-US lost 150 planes, whereas Japan lost 275. -
Period: to
Battle of Stalingrad
-Germans had a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union - they violated it by attacking.
-Hitler's goal was to capture the Soviet oil fields.
-Hitler forced the Germans to stay put - Soviets used this to their advantage and won.
- From this point, Soviet army began to move west toward Germany. -
Normandy Invasion (D-Day)
-Allies invaded the German forces in Normandy, France
-Invasion lead by Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Patton
-150 000 Allied Troops invaded
- Largest land-sea-air operation in history
-Victory for the Allies, became a turning point in WWII -
Period: to
Battle of the Bulge
-Germany wanted to capture the town of Antwerp, Belgium
-Germans were able to break through an 80 mile front of American lines
-Germans started off in the lead, then lost 6 000 tanks and guns and 1 600 planes (which lead to their defeat)
- Americans won the war
-120 000 German soldiers died -
Yalta Conference
-Took place February 1945 (before the war ended)
-Roosevelt (American president), Winston Churchill (British prime minister) and Joseph Stalin (General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) met in Yalta, to discuss post war
-Formed the United Nations -
Period: to
Nuremberg Trials
-Nazi officials sent to trial by International Tribunal Court
-In Nuremberg, Germany Nazi war criminals were tried by over 23 nations
-12 of the 22 defendants were sentenced to death
-200 other officials were found guilty (less harsh sentences) -
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US Occupation of Japan
-Trials (similar to Nuremburg) held for Japanese war criminals
-7 out of 28 leaders found guilty and sentenced to death
-US occupied Japan for 6 years - under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur
-Called for a New Constitution (with free elections and women suffrage) -
Period: to
Potsdam
- Meeting between Truman (US), Churchill (UK), Stalin (SU), and Clement Attlee (UK) -Held in Potsdam, Germany between July and August (1945) -Created a blueprint and planned to demobilize/disarm Germany and end the Nazi leadership
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Period: to
Iwo Jima
-Iwo Jima was an island in the Pacific that was critical for U.S. win
-27,000 Japanese soldiers guarded Iwo Jima
-U.S. victory
-Casualties: 26,800 Japanese troops and 6,000 U.S. Marines -
Period: to
Battle of Okinawa
- The Battle of Okinawa was Japan’s last defensive stronghold. -Japan used 1,900 Kamikaze (suicide) attacks and 110 000 Japanese troops died.
- Between 7,600 and 12,500 U.S U.S. troops died. -US victory.
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Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt
-American President F.D.R. (Franklin D. Roosevelt) dies during the beginning of his 4th term
-Start of a major grieving period for the United States
-Vice President Harry S. Truman takes the role as President -
End of Hitler
-Hitler and his partner, Eva Braun, commit suicide on April 30th, 1945
-The bodies are burned
-Their deaths make the cover of Time Magazine on May 7th, 1945 -
V-E Day
-Victory in Europe day
-On May 8th, 1945, General Eisenhower (U.S.) accepted a surrender by the Third Reich (Nazi - German empire)
-The first part of WWII was over -
Hiroshima
-Part of the Manhattan Project (secret atomic bomb project)
-Bombing of Hiroshima (known as the 'Little Boy") happened August 6th, 1945
-In 43 seconds, the city collapsed to dust -
Nagasaki
-Second bombing of the Manhattan Project
-Bombing of Nagasaki (known as the "Fat Man") took place 3 days after Hiroshima
-Leveled half of the city
-200 000 Japanese deaths as a result of Hiroshima and Nagasaki -
V-J Day
-V.J = Victory over Japan
-August 15, 1945: Japan offers unconditional surrender
-September 2, 1945: Japan formally surrenders to the USA
-End of World War 2