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Violation of the Munich Agreement
Through March 14th-15th of 1939, Germany, who initially signed the Munich Agreement, violated the agreement due to capturing large portions of Czechoslovakia. This would automatically lead to Great Britain and France's promise to protect Poland from possible German invasion. -
Guaranteeing Poland's Safety
Due to the rise of Nazism in Germany as well as the defiance of the Munich Agreement from Hitler, Great Britain and France promised the country of Poland with military assistance. This was assured due to the non-aggression acts between the Soviet Union and Germany. However, the two countries that promised protection for Poland happened to be false since Great Britain and France were not ready for the war. -
Beginning of World War II (Invasion of Poland)
The beginning mark of the war began on September 1st, 1939 when German forces of the Nazi Regime invaded the country of Poland. Led by Generals. Franz Halder and Walter von Brauchitsch, the German forces used a combination of aggresive movements of infantry and artillery firepower. The Polish were holding out until forces of the Soviet Union attacked on September 17th, thus completely eliminating the Polish forces. -
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WW2 Timeline (1939-1945)
By: Jimyoung Yoo -
Splitting of Poland
Even though the Allied governments declared war on Germany on September 3rd, they did not commit any action to protect Poland from the invasions due to believing that it will not concieve another world war. With no action taken, the German and Soviet forces split Poland after the war campaign on its country. The German forces began to create death camps for as well as military districts. -
Invasion of Western Europe
On May 10th, 1940, large forces from the Nazi Regime invaded France and many other nearby countries. Countries that were invaded and captured by the Germans were Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium. However on June 22nd, France signs an Armistice with Germany, which resulted in a Nazi-controlled government in Southern France as well as taking control over the entire Atlantic coastline. -
Battle of Britain
The German air campaign against Britain was coined as "The Battle of Britain," was a fierce air onslaught between the Royal Air Force (England) and the Luftwaffe (Germany.) Thinking that it would be an easy to invade both by taking advantage of the air, Hitler decided to inavde Great Britain, as well as wiping out the Royal Air Force with the Luftwaffe. However, the battle would eventually fall to Britain's victory. -
Tripartite Pact
This pact agreement may have many countries joining the powers, but the three most known from the Tripartite Pact were Germany, Italy, and Japan. Taken in Berlin, the Tripartite Pact was mostly targeting the United States, which in fact, motivated Japan to attack the United States. -
Operation Barbarossa
This marked the betrayal between Germany and the Soviet Union due to the fact that German forces invade Russia. This also marked the opening of the Eastern Front, as most of the fighting took mostly within Russia. Even though the Soviet Union won the enduring the difficult battles against the Germans, they eventually suffered 4,000,000 casualties within 7 months. -
"A Day in Which We Will Live in Infamy."
On December 7th, 1941, the Imperial Empire of Japan invaded Pearl Harbor, a naval air base in Hawaii. This attack was to ensure the prevention of the U.S. Pacific Fleet to create an obstacle for Japanese movement in Southeast Asia. From this attack, the United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II. -
Battle of Midway
An important battle of the Pacific Theater, the American sea forces battled it out with the sea forces of Japan. A turning point for the Americans in the Pacific Theater, the Battle of Midway was considered one of the most important sea battles to th U.S. -
Stalingrad
In a span of one year, (1942-43,) a year of grueling devastation and turmoil between the two great powers, the Nazi Regime and the Soviet Union, battle it out in the city of Stalingrad. In order to cut the supply line of the Soviets, Hitler devised a plan to invade Stalingrad with the most powerful force he can offer, the 6th Army. However, Hitler did not realize the harsh conditions of Russia's winter, resulting in complete destruction of the 6th Army and the turning point of the war. -
Ending of the North African Campaign
For nearly a year, the battle of the Italian forces and the German forces against Great Britain and the United States in North Africa has finally ended on May 13th, 1943. Taking place in Tunisia, the Allied forces took over the Axis Powers that were originally taking control. -
Fall of Mussolini
English and American forces land on the offside of Sicily on July 10th, 1943. Heading towards Messina through Calabria, the Italians knew that the downfall of Mussolini began, which they send him to prison on July 25th. The country of Italy completely changed sides, declaring war against Germany and its allies. -
Falling Apart
Cautious about Hungary's leave, one of the countries that follwed the Axis Powers, the Nazi Regime did not hesitate to overthrown it. This would mark the beginning of the Axis Power's downfall as a whole central power due to losing major battles throughout the European and Pacific Theaters. -
D-Day
on June 6th, 1944, Allied forces land on Normandy, France to liberate cities from German occupation. The operation into landing on Normandy was divided into 5 particular beaches, whcih one was Omaha. The operation ended with the allied victory as well as the liberation of France. -
Final Offensive Attack in the West
Due to many German occupated areas liberate, including most of France and Belgium, the German army launched a final attack on Belgium to divide the Allied troops. This attack would be known as the Battle of the Bulge, and would ultimately destroy the final chances of the German army to regroup. Considered to be the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the U.S, the German forces would eventually fall within January of 1945. -
Iwo Jima
After capturing the Japanese airfield, Peleliu, the Ameroicans used this grand opportunity to attack the island of Iwo Jima to pave way for Okinawa. Using a combination of air strikes, naval bombardments, and infantry movement along the shore, the Japanese were completely overwhelmed. One visual representation or photograph that can summarize what happened at Iwo Jima was, "The Raising the Flag in Iwo Jima." -
Crossing the Rhine
American troops cross the Rhine River to obliterate the final German forces surrounding Berlin, the final stop to end the European Theater. This battle would pave the way for Soviet troops to stop the Nazi forces at their capital. -
The End to the Pacific Theater
The Japanese finally give up to the United States after losing in a critical battle in Okinawa, the final stand of the Japanese army. Dubbed as 'Operation Iceberg,' the battle in Okinawa contained so much close-quarter fighting and air strikes that it was considered one of the bloodiest in the Pacific Theater. -
The End to the European Theater
On April 16th, 1945, Soviet troops encircle Berlin, the capital of Germany to eliminate any power of the Nazi regime to finally end the European theater. Dubbed as the Battle of Berlin, Hilter and many of his followers committed suicide to prevent being captured by the forces of the Soviet Union. Germany would surrender on May 7th to the Soviet Union. -
Japanese Surrender
After two devastating bombs were dropped on two cities, Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the Imperial Empire of Japan initially surrendered to the United States, finally ending the war. Unconditionally surrendering a month ago, they still formed resistance against the United States.
