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Japanese Invasion of China
(Source: History.comJapanese Troops invaded china, killing and pillaging as they passed through the Nanking safety zone in china. Japan was eager to claim the natural resources found in china. The aftermath of this invasion has led to anger and hatred between the japanese and chinese. -
Germany Invades Poland
(Source: History.com)Germany marched on Poland with 1.5 million German troops, German planes dropped bombs on the polish airfields and U-boats were used to destroy polish ships. Germany claimed that this invasion was made in defense, however Britain and France did not believe this. On September 3rd war was declared on Germany, starting the second World War. -
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German Blitzkrieg
(Source: History.com)A german term for "lightning war" a military tactic designed to create disorder amoung enemy forces and was highly mobile. Was designed to prevent deadlock between apposing forces. This new military tactic allowed the Germans to take serveral poland and gain territory in many other countries. -
Fall of Paris
(Source: History.com)On this day German troops marched into and began to occupy the city of Paris. The Frence government was asked to try to hang on, awaiting help from the United states in any form. The United states feared any help sent would be seen as a declaration of war on Germany and the city of paris was soon taken over. This marked the day all assets being traded with Germany and Italy ceased. -
Operation Barbarossa
(Source: History.com)Operation Barbarossa was an attempted invasion of the Soviet Union by Adolf Hitler and the nazi army. The attack consisted of 3 million german troops pushing up the Russian boarder. The german army believed there combat stratagies were sufficent enough to take Russia however this was not true. This marked the turning point of the war and created a two front battle for the Germans. -
Pearl Harbor
(Source: History.com)Early in the morning on December 7th, 1941 hundreds of japanese fighter planes attacked the naval base, pearl harbor located in Hawaii. The japanese were able to destroy serveral large battle ships, kill thousands of soldiers, and wond countless more. This attack sparked FDR the following day to declare war on Japan, resulting in Germany and Italy declaring war on the united states. -
Wannsee Conference
(Source: History.com)Nazi officals meet on this day to discuss and plan the best or 'Final Solution" for dealing with the jewish problem. This problem was finding the most efficient way to kill off the hundreds of thousands of jewish people currently in the concentration camps. The decision was made that Gas vans would be used to kill around a thousand people each day. The conversations made during this conference aided in creating evidence for trying nazi's during the Nuremberg war crime trials. -
Bataan Death March
(Source: History.com)After the surrender of the Filipinos and Americans following the Japanese invasion the men were forced to march 65 miles from Mariveles to san Fernando. Thousands of troops died from the brutality of the captors, starvation so simply being killed when they could no longer walk. Those that survived were taken to prisoner of war camps and many more died there. -
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Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
(Source: HistoryResidents of the jewish ghetto located in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, poland began an armed revolt against against the nazi's. This inspired many other revolts in ghettos throughout germany. Germany lost many man however the uprising were not very successful. -
Operation Gomorrah
(Source: Histroy.com)During operation Gomorrah the british and the Americans alternatingly bombed the German city Hamburg during the day and night. In just the first evening the british dropped more incendiary bombs thats the germans did in their five most destructive raids. This boming raid acted as retribution for the bombings done by the germans in great britain. The bombing of Hamburg crushed German moral and devistated the city. -
D- Day
(Source: History.com)On june 6th, 1944 over 150,000 American, British, and canadian forces lead an assult on the heavily fortified beaches of Normandy France. The capture of Franace allowed the allies to prepare to invade germany and meet up with the soviet union. This victory marked the approaching end of world war II. -
Battle of the Bulge
(Source: History.com)
On december 16th over 250,000 troops belonging ot three german armies attacked western Ardennes with the most deadly and desperate battle of the war. The U.S Division was almost annihilated by the german forces but was able to buy time. This was one of the most costly actions made by the U.S. Army. -
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Operation Thunderclap
(Source: PBS)
Operation thunderclap a series of raids by the british on the German capital, berlin, and refugee camps. The raids were designed to break German moral and 45,000 were expected to have died -
Battle of Iwo Jima
(Source: History.com)Americans invaded Iwo Jima in order to insure a safe area for thier B-29 bomer aircraft to land. The japanese defended their land from the Americans in caves, dugouts, and tunnels. After a month the marines wiped out the japanese. -
Battle of Okinawa
(Source: History.com)the largest and final battle over a Pacific island was the Okinawa campaign. The Japanese altered their tatics to consist of suicide missions or kamikaze attacks. This change created many challenges for the Allied forces. At the end more than 77,000 japnese and 65,000 allies died. -
Victory in Europe
(Source: History.com)May 8th was the day German troops laid down arms and surrendered across Europe. Both Great Britian and America celebrated the defeat of the Nazi's. In Moscow on the 9th Stalin himself held a radio broadcast declaring the war over. -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
(Source: History.com)The war with Japan continued after the defeat of the germans and Harry S. Truman was eager to end the war, ordered that the newly developed Atomic bomb be dropped over Hiroshima and later Nagasaki. Japan surrendered a few days later. -
V-J Day
(Source: History.com)Officially announced that the war with japan was over, ending World War II
