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Japanese Invasion of China
In July of 1937, the Chinese and Japanese's hostilities spread rapidly. The Japanese seized the Chinese capital of Nanjing that December. Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Chinese, refused to give up even though they were out numbered. After many aerial bombings, the Chinese were defeated. -
Rape of Nanking
The Rape of Nanking occurred on December 13,1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers were murdered and 20,000 to 80,000 women were raped by the Japanese Army. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
In 1939, Germany invaded Poland and broke their agreement which made Britain and France declare war, which started World War II. Hitler planed his surprise attack after signing the non-aggression pact. German tanks and troops rushed across the Polish border. -
German Blitzkrieg
The word Blitzkrieg is a German term meaning "lighting war" which described Germany's military tactics. The Germans involved the rapid movement of tanks, troops, and airplanes over very large areas. -
Fall of Paris
The Germans trapped over 400,000 Britain and French soldiers. The French surrendered after Italy entered the war on the side of the Germans. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II. The operation was named after Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Canada's role in the operation was to supply the Soviet Union with anything they may need. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, The Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Americans at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes flew towards the US naval base, where they managed to damage nearly 20 American Navel vessels, some completely destroyed. Eight enormous battleships, and over 300 airplanes were taken out during the attack as well as 2400 Americans that were killed, and another 1000 people were injured. The very next day Congress declared war on Japan. -
Wannsee Conference
A meeting in which the "final solution" and use of concentration camps were decided in 1942. Heydrich was the chief executor of the "final solution." -
Battle of Midway
Japanese had planned to capture a strategic island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They wanted to lure the Americans into a battle they were sure to lose. The Japanese were using secret code to communicate to one another and it worked until the Americans figured out the code. Once the Americans knew the code, they went into the battle with the Japanese and the Americans destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers and winning a great victory. -
Death March
The Bataan Death March was a result of the Japanese surrendering on the main Philippine island of Luzon in 1942. Approximately 75000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make the brutal journey through intense heat and harsh treatment for Japanese guards. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was an act of Jewish resistance that rejected Germany's final effort to relocate the remaining Ghetto population to Treblinka extermination camp. -
VE Day
VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) occurred on March in 1943 when Russia crossed the German border and attacked. Hitler ended up committing suicide after the Soviet Army surrounded Berlin. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
D-Day was known as the turning point of the war because it was the day of the invasion of Normandy. This invasion drove the Germans out of France. -
Battle of The Bulge
The Battle of The Bulge was fought in the winter of 1944-45 between the Allied forces and the Germans on the western front. This battle was important because it was one of the last before Germany surrendered. This was also Hitlers last effort to repel the forces invading him. This battle was also one of the bloodiest Americans had faced with a death total of 19,000. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
This was the 1st major battle in the Philippines and it occurred in October 1944. Japan used kamikazes to try and take the battle but the Allies got the victory. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Britain, Soviet, and American forces liberated concentration camps from the Nazi forces. The liberators confronted unspeakable conditions in the Nazi camps, where piles of corpses lay unburied. It was not until then the world saw what was really happening in the concentration camps. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was the largest all-marine battle in history. The US suffered over 7,000 casualties. The capture of Iwo Jima greatly increased the air support and bombing operations against the Japanese islands. The US came out victorious. -
Battle of Okinawa
During the Battle of Okinawa, the first Japanese Home island had been attacked. The battle involved over 500,000 troops and over 1,200 ships. This showed Japan's determination to resist invasion. The war served many fatalities and the Allies won. -
Dropping of The Atomic Bomb
There was a lot of talk whether the US should or should not use the atomic bomb. People said it would be a good idea because trying to attack Japan would cost a lot more money and a lot more lives. They said the atomic bomb would end the war and save lives. Some didn't think this was a good idea because the Japanese were about to surrender so they thought they wait it out. The US ended up dropping the atomic bomb and the war did indeed end. -
VJ Day
VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) occurred on august 12th 1945. On this day, the Allies announced the surrender of Japanese forces during WWII.
