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Non-Aggression Pact
Pact that was made between Germany and Soviet Union that divided Eastern Europe into 2 spheres of influence. The Soviet Union agreed to this pact because it needed time to build a army capable of fighting in a war. The Red Army officer corps had been purged in 1937 badly weakening the Soviet Unions military establishment. Stalin`s choice was also influenced by the Western Democracie`s hesitance in opposing Adolf Hitler along with several factors. -
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Germany invades Poland
Joint invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contengent. After retreating to more established lines of defence which didn`t work in the Battle of Bzura. Afterwards Polish troops retreated to the southeast where they planed to protect the Romanian Bridgehead and be reinforced which barely happened. The Red Army`s invasion of Eastern Poland made this plan obsolete and all Polish soilders were ordered to retreat to Romania. Thus compleating germany`s invasion of Poland. -
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Battle of Britain
As the name suggests this battle was litterally fought OVER Britain in the first major campaign fought entirely by air forces. It was also the largest sustained aerial bombing to that date. Due to Germany`s and Italy`s failure to destroy major facilities and force the surrender or armistice of Britain operation Sea Lion was canciled stoping Britain from being invaded. This showed the world was shown that Germany`s war machine could be defeated. -
Lend-Lease Act
Formally titled "An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States". It was a program under which the United States supplied Allied nations with aid between 1941 and August 1945. Equivalent to $656 billion today worth of supplies were shipped, or 17% of the total war expenditures of the U.S. -
Pearl Habor
Pearl Habor is a inlet that the United States gained the right to own and maintain in 1887. Most of the harbor and and surrounding lands is a United States Vaval base as well as the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. On december 7,1941 the base was attacked by japanese naval and air forces in a surprise attack resulting in over 2,100 american lives. this is the day the United States was thrust into the second world war. -
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Battle of Midway
A crucial and decisive nave battle in the Pacific Theatre during World War 2. Taking place only 6 months after the bobming of Pearl Harbor it was Japans` the first time to lose a naval battle since 1863. It also dealt irreplaceable damage to the Imperial Japanese Navy for the remander of the war. some people say it was the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
Major battle of Wrold War 2 where Germany and its allies fought Russia for modern day Volgograd. To many historians it is considered the turning point of the war in the European Theater because it was the first of several axis defeats. Due to the bombardment of the civilian populatin, the building to building (close quarters combat), and booby traps it`s often regarded as the largest and bloodiest battle of the history of warfare. After the battle the german 6th army was destroyed. -
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Battle of the Bulge
The battle of the Bulge is a universal name given to a battle that lasted a little over a month resulting in over 158,108 total casualties and losses. It was a major German offencive that failed and left Germany`s armed forces and the luftwaffe under powered on the western front. It was launched through the densly forested Ardennes reagion of Wallonia in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The United States lost the most causlties in this battle, more than in any other battle of the war. -
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Battle of Iwo Jima
The battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle for the island Iwo Jima to be used as a staging ground to attack the main Japanese islands. After the battle was over many questioned the importaince of the island. It couldent be used by the U.S. Army as a staging base and the navey as a navel base. Plus American casualties ( only once in the history of the war) outnumbered the Japanese. However the navey rebuilt landing strips which USAAF B-92`s used for emergency landing. -
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Battle of Okinawa
Battle that was fought over the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. The Allies were planning on using the island as a base for air operations while attacking mainland Japan. The "typhoon of steel" as it is called in english refers to the ferocity of the fighting, number of ships and vehicals used in the battle, and the intensity of Japanese attacks during the U.S.assault on the island. -
V-E Day
Public holiday celibrated to mark the acceptence by the Allies of World War 2 of Germany`s unconditional surrender of its armed forces. However it wasn`t Adolf Hitler who authorised the surrender but his next in command Reichsprasident Karl Donitz. Adolf Hitler was said to have died durning the Battle of Berlin however there is controversy as to how he died. Some say he died in a fire, others say he commited suicide, etc. The administration Donitz headed was called the Flensburg Government. -
V-J Day
Name given to the day that Japan announced their surrendered. On September 2, 1945 a former surrender ceremony was preformed aboard the battleship USS Missouri. It is know as "memorial day for end of war" in Japan. -
Warsaw Pact
A collective defense treaty among eight communist states in existence during the cold war. In part it was a Soviet military reaction to to East Germany joining NATO. Although it was mostly motivated by desires to control over Central and Eastern Europe. After the collapse of the USSR and the end of the cold war the alliance was transformed into subsequent Collective Security Treaty Organization.