World War ll

Rape of Nanking

Dec 1, 1937

Rape of Nanking
{} In December of 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded China's capital city of Nanking and began to murder 300,000 out of 600,000 civilians and soldiers in the city. This event would become known as the Rape of Nanking and known as the single worst travisty during the World War II era.

German Blitzkrieg

Jun 1, 1939

BlitzkriegA German term for “lightning war."
{} Blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization. German forces tried out blitzkrieg in Poland in 1939 before successfully using the tactic with invasions of Belgium.

World War ll

Period: Sep 1, 1939 to Sep 2, 1945

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Pearl Harbor
{} On December 7, 1941 japanese fighter planes attacked the american naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.2,000 sailors and soldiers died. 1,00 more were wounded. The next day Franklin D. Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan, congress approved. The disaster at Pearl Harbor only lasted 2 hours. America has finally joined WWll.

Wannsee Confrence

Jan 20, 1942

Wannsee Confrence
{}On this day 15 nazi parties and german government officials gathered at Villa in the Berlin Suburb of Wannsee to discuss the final solution of the Jewish. Final Solution was a code name for annihilation of European jews.

Battle of the Midway

Jun 3, 1942

Battle of the Midway
{} Six months after the devistation at Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the naval battles taking place during World War ll. The United States was able to figure out Japan's planned ambush and sucessfully take down Japan's force.

Battle of Stalingrad

Jul 17, 1942

Battle of Stalingrad
{} The Nazi Army bombs Stalingrad, making it one of the bloodiest battles in history. Combined military and civillian casualties was nearly 2 million.This battle was considered the turning point in the war of WWll.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

Jul 22, 1943

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
{} Between July 22 and September 12, 1942, the German authorities deported or murdered around 300,000 Jews in the Warsaw ghetto. Police sent 265,000 Jews to Treblinkaand 11,580 to labor camps. The Germans killed more than 10,000 Jews in the Warsaw ghetto during the deportation act.

D-Day (Normandy Invasion)

Jun 6, 1944

D-Day
{} On June 6, 1944, 156,000 soldiers attacked many beaches along the coast of Normandy in France. The term D-Day is used for the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be followed out.

Liberation of Concentration Camps

Jul 1, 1944

[Liberation of camps.](August 14th - Japan surrendersAugust 15th - Surrender announced to the worldSeptember 2 - Ceremony and formal signing of surrender)
{} Soviet soldiers were the first to liberate concentration camp prisoners in the final stages of the war. Auschwitz was the largest concentration camp in January 1945. Concentration camps were ended after most of the Jews of Poland had already been killed.

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

Battle of the Buldge
{} In December 1944, Adolph Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe. Three German armies, more than a quarter-million troops, pulled off the deadliest battle of the war in the west in Ardennes.

Battle of Iwo Jima

Feb 19, 1945

Iwo Jima
{} The American invasion of Iwo Jima during World War II pushed for the need for a base near the Japanese coast. Three U.S. marine groups landed in February 1945. Roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops fought from very elaborate areas. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting.

Battle of Okinawa

Apr 1, 1945

Battle of Okinawa
{} Forces storm onto the island of Okinawa and attack the Japanese in what was known as the bloodiest battle of the Pacific. 287,00 United States troops attacked 130,000 Japanese troopsthe end 65,00 casualties had appeared, involving 14,00 dead. Both general on both sides lost their lives.

VE Day (Victory in Europe Day)

May 9, 1945

VE Day
{} On this day in 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, rejoice in the defeat of the Nazi war machine.
Stalin himself, on a radi brodcast said: “The age-long struggle of the Slav nations… has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over.”

Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

Aug 6, 1945

Dropping of Atomic Bomb
{} The U.S was the first and only country to use atomic weapons during war. It dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Though it marked the end of World War II, many historians argue that it also ignited the Cold War.

VJ Day

Aug 15, 1945

VJ Day
{} August 14th - Japan surrenders
August 15th - Announced to the world
September 2 - Ceremony and formal signing of surrender
{} VJ Day marks the end of WWII, and the end of the fighting against Japan. Many VJ Day celebrations stopped over the years due to concerns about them being offensive to Japan.