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German Invasion of Poland (September 1939)
Before the war, Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to a non-aggression pact, where Poland was divided between them. Despite this, Hitler wanted Poland all to himself, so he began his invasion, despite the pact. This would be the spark that started World War 2, as Britain, France, and several other countries declared war against Germany. Germany would break the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union in 1941.
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Battle of Britain (July-October 1940)
Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe, attempted to gain control of Britain. However, they underestimated the power of the Royal Air Force (RAF, Britain’s air force), and they were able to successfully defend themselves from the German attack. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-britain-1 -
Operation Barbarossa (June-December 1941)
Operation Barbarossa was a massive German invasion of the Soviet Union, as Germany was attempting to take Russia for themselves. This plan would ultimately fail, as German forces underestimated the power of the Soviet Union, and this would also mark a turning point in the war, as this had made it a two-front war. -
Pearl Harbor (December 1941)
Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor (a US naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii) by using their aircraft as weapons, diving onto unsuspecting American ships. These attacks killed over 2,400 Americans, and not long after, the US declared war on Japan. Japan’s allies, Italy and Germany, would also declare war on the US, which the US responded by joining the Allied Powers’ war efforts by declaring war on them.
Source: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Battle of Stalingrad (image)
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Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942-February 1943)
In this battle, Germany attempted to capture Stalingrad (a city in Russia) from the Soviet Union, to block Soviet transports. However, Soviet forces were able to stop the German forces, which would soon mark a turning point in the war where the odd now favored the Allies. The city would be named a « Hero City » of the Soviet Union.
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Operation Torch (November 1942)
In this battle, America worked with France to gain control of Algeria and Morocco. However, they faced opposition from those same countries, with naval support from Germany and Italy. Despite this, they were able to capture Algeria and Morocco, while France also gained West Africa. -
Normandy landings (D-Day)
Multiple Allied countries (including, but not limited to the US, Britain, and France) staged a surprise attack on parts of France previously controlled by Germany. The Allied powers were successful, and this began a series of events that would give France back to itself.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings -
Battle of the Bulge
At first, Germany attempted to split Allied forces in order to coerce the Western forces to sign a peace treaty in their favor. However, the US, Britain, and France took on the shape of a bulge and were able to break through German forces. This would prove to be a decisive win for the Allied powers, as they were able to push further into Germany.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge
