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Japanese Invasion of China
This war lasted for 13 years. Japan had a rapid increase in population and needed land and natural resources for its people. The Japanese decided to take these items by force from China. The Japanese were successful in the first two years by taking over ports. Many refugees fled China, and there was loss of life from both countries. China's defeat in this war led to many western powers putting more demands on the Chinese government.
www.britannica.com/event/Second-Sino-Japanese-War -
Rape of Nanking
The Japanese Imperial Army went into Nanjing, China where they raped, and killed many Chinese citizens. The Japanese soldiers followed the orders of Matsui Iwane. The impact of this travesty, was a great loss of life and allowed the Japanese to capture the city. Both the general and Lt general of the Japanese army were both found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to execution by the International Military Tribunal after WWII. (https://www.britannica.com/event/Nanjing-Massacre) -
German Blintzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is a military strategy of using multiple ways to fight in a war. In WWII the German forces employed the Blitzkrieg strategy by using tanks, mobile infantry, and artillery troops to conquer cities quickly. This strategy allowed them to penetrate the allied defenses more affectively then in WWI. This is the reason Germany was able to conquer more countries in Europe in a short time span in WWII. (https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg) -
Fall of Paris
Germany used Blitzkrieg strategy to overtake Paris in a matter of days. This resulted in the French government moving to Boardeaux once the Germans took over the French government they had no choice but to surrender. This led to the German and Italian armistices, which gave the German military more resources to continue to fight in WW2. (https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-France-World-War-II/The-fall-of-France-June-5-25-1940) -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese military held a surprise air attack on the US ships stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese's reason for doing this was hope that this attack would cause devastation to the US Military, and to prevent the US from entering WWII. There was great loss of life, and the destruction of millions of dollars in equipment. However, this lead the US to be more determined to join and help in WWII.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Battle of Midway
The battle of Midway was between the US and Japanese army that played out for six months. This was because of Pearl Harbor, seeing as though the US wanted to avenge their lost troops. The US won this battle and in response the Japanese retreated on the plan to attack the rest of the US. (https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway) -
Wannsee Conference
This was the meeting of the Nazi officials and the turning point on the final Jewish policies within Germany. The Germans decided to round up all Jewish people within Europe and force them into labour gangs. This would cause natural diminution and those that survived would be treated as slaves. This lead to the concentration camps where many jewish people died. (https://www.britannica.com/event/Wannsee-Conference) -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
The US led an amphibious invasion of Normandy France, this is known as D-Day. Although it took 11 days for the US and allied forces to successfully secure the beaches, there was great loss of life during this battle. D-day resulted in Paris being liberated from the Germans, and gave the Allied forces greater territory to fight against German troops.
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day) -
Battle of Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a military campaign between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Army of Japan. This battle lasted 5 weeks, and was one of the bloodiest battles of WWII. Although the US won this battle is wasn't without great loss of life too many US troops.
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima) -
Liberation of concentration camps
As allied troops moved across Europe they encountered concentration camps where tens of thousands of prisoners were held. Majdanek was the first major concentration camp to be liberated, but this helped spread the news of how awful the jewish people were being treated, and encouraged allied forces to continue to fight.
(https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps#:~:text=In%20the%20summer%20of%201944,concentration%20camp%2C%20in%20January%201945.) -
Battle of Okinawa
This was the last major battle between the US and Japanese, and one of the bloodiest. The US was trying to take Okinawa, to take over Japan. The suicide bombers of Japan also called kamikaze suicide pilots were able to cause many US military lives lost. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Adolf Hitler’s last major offensive in World War II against the Western Front. It took place in Belgium, and Hitler's goal was to try to divide the allied forces from their joint attack towards Germany. It took place during the Winter, and last 6 long weeks. This battle was had over 100,000 lives lost, and the formerly serene, wooded region of Ardennes was destroyed during the battle. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
VE-Day
This is known and celebrated in Europe and America as the day to mark the end of World War II in Europe. This day caused celebrations across the world. However, the war ranged on with the Pacific nations.
(https://www.defense.gov/Experience/VE-Day/) -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
The US used a B-29 bomber to drop the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. An estimated 80,000 people died, and tens of thousands since then from radiation. Two days later the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people. These bombings lead to Japan surrendering in WWII. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
VJ-Day
VJ Day also known as victory over Japan Day took place 8-15-1945. This is the date that is celebrated as the end of WWII. A war that took over 6 years to win, and had the greatest number of lives lost in any war in recent history. Although the Japanese didn't officially sign the surrendering documents until September.
