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Invasion of Manchuria
In the 1930s, the Japanese controlled the Manchurian railway. By 1932, the Japanese had conquered the whole of Manchuria. Thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed.
The League sent a delegation to Manchuria to see what was happening. When told to give back Manchuria Japan walked out of the League. In 1933, Japan invaded China. The League did pretty much nothing, not even stop arms sale. This railroads and extra land were big pluses for the Japanese. -
Blitzkrieg into Poland
German troops invade and capture Poland using a technique called Blitzkrieg, (lightning fast), where fast moving troops are supported by air power. Germany had originally demanded Poland from the Allies but they supported Poland. Russia and Germany than signed The Non-Aggression Treaty where they secretly agreed to split up Poland's territory. -
Battle of the Atlantic
German U-boats were making the Atlantic a dangerous place and the Allies in the Atlantic want to prepare for the cross-channel invasion by bringing supplies to Britain. The Allies begin using Convoys and using newly invented Sonar. The Allies then win the Battle of the Atlantic, and their preparations begin. -
Battle of Dunkirk
The Allied armies in the north, trapped by the sea near Dunkirk, were surrounded by Germans. The Allies fought on and launched a desperate counterattack on May 21. The German army was determined to take Dunkirk, the last port available to get from the British army in Europe. Nazi leaders then halted the German advance. Hitler had been assured that an aircraft could destroy the Allied forces trapped on the beaches at Dunkirk, so the forces pulled back. -
German Invasion of France
Churchill had tried for days to convince the French government to hang on and that America would enter the war and come to its aid. President Roosevelt said that the United States was prepared to send material aid and was willing to have that promise published. The Secretary of State Cordell Hull rejected having it published, knowing that Hitler, as well as the Allies, would take such a public promise as a hint of a declaration of war. Taking France was a good spot for Germany to defensive. -
Battle of Britain / The Blitz
German and British air forces fought in the skies over the United Kingdom, in the largest continuous bombing fight to that date of the time. Britain’s victory saved the country from a ground invasion and possible occupation by German forces while proving that air power alone could be used to win a major battle.This also showed the power if the allies. -
Germany takes Greece
Hitler order for the invasion of Greece as well as Yugoslavia in order to secure Germany's Balkan Flank for operation Barbarossa. This was the invasion of the Soviet Union which he planned for later that spring. His troops ended up over powering the Greeks and moving all the way into Athens and were on their way to capture Crete. -
Operation Barbarossa
(This was Hitler's plan for the invasion of the Soviet Union). Hitler launched his armies eastward in a massive invasion of the Soviet Union. The invasion covered a front from the North Cape to the Black Sea. Barbarossa was the crucial turning point in World War II, because its failure forced Nazi Germany to fight a two-front war against the allies with way more resources. Germany fighting out supplied and skilled led to failure invading Russia in Stalingrad and Kursk as well. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces, Just before 8 a.m. , hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and over 300 airplanes. Luckily all of our aircraft carriers were out circulating so it wasn't a complete loss for our navy. The day after the assault, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. -
Philippines 1942
After Japan swept through the Pacific, the US decided they need the Philippines. Led by General MacArthur, the US troops last three months, March to May, then run out of supplies and have no reinforcements. They will have to retreat. Gen. Macarthur vows "I shall return!" -
Bataan (Battle and March)
This was the battle where the US tried to fight to keep the Philippines in their control. After the US lost, it led to the Death March. 60,000 prisoners had to march 70 miles thru jungles to Prisoner of War camps. Over 10,000 of them die from abuse, starvation, and exhaustion. -
The Doolittle Raid
16 American B-52 bombers were launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet 650 miles from Japan. They were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle to attack the Japanese mainland. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto believed the attack was planned on Midway Island so the Japanese were there ready to attack. There was very little damage for the US. This later got Doolittle a congressional medal of honor -
Battle of Coral Sea
This battle takes place in the Coral Sea, Northeast of Australia. The Japanese wanted to cut off shipping lanes between the US and and Australia as well as set up for an invasion of Australia. A two day air battle is fought and results in the first naval battle fought in the air. The United States ends up victorious and forces Japan to retreat. -
Battle of Midway
The Japanese believed that capturing Midway Island was crucial to capturing Hawaii and then move on to the US mainland. Luckily, US code breakers learn of the attack and Admiral Nimitz was able to prepare for the attack on Midway. The battle ended up being 4 days and had heavy loses for the US but even bigger ones for Japan; the battle, 275 planes, and 4 aircraft carries (the most important ships they have)! Was also a turning point, Japan loses the ability to fight an offensive war. -
Guadalcanal
The US's plan was to island hop and move closer to Japan. They end up at Guadalcanal on the Solomon Islands. It takes 6 months until the UNited States controls the island, and they learn how to fight in jungles and use Navajo for communication on the battlefield. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Russia stops German advance into Stalingrad. It consisted of deadly street fighting in the rubble of a big city. This would lead to captured German soldiers and ending Germany's ability to fight offensively on the Eastern Front. -
2nd Battle of El Alamein
The Battle of El Alamein marked the peak of the World War II North African campaign between the British Empire and the German-Italian army. . German Marshal Rommel returned to battle from illness and tried to halt the British, but their advantage in personnel and artillery was too much. After Hitler blocked an initial retreat in early November, Rommel managed to escape complete defeat by retreating to Tunisia. -
Operation Torch
The plan was to go from Africa to Sicily to Italy. They create a second front. Germany’s Goal in North Africa was to get oil. Afrika Korps was led by Gen. Erwin. The US then put operation torch into play. It was to invade Algeria and move to the east. Led by Gen. Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower Rommel (aka Desert Fox) was trapped between US and British and was forced to retreat to Italy. In May 1943, the Allies controlled North Africa and the oil. -
Battle of Kursk
Russia stops German advance into Kursk. Germans tried to attack from all directions but ultimately failed. It was famous tank battle. This would lead to captured German soldiers and ending Germany's ability to fight offensively on the Eastern Front. -
Battle of Anzio
This battle came from the Allied attempt to draw German troops off the Gustav Line during Operation Shingle. A succession of attacks resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, but there was still a stalemate for four months. The Allies finally broke out of the beachhead in late May, and started the advance that led to the capture of Rome -
D-Day
The big three make plans for Operation Overload by building up supplies and then giving the go for D-Day. We cut Railroad lines and capture airfields. Troops land in Normandy. It was 60 miles of beach and Germany didn't expect the invasion. Omaha Beach had mines in water and artillery in the cliffs. 2 American units charge the beach and take it. By the end of the day we had a big loss but controlled the beaches and a second front is created to get rid of the Germans and push them out of France. -
Philippines 1944-45
After the Battle of Leyte Gulf the US now has control of the Philippines. General MacArthur is now able to return as he vowed years before. This was another island closer to victory. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The United State's new target for capture was now the Philippines. Admiral Nimitz and MacArthur meet at the islands. The US traps the Japanese in a straight in the Gulf and destroys them. It's the largest naval battle in history. It also the first time Kamikaze pilots are seen in the war. The US ends up recapturing the Philippines and destroys most of Japan's navy. -
Battle of the Bulge
After D-Day and the allies pushing out France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, Germany decides to try one last attempt counter-offensive. Germans found and it a weak spot in the allied line and created a 50 mile deep and 80 mile wide bulge. Some troops were trapped in the middle at Bastogne, but the US was able to stop the offensive and force a retreat. -
Yalta Conference
The big three; Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill are there and Stalin demands control of Poland and a lot of Eastern Europe. Roosevelt approves but on the terms that Russia must help in the Pacific and that there must be free elections held in Russian controlled areas. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Invasion of Iwo Jima during World War II stemmed from the need for a base near the Japanese coast. Three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting, and the battle earned a place in history with the publication of a photograph showing the U.S. flag being raised in victory. Next up was Okinawa. -
Battle of Okinawa
This was last major battle of World War II and one of the bloodiest. The Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. The Japanese unleashed these well-trained pilots on the Fifth Fleet. Some dove their planes into ships at 500 miles per hour causing catastrophic damage. -
Hitler's Suicide and The German Surrender
As the Germans are near defeat, Hitler takes his life with a cyanide pill and a shot to the head. His wife takes a pill as well. Once this announced most German troops surrender but there were still some who tried to fight, but ultimately were defeated. May 8th (V.E. Day ), Germany agrees to unconditional surrender. -
Hiroshima/Nagasaki
After the United States gave Japan the ultimatum "unconditional surrender or fact prompt and utter destruction." , and Japan ignores it, the US decided to use their newly developed atomic bombs. Within 3 days a bomb is dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, destroying most of each city and causing hundreds of thousands of casualties, to show that they were sticking with their ultimatum. -
Japanese Surrender
Since the United States showed their capabilities of destroying Japan with it's atomic bombs, Japan unconditionally surrenders 6 days later. The peace treaty is signed on the second of September aboard the USS Missouri.
