WW2 timeline

Invasion Of Manchuria

Sep 19, 1931

This was one of the first invasions Japan did. It was to a region in China. They took it over and set up a puppet government there. This is Important because Japan will hold this territory until the end of WW2.

China Falls To Japan

Feb 27, 1932

With help from the United States, China tries to push Japanese troops out of the eastern part of China back to the mainland. This was important because it left only one target that was needed to attack in order to finish off Japan.

Blitzkrieg Into Poland

Sep 1, 1939

On September 1st 1939, Germany moves into Poland using Blitzkrieg. They had help from the Russians who moved in from the east. Quick capture for the Germans because of the outdated Polish army. This was important because it was fought with Russia and Germany under a non aggression pact.

German Invasion Of France

May 10, 1940

In 1940 Germany drives a wedge in between French and British troops as they invade France. They forced over 340000 troops to evacuate to Britain. This event was important because it would give Germany land that was close to Britain and perfect for an attack.

Dunkirk

May 26, 1940

This was the the place that the battle of Dunkirk was held. This was the last battle Germany would fight to capture France. Germany forced French and British troops to evacuate to Britain.

Battle Of Britain

Jul 10, 1940

This was a air battle after the Germans got all the British out of France. It was aimed at destroying military bases to try and weaken the British Army. This was important because if these attacks go well, the Germans have an easy access into Britain's beaches.

Operation Barbarossa

Jun 22, 1941

This was the code name of the German operation of invading the soviet union. This was important because it showed russia that Germany is not loyal after they attacked them after their neutrality act was passed.

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

In Dec of 1941, the Japanese attacked a place in Hawaii as Pearl Harbor. They used air attacks to target our military bases and naval vessels. This was important because it is the reason we got into WW2.

Battle Of The Atlantic

Dec 8, 1941

This was a continuous battle that took place in the Atlantic ocean from the beginning to the end of the war. There were German boats and subs fighting against British and American Navy. This was important because as sonar and radar came out, we were able to try and weaken the German Navy.

Philippines In 1942

Jan 1, 1942

The US controlled the Islands of The Philippines. After Pearl Harbor the Japanese took it over. This was important because it only gave the Japanese two islands until the west coast of the United States.

Bataan

Apr 9, 1942

This was a place in the Philippines were the Japanese made thousands of US army men walk 65 miles to prison camps. Many people died on there way to the camps as the Japanese were very cruel to them.

Doolittle Raid

Apr 18, 1942

This event took place in 1942, it was an air attack on the Japanese mainland. This was important because it was the first air strike we had done to the Japanese.

Coral Sea

May 8, 1942

This was the place for a huge naval battle between the Japanese and the Americans.This was important because we destroyed most of the airplanes that were in the navy as well as many aircraft carriers and naval destroyers.

Midway

Jun 3, 1942

This was a naval battle fought by the Japanese and the US. This battle was important because it stopped the Japanese from getting to Hawaii and then eventually to the west coast of the United States.

Guadalcanal

Aug 7, 1942

This was an attempt by the allies to get back islands of the Philippines. It was mainly fought in jungle warfare were US soldiers were more trained to fight in European style fighting. This was important because it taught the allies troops to fight in jungle like conditions.

El Alamein

Oct 23, 1942

This was a battle fought in near the Egyptian railway halt.

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

This was an invasion into northern Africa. The objective was to clear out the Axis powers out of Africa to give room to attack them from the south. This was important because it was a strategic objective so that an invasion into German and Japanese territory would be easier.

Stalingrad

Feb 2, 1943

This was a major attack on the eastern front into soviet russia. Japan, Italy, and Germany all faught onto this part to try and push the soviets. This was significant because Germany wanted control of the city of Stalingrad.

Kursk

Jul 5, 1943

This was a large battle between the soviets and Germans. This battle was fought not far from the soviets capital of Moscow. It was important to the soviets that they win so they could push back the Germans from their capital.

Gilbert And Marshall Island

Nov 1, 1943

These islands were the home of many air and navy battles between the US and Japan. This was significant because whoever controlled these islands, had control of army bases that would help with operations in the Pacific.

D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

British and American Troops stormed Omaha beach. Many soldiers died because of heavy German fortifications since they had time to prepare. This was important because it was one of the bloodiest battles in history and the US won.

Operation Dragoon

Aug 15, 1944

Code name for the operation were allied troops invaded southern France in 1944. This was important because it was supposed to go along die with operation overlord.

Philippines 1944-1945

Oct 20, 1944

During these years, the US focused on capturing the Islands of the Philippines. The Japanese were also focused on trying to defend the Philippines from the US. This was important because if the US got control of these islands, they would be so much closer the Japan.

Battle Of Leyte Gulf

Oct 23, 1944

This was a set of battles fought near the Philippines to try and stop Japan from getting to an oil source. This was an important event because it was the largest naval battle in history and it really crippled the Japanese navy.

Battle Of The Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

This battle was held in France where German troops surprise attacked the allies. There were heavy losses on both sides. This was important because this was the last offensive battle Germany will fight.

Yalta Conference

Feb 4, 1945

The Yalta Conference was the first official meeting of the big three allied powers. Winston Churchill, FDR, and Joseph Stalin. This conference was used to discuss a plan to take down Nazi Germany.

Hitler Suicide

Apr 30, 1945

Hitler committed suicide on April 30th 1945. Hitler's bunker was being raided by Russian soldiers in Berlin so Hitler was forced to kill himself. Hitler and his lover Eva Braun took a cyanide pill to kill themselves. Hitler also shot himself in the head just in case the pill did not work.

Germany Surrenders

May 7, 1945

Germany surrenders in May 7, 1945 to the allies. This was days after their leader Adolf Hitler killed himself. There were still small groups of Germans who did not think the war was over. This was important because it solved the war problem in Europe.

Potsdam

Jul 17, 1945

This was the very last conference between the big three. Truman told the other 2 leaders that America developed an A bomb to be dropped on Japan. America gave Japan a warning by saying they had a weapon of mass destruction and if they don't surrender now they were not afraid to use it. Japan did not listen to Americas threat.

Hiroshima And Nagasaki

Aug 6, 1945

These were to places where the atom bomb was dropped. One bomb was called little boy and the other fat man. These were important because after the bombs were dropped at these cities, Japan surrendered.

Japanese Surrender

Aug 15, 1945

Japan surrendered to the United States because we dropped two atoms bombs on them. We warned them we had a weapon of this destruction and they didn't listen. This was important because it was the event that ended WW2.