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German Blitzkrieg (1939-1940)
What happened: The Germans would launch "surprise attacks" with a dense formation of tanks, troops, airplanes, and ships.
Why it happened: They tried to create disorganization among other troops, distract them, so the Germans could defeat them.
The effects/impact of the event: Short military campaigns, which preserves human lives and limits the expenditure of artillery. The Germans had an advantage over other troops. -
Pearl Harbor (1941)
What happened: A surprise military attack on the U.S.'s naval base in Hawaii by the Imperial Japanese Navy, 2,500 men were killed.
Why it happened: Japan wanted to destroy American fleets, and conquer more land in the Pacific. They were also mad about the U.S.putting embargoes on oil and their relationship with China.
The effects/impact of the event: Led to America's entry into WW2. -
Wannsee Conference (1942)
What happened: Meeting of Nazi Germany and Schutzstaffel in Berlin to discuss the "final solution".
Why it happened: To coordinate the killing of the Jewish people.
The effects/impact of the event: The "final solution" killed millions of Jewish people. -
Bataan Death March (1942)
What happened: A 65 mile march where the Imperial Japanese Army transferred 75,000 Filipino and American war prisoners from Saysain Point to prison camps in Bataan. Thousands of soldiers died.
Why it happened: The Filipino island was surrendered and they captured the soldiers there as prisoners.
The effects/impact of the event: The U.S. recaptured Bataan and executed the Commander responsible for the march. -
Battle of Midway (1942)
What happened: A naval battle in the Pacific between the U.S. and the Japanese. The Japanese were trying to sink U.s. fleets, American General, Chester Nimitz outsmarted the Japanese and defeated them.
Why it happened: The Japanese were trying to take down American fleets and conquer the Pacific.
The effects/impact of the event: Turning point in the Pacific Theater, -
Battle of Stalingrad (1942 - 1943)
What happened: Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city, nearly 2 million people were killed or injured.
Why it happened: Hitler wanted to conquer the territory to create the illusion that he had conquered Stalin, hence 'Stalin'grad. It was also the industrial center of Russia and an important route for shipping.
The effects/impact of the event: Turned the war in favor of the Allied forces. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion - 1944)
What happened: Bloodiest day of ww2. Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord.
Why it happened: To help Europe be liberated from Nazi Germany's control.
The effects/impact of the event: The allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. -
Battle of Bulge (1945)
What happened: Adolph Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe by blitzkrieg through the Ardennes to Antwerp. Patton maneuvered leading to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive despite heavy casualties.
Why it happened: Germans pushed in on American defensive lines on the western front.
The effects/impact of the event: Ruined the German Army, contributed to ending the war. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps (1945)
What happened: American forces and other Allied forces liberated more than 20,000 prisoners from the main camps.
Why it happened: Nazis kept Jews and other minority groups in concentration caps where they were killed, as the Allied forces were advancing across Europe they found Concentration camps.
The effects/impact of the event: They saved thousands of lives, and exploited the horror of what the Nazis do. -
Battle of Iwo Jima (1945)
What happened: The U.S. Marine corps landed on and captured the Island, Iwo JIma from the Japanese. 28,000 soldiers were killed.
Why it happened: After months of naval fighting and air fighting, the Americans thought it was time to capture Japanese territory.
The effects/impact of the event: The American forces won and captured the island of Iwo Jima. -
Battle of Okinawa (1945)
What happened: The Navy's fifth fleet landed on the island of Okinawa to invade Japan. The Japanese used Kamikaze warfare against the U.S. most of the Japanese chose suicide instead of surrender.
Why it happened: Capturing Okinawa was part of a 3-point plan for America to win the war.
The effects/impact of the event: Allied victory. Truman Chose to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan finally surrendered. -
Potsdam Declaration
What happened: Defined terms for Japanese surrender, called for Japanese surrender and all their armed forces. Also called for reconstruction of Germany's borders.
Why it happened: The Allied forces saw this as a solution for Japanese attacks.
The effects/impact of the event: Japan surrendered the day after the bombing of Nagasaki, contributed to ending the war. -
Dropping the atomic bombs (1945)
What happened: The U.S. dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, after Japan still did not surrender the U.S. dropped another bomb on Nagasaki.
Why it happened: The U.S. wanted Japan yo surrendered, they had already costed America so many losses.
The effects/impact of the event: Japan surrendered, contributing to ending the war. -
VJ Day (1945)
What happened: The Imperial Japanese surrendered to America, bringing attacks to a close.
Why it happened: The U.S. dropped two bombs on Japan, making the Japanese surrender in fear.
The effects/impact of the event: Brought an end to WW2 for America and the fighting with Japan and the Allies. -
VE Day (1945)
What happened: The Allies formally accepted Nazi Germany's surrender of its armed forces.
Why it happened: Their leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide, leaving Karl Donitz to carry out the surrender of the Nazis.
The effects/impact of the event: Ended WW2 in the European theater, the fighting was over.
