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Japanese Invasion of China
China resisted Japan as a result of Japan's expansion into China which began in 1931, which lead to the Sino-Japanese War. Japan didn't evacuate China until they were defeated by the Allies in 1945. http://www.britannica.com pic: http://histclo.com/ -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Hitler launched a Blitzkrieg on Poland, initiating the second World War through a declaration of war from England and France. Reasons why Hitler invaded Poland include his promise in Mein Kampf and it being one of his Central Aims, the persecution of Germans living in Poland, and to overturn the Treaty of Versailles, which was also a Central Aim. (http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII3_HitlerInvadesPoland.htm) (notes) pic: www.theatlantic.com -
German Blitzkreig
The first Blitzkrieg Germany pulled was on Poland, and it marked the official beginning of WW2. After Hitler saw how successful the blitzkriegs are, he used them a LOT. Other countries Hitler launched blitzkriegs on include Belgium, Netherlands, France, England, and the USSR. The blitzkriegs launched on England and the USSR were not successful. (notes) pic: www.survincity.com -
Fall of Paris
Germany invaded France and named the first operation 'Case Yellow', where advancing Dutch units were stopped by the Germans. The second operation was Operation Dynamo where British and French attempt evacuating to England. In the end, The Allies failed repeatedly trying to launch counterattacks. On August 24th , 1944, the city of Paris was liberated with the Allies' casualties around 36,000. www.history.co.uk www.historynet.com pic: www.koco.com -
Operation Barbarossa
Hitler invades the Soviet Union using a Blitzkrieg after his failed invasion of England. Hitler claims he did so because he wanted the Ural Mountains. Russia attacked German occupiers by attacking them from both sides. Germany's loss resulted in a major setback in their military plans. (http://www.britannica.com) pic: (http://www.theatlantic.com/) -
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was the research project that produced the first atomic bombs and was run by the US Government. The project was initiated because it was known that the Germans were working on an atomic weapon that would win the war, and the US could not allow that. The first atomic bomb exploded on July 16,1945. The next month, two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima. (notes) Video: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/trinity-test/videos/manhattan-project -
Pearl Harbour
Japan was angered by the United States's decision to put a halt on trades to Japan, which resulted in Japan's Gen.Tojo to also come to decision but to attack the USA. Japan then attacked the US's naval base Pearl Harbor, destroying 19 ships, including the USS Arizona, and killing 2,400 people. On December 8, Pres.Roosevelt delivered the known "infamy" speech and the US Congress declared war on Japan. Later, Germany & Italy declared war on US.(http://www.britannica.com/) (www.japantimes.co.jp) -
Bataan Death March
The same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan bombed the Philippines, taking prisoners with them. The 76,000 prisoners were forced by Japanese military to walk and be cramped in unsanitary boxcars to Camp O'Donnell, where the Japanese interned prisoners. During the march, many prisoners were beaten and many beheaded. Only 54,000 reached the camp, with many dying at the camp of starvation and sickness. www.britannica.com -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad demonstrates Hitler's failed invasion of the Soviet Union and the USSR's successful defense. The battle stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies, since the Germans believed it crucial to win for their campaign. The military and civilian casualties were around two million. www.history.com pic: en.wikepedia.org -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
During Germany's invasion of Poland, Hitler wanted to isolate the Jewish Warsaw by forcing them into a heavily armed ghetto. It held around 5,000 Jews with thousands dying from disease and being sent to the Treblinka concentration camp were they executed, but families were told they were taken to work. When the Jews found out they created the Jewish Combat Organization, ZOB. The ZOB warred with the Nazi's, but the Nazi's took control and the resistance leaders committed suicide. www.history.com -
Operation Gomorrah
England and the USA raid Hamburg,Germany with bombings, with Britain continuing its raids until November. The attack was partly payback for Germany's bomb raids on Britain. By the end, over 9,000 tons of explosives were dropped, 30,000 people dead, and 28,000 buildings demolished. The effect on Hitler was amazingly significant to an extent where he would not visit the bombed cities, knowing that they demonstrate his defeat in the near-ending war. www.history.com pic: www.thetimes.co.uk -
D-Day/ Normandy Invasion
D-Day marks the the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control during World War II, where the Allies crossed the English Channel and landed in Normandy, France. Both the Allies and Hitler knew that a successful invasion of northwestern Europe was crucial to winning the war. Hitler refused to release nearby troops to join the counterattack, since he thought that the invasion was a trick to manipulate the Germans from another attack, causing delays. www.history.com pic: en.wikipedia.org -
Battle of the Bulge
Germany wanted to drive a wedge between the American and British armies in France and recapture the port of Antwerp, the Netherlands, so that the Allies can't access the port facilities. Germany did not achieve its goal as efficiently, but they managed to create a bulge in the American lines 50 miles wide and 70 miles deep. Both the American and German troops were considered inexperienced, for the Germans had many children and old men fighting. The casualties were 190,000 combined. history.net -
Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap was a proposal within the Allies to destroy Germany by bombing their most eastern cites,but it had been put on hold until the military situation in Germany was critical. The bombings should've begun on the 13th by the US but bad weather prevented them to do so, resulting in the first raid to be by Britain instead. The US bombed Dresden the next day.The operation was a win for the Allies, they successfully hindered Germany. video: https://youtu.be/8ap3LyYe4l4 www.raf.mod.uk -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The US needed an island close to Japan so that the American bombers can land in and a base for soldiers helping with the bombings, leading to the invasion of Iwo Jima, a significant island in the Bonin chain. The US attacked Iwo Jima, which was being defended by Japan, and won. The Japanese used tunnels and caves as their primary way of defense. Japanese losses were around 20,000, while American losses were 5,900. www.history.com, pic: www.thinglink.com -
Battle of Okinawa
The USA army's forces wanted a base of operations for a later attack on Japan's mainland. The Americans were surprised with Japan's sudden change in strategy, drawing them into the mainland instead of fighting them at the water’s edge. The Japanese staged a desperate defense of the island that included strong wind attacks. The defense proved counterproductive, as the Japanese finally ran out of planes and solutions. The casualties were over 150,000 Japanese and Allies combined. history.com -
VE Day
VE, Victory in Europe, Day marks the day Germany surrendered and was realized in a final cease-fire.In Berlin and eastern Germany, more surrender documents were signed . The Germans main concern was to avoid bring taken as POW's by Russia, and the USSR ended up taking around 2 million prisoners from after the war and not long before its end. VE Day was celebrated by Great Britain and the USA. www.history.com www.telegraph.co.uk -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The United States makes history dropping the first atomic bomb used in warfare on Hiroshima, a city in Japan. It was dropped because P. Truman wanted a quick end to the war and invading Japan wasn't an option, since that would lead to many American casualties. The bomb killed 90,000 people the moment it was dropped, and many others died from radiation and injuries. After three days, 35,000 people died in the city of Nagasaki for another bomb was dropped. Japan soon surrendered. notes nytimes.com -
VJ Day
VJ Day was the day of Japan's official surrender after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings. On August 15, Emperor Hirohito declared that the surrender is because its enemy has created a lethal weapon that kills in enormous numbers. In the end, Hirohito was forced to give up his title as emperor. The ceremony of the official surrender was held off until all representatives of the major Allied powers arrived. www.history.com www.mirror.co.uk -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The first to liberate concentration camp prisoners in the final stages of the war were the Soviets. Also, American, British, Canadian, and French troops also freed prisoners from concentration camps. Furthermore, the USA was responsible for liberating Dachau and Buchenwald , while Bergen-Belsen was liberated by the British. www.ushmm.org pic: en.wikipedia.org
