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Japanese invasion of China
WW2 began on July 7, 1937--not in Poland or at Pearl Harbor, but in China. The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) was one of the most destructive conflicts of World War II. It began with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of July 7, 1937, and ended with Japan's surrender on September 2, 1945. -
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Battle of France
In the invasion the Germans captured and subjugated not only France but Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium. They invaded because it was Hitler's desire to eliminate France and Great Britain as threats to German dominance in Europe. A few impacts of it was the Isolation of Britain, German dominance, and the French defeat. -
Fall of Paris
The Maginot Line fortresses fell one by one, though some held until July. Meanwhile the main attacks across the Somme and Aisne, initially checked by the French, eventually broke through, and succeeded in taking Paris on 14 June. On 22 June the French signed an armistice, surrendering to the Germans. France had fallen. -
Pearl Harbor
The Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor. Resulting in the destruction of numerous US warships and aircraft and the loss of over 2 thousand lives. Japan attacked the harbor to avoid a prolonged conflict and secure early victories. -
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Wannsee Confrence
The Wannsee conference was a high-level meeting of German officials to discuss and implement the so-called "Final Solution of the Jewish Question"(Mass killing). The major impact was the reshaping of Europe after WW2 leading into the Cold War. They also go tthe surrender of the Nazi Germans. -
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Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy began on July 10, 1943, with the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). The invasion of mainland Italy, following the surrender of Italy, commenced on September 3, 1943, with landings in Calabria and Taranto, and continued with major landings at Salerno on September 9. The Italian campaign ended on May 2, 1945, with the surrender of German forces in Italy. -
D-Day
On that day Allied forces launched a massive amphibious invasion of Normandy, France, to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe. D-Day happened because the Allied forces and Canadian troops, aimed to establish a second front in Western Europe to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. D-Day marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and the liberation of Western Europe. -
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Battle of the Bulge
German forces launch a surprise offensive in the Ardennes region of Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The German aimed at splitting Allied lines and retaking the port of Antwerp. The battle severely weakened the German military and hastened the end of the war. -
Liberation of concentration camps
The first major Nazi camp to be liberated was Majdanek, located in Lublin, Poland. It was liberated in the summer of 1944 as Soviet forces advanced westward. The previous spring, the SS had evacuated most of the Majdanek prisoners and camp personnel. The evacuated prisoners were sent to concentration camps further west, such as Gross-Rosen, Auschwitz, and Mauthausen. -
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Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap, specifically the bombing raids on Dresden, began on February 13, 1945, and ended on February 15, 1945. It was part of a larger Allied strategic bombing campaign in Eastern Germany, including the city of Berlin. The operation aimed to disrupt German logistics and support the Red Army's advance on the Eastern Front. -
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Battle of Iwo Jima
The U.S. invaded Iwo Jima to establish an air base for supporting bombing raids against Japan and eliminate their airfields and radars. The U.S. invaded Iwo so they could gain control of the island for strategic reasons. The capture of Iwo Jima helped us pave the way to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa. -
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Battle of Okinawa
The brutal three-month-long battle campaign in April-June 1945 saw the US and Allied forces engage in a fierce land, sea, and air battle against Japanese defenses on the island. It resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, with estimates of over 12,000 American deaths and 120,000 Japanese troops killed. The battle was significant as it was the last major island battle before the planned invasion of mainland Japan, and its ferocity raised concerns about the potential cost of such an invasion. -
VE Day
VE Day is they day when the Nazi Germans unconditional surrendered. However, this came after a period of intense fighting and Allied advances, not long after Adolf Hitler committed suicide (April 30, 1945). -
Atomic Bombs
Before the bombing, the war in Europe was nearing its end, with the Allied victory in Europe on May 8, 1945. The U.S dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force Japan's unconditional surrender and end WW2. These bombs were intended to cause Japan to surrender to the Allied forces and to bring about the end of WWII. As a result of direct exposure to these bombs, over 200,000 people died. -
-VJ Day
V-J Day (aka Victory over Japan Day) marked the end of WW2 in which President Harry S. Truman announced Japan's surrender. The thing that led Japan to surrender was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Aug. 6: Atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Aug. 9: Bomb on Nagasaki, Aug. 10: Japan offered surrender, Aug. 12: US accepted surrender, Aug 15: Emperor of Japan announces surrender, Sep. 2: WW2 officially ended.