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Fall of Paris
Germany invaded and conquered France. Germany had also conquered Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands which put an end to land battles on the Western Front until 1944. -
Pearl Harbor
A surprise attack by the Japanese on a naval base in Hawaii. This attack was intended to keep the U.S. out of the war, but had the opposite effect and the U.S. declared war on Japan the next day. -
Battle of Stalingrad
A well known battle which took place between the Soviet Union and Germany over control of Stalingrad, an important city in the Soviet Union. It's said to be the single bloodiest battle in history with 2 million killed or wounded. It ended in Soviet victory and was a major blow to the German's forces. -
Normandy Invasion
The allies invaded Germany controlled France in attempt to reclaim it. It was the largest amphibious attack ever. This battle had many casualties but finally ended with an Allied victory. -
Battle of the Bulge
This battle was one of the final German attacks on the Western front. It was fought in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The German's intended to stop the Allies use of a port in Belgium and separate the Allied lines. However, Germany was defeated by the Allies. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Throughout the war, Allies had been discovering and liberating concentration camps. After Germany's retreat, Allies began to liberate concentration camps throughout Europe. The few people who survived were set free. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
An Allied attack on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. The U.S. Marine Corps invaded Iwo Jima with the intent to capture it and use it as a base to attack Japan's main islands. The U.S. eventually won after some of the goriest fighting in the war. However, the island wasn't used for much except an emergency airfield. -
VE Day
Also known as Victory in Europe Day, this day marks Germany's surrender to the Allies. -
Drop of the Atomic Bombs
The first and only uses of atomic bombs. The U.S. dropped these bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to keep the war from prolonging. There were approximately 200,000 immediate casualties (mostly civilians). Japan surrendered to the Allies 6 days later. -
VJ Day
This day marks Japan's surrender to the Allies after the dropping of the atomic bombs.
