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December 8,1941 U.S declares war on Japan
December 8,1941 U.S declares war on Japan after pearl harbour -
December 11, 1941, Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.
December 11, 1941, Germany and Italy declare war on U.S. after The U.S declared war on Japan. -
May 4-8,1942 Battle of the Coral Sea
Before this battle, the Japanese were winning every battle in the Pacific.
Japan won the actual battle, but the allies were able to stop Japan invasion for the first time.
The U.S. was starting to use the Island Hopping technique to weaken Japan’s forces. -
Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942.
Admiral Chester Nimitz intercepted Japanese code.
The U.S. launched a surprise attack on Japan at Pacific island called midway and was successful. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germans violated nonaggression pact with Soviet Union and attacked
Hitler hoped to capture Soviet oil fields
Germans nearly won (controlled 9/10 of the city)
Soviets lost 1,100,000 people in this battle -
Battle of the Atlantic
German U-Boats were sinking unprotected U.S. and other Allies' merchant ships.
Allies began using convoys to protect ships
The Germans were very successful in the beginning, but by mid - 1943, the Allies had the upper hand -
D-Day
June 6, 1944
During this time, Soviet Union was pushing into Poland and Allies were pushing North in Italy
At least 150,000 allied troops invaded -
France finally freed from Nazi control
In September 1944, during the Normandy invasion, France was freed from Nazi control. -
Battle of the Bulge
Began in December 16,1944-January 25, 1945
Fought in Belgium- Germany was trying to capture Antwerp
Very brutal war - one of the most extensive of U.S. military (120 American GIs captured and mowed down by SS machine guns and pistols) -
The Yalta conference
The Yalta conference was between Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill to discus post WWII.
It took place in February 1945 before the war was over -
Iwo Jima
On Feb. 19-March 26, 1945, the Japanese were holding an island in the pacific that would be critical for U.S. win.
27,000 Japanese held Iwo Jima
The U.S. won and killed 26,800 Japanese troops. -
Battle of Okinawa
April 1- June 22, 1945.
This was the Japanese last defensive stronghold
110,000 Japanese troops died
The U.S. won -
Passing of Franklin D. Roosevelt
At the start of Roosevelt's 4th term, he passes away.
The U.S. went through a major grieving period.
Harry S. Truman, was Vice-President and takes role as President after Roosevelt's death. -
Death of Hitler
On April 30, 1945 Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide from gunshot and cyanide. -
V-E Day
On May 8, 1945
General Eisenhower accepted a surrender by the Third Reich
Now the 1st part of the War was over -
Potsdam
July – August 1945
Truman, (Churchill and then Clement Atlee) and Stalin met in Potsdam, Germany
They drew up a blueprint to disarm Germany and eliminate the Nazis -
Manhattan Project
The U.S. decided to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and over 200,000 Japanese died due to the Atomic bombs. -
V-J Day
On August 15, 1945: Japan offers unconditional surrender
On September 2, 1946: V-J Day= Victory in Japan was the formal surrender of Japan -
1945-1952 U.S. Occupation of Japan
Trials were held for Japanese war criminals.
7 out of 28 leaders were sentenced to death.
U.S. occupied Japan for 6 years under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur. -
Nov. 1945-Oct.1946 Nuremberg Trials
The international tribunal court tried Nazi officials
Over 23 nations tried Nazi war officers in Nuremberg , Germany
12 of the 22 defendants were sentenced to death