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Japanese Invasion of China
-Japanese forces invade Manchuria for natural resources -Named Manchuko after invasion -League of Nations Condemned Japanese aggression -Japan proceeded to take more land -Skirmishing Japanese and Chinese soldiers became known as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident -This fighting lead to the second Sino-Japanese War -Eventually resulted in the Rape or Massacre of Nanking http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war -
Rape of Nanking
-As a result of the Sino-Japanese War, Many Chinese were slaughtered -The Imperial Japanese Forces had murdered hundreds of thousands in Nanking -Approximately 20,000 to 80,000 women were sexually assaulted in this time period -Nanking was the capital of China and had been left in ruins once the Japanese left http://www.history.com/topics/nanjing-massacre -
Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
-Nazi Germany signed a pact with Russia -The Pact was a German-Soviet non-aggression agreement: no side would take military action against one another for 10 years -They also had a secret agreement which included a plan to split up Eastern Europe -Stalin used this for time to build a strong military -Hitler used this for the time to invade Poland, unopposed -The Pact was broken when Nazi Germany invaded Russia http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact -
German Blitzkrieg
-Blitzkrieg is a term that means "Lightning War" -A military tactic for disorganization using mobile forces and concentrated firepower -Used in Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, and France -This tactic used swift attacks instead of engaging in long battles which preserved German lives -Germany, in 1940, crushed the opposing forces of four nations combined in a battle http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Fall of Paris
-Nazis invade and take over Paris, France (Tanks roll into town) -Many are trapped in the city before they can escape -French Premier Reynaud telegrammed President Roosevelt asking for aid -America discreetly sent material aid to Paris -During this takeover, America froze all of the it's assets contributing towards Axis Powers http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris -
Operation Barbosasa
-Hitler launched his armies towards eastward -Approximately 9 million men were marching in this group -Germany was planning on a quick victory against Russia in order to avoid a two-front war -Poor preparation had caused Germany to fail http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa -
Pearl Harbor
-A Japanese attack against an American Harbor -20 American ships were destroyed along with 360 aircrafts -The attack claimed ~2,400 lives -The attack was launched to try and cripple America -Instead it strengthened America and they joined the war against the Axis Powers http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
-German officials gathered to discuss plans for the "Final Solution" -The "Final Solution" was the plan to get rid of all the Jews -Originally they had just discussed to deport the Jews -Because of a huge population of Jews in Poland, Concentration where they would work to death became more ideal for Nazis -Germans found that gassing the Jews would be more efficient http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-wannsee-conference -
Bataan Death March
-The U.S. surrendered to Japan on the Bataan Peninsula -Around 75,000 Filipino and American troops were forced to march 65 miles to prison camps -The trek took place in extreme heat -Many did not survive to arrive at the prison camps -Became known as the Bataan Death March because of the lives lost on the march http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Midway
-Battle took place about 6 months after Pearl Harbor -U.S. defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles in WWII -U.S. were able to break Japanese code and counter an ambush Japan had planned -Instead of being defensive, U.S. was given the opportunity to plat offense http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
-A successful soviet defense of the city, Stalingrad -Stopped the German advance into Soviet Russia -Greatest battle in Russia's patriotic war -Gave the Allied Power an advantage against the Axis Power http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Operation Gomorrah
-British bombers raided Germany -They bombed at night and dropped aluminum strips en route to confuse German radars -The British began bombing Germany since they had bombed the Great Britain previously and killed 170 citizens -British bombers killed around 1500 Germans in the first night -Great Britain had dropped about 9,000 tons of explosive which ultimately killed approximately 30,000 people http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched -
D-Day
-Allied attack which liberated western Europe from Nazi control -Codename was Operation Overlord -Allies invaded the beaches of Normandy and successfully took back France's coast -The largest amphibious attack in history -"The beginning of the end of war in Europe" http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Bulge
-Germany was planning on splitting Allied Forces with a surprise blitzkrieg -Allies had created a front which appeared to look like a bulge -U.S. suffered heavy casualties of 100,000 -Patton was a U.S. officer who used maneuvers to avoid further losses http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
-American amphibious attack on the island, Iwo Jima -The base on Iwo Jima was needed for the U.S. to be near the Japanese coast -3 U.S. Marine divisions landed on the island -About 23,000 Japanese soldiers were defending while fighting from caves and dugouts -Marines wiped out opposing forces on the island -U.S. captured the island with few casualties http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Battle of Okinawa
-The last and biggest Pacific island battle -287,000 U.S. troops fought against 130,000 Japanese troops -Kamikaze tactics were used which made Americans face their hardest campaign in the pacific -U.S. needed an airbase which was vital for invasion of Japan http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa -
VE Day "Victory in Europe"
-Germany surrenders while Great Britain and the U.S. celebrate -Many German troops would rather have just died than been prisoner to the Allied Powers -The soldiers laid down their weapons at Prague -About 1 million German soldiers tried to commit suicide to avoid capture by the Russians -13,000 British POWs had been sent back home http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
A-Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
-America becomes the first and only nation so far to use nuclear warfare in combat -Dropped the first bomb with Enola Gay (B-29) on Hiroshima -3 days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki -Said to have ignited the Cold War -Lead to VJ Day http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
VJ Day "Victory over Japan"
-Japanese surrender -The Japanese had ignored the warning America had given Japan of utter destruction they would cause Japan -The bombs dropped forced Japan's hand to surrender -The formal surrender took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri which was anchored in Tokyo Bay -This brought an end to years of hatred and fighting -"The day America was waiting for since Pearl Harbor" http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
