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Japanese invasion of China
Japanese invaded China in 1937.The Japanese and Chinese forces met at Marco-Polo bridge, near Peking. This led to an undeclared war between the two nations. via BBC - History -
Rape of Nanking
A six week long massacre. Japanese troops killed 300,000 people out of 600,000 people who lived in China's capital. In addition, the Japanese raped children and women, sometimes even forcing families to rape each other. This is regarded as the worst atrocity of world war two. via The History Place -
Germany invades Poland
Following 3 years of tension, Germany invades Poland on September 1, 1939. 2 Days later, Britain and France declare war on Germany. U.S. declares neutrality while still shipping supplies to the allies. via BBC-History -
German Blitzkrieg
Also known as Germany's "Lightning War", was a German tactic to take the enemy by surprise and force them to surrender. Using new weapons and machines, the Germans surrounded 35 allied divisions, Including the British Expeditionary Force. This effectively put a stop to French resistance. via BBC - History -
Fall of Paris
The Germans captured Paris two weeks after the fall of Holland and Belgium. This occurred during the German Blitzkrieg. via BBC - History -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was an invasion of Russia by the Germans. Germans made great head way, until the Russian winter crippled their army. This allowed the Russians to launch a counter-attack. via BBC - History -
Pearl Harbor, U.S enters war
Japan became tired of the embargoes made by the U.S. As a result, they bombed Pearl Harbor. This ensured that the U.S would enter the war. via BBC - History -
Wansee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of the 15 top Nazi bureaucrats. They met to discuss the issue of Jews. This included deportation and execution. via The History Place -
Battle of Midway
Battle between the U.S. and Japan.The fighting lasted several days. In the end, the U.S suffered significantly less losses than the Japanese. via The Atlantic -
Battle of Stalingrad
In early September, 1942, the Germans invaded the Russian city of Stalingrad. The Germans and Russians fought for five months, until January 2, 1943. This defeat caused Germany to begin retreating. via History Learning Site -
Operation Gomorrah
Night bombings by the British. They bombed Hamburg, Germany. The first British bombing raid alone claimed more than 1,500 civilian lives. via History.com -
D-Day
More than 160,000 Allied troops landed along the French coast to defeat Germany. This included more than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft. More than 9,000 Allied troops were killed or wounded on this day. via Army.mil -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of The Bulge actually can be traced back to December 16, 1944. Th battle itself was a counter attack against the Germans. American tankers and paratroopers successfully fought off repeated German attacks. via Army.mil -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a naval based battle along the coast of Japan. This battle stemmed from a need for a base in Japan. After one month of fighting, American troops finally defeated roughly 23,000 Japanese troops, allowing them to claim victory.
via History.com -
Battle of Okinawa
The battle of Okinawa was a battle between the Americans and the Japanese. While the Americans relentlessly attacked, the Japanese repeatedly managed to defend Okinawa. The Japanese did this by using the natural terrain to their advantage.
via History.com -
VE Day
On this day, the Germans finally laid down their arms. The Allies rejoiced in this victory, putting out flags and banners. During the surrender, the Russians took more than 2 million German captives. -
WWII Atomic Bombings
On August 6, 1945, America drops an atomic bomb an Hiroshima. Three days later, another atomic atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. These bombings killed over 100,000 Japanese troops and civilians, as well as put an end to WWII. -
V-J day
Also known as "Victory over Japan Day," this was the day Japan finally surrendered to the Allies. The treaty was not formally signed until September 2 of the same year, but this surrender finally marked the end of WWII. via History.com -
The Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trails were a series of 13 trials meant to bring the Nazi war criminals to justice. Before he could be brought to trial however, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. These trials helped to establish an international court. via History.com
