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WWII
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Sino-Japanese War
http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war Japan invaded Manchuria, China in order to gain resources that they otherwise lacked due to their island nation status. Massacres were common acts commited by the Japanese and caused the League of Nations to condemn Japan's aggresion. They tolf Japan to leave China, however, Japan refused and left the League of Nations instead. -
Rape of Nanking
http://www.history.com/topics/nanjing-massacre Imperial Japanese Army forces brutally murdered hundreds of thousands of people in Nanking, China. This violence towards the Chinese by the Japanese was condemned by the League of Nations, leading towards Japan leaving the League of Nations. -
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German Blitzkrieg
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is a german term for "lightning war." They first tried this tactic in WWI in which it failed. Deciding it was worth another shot, Germany used this tactic in its invasion of Poland and perfected it with invasions of Belgium, the Netherlands and France. -
Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005156 This is also known as the German-Soviet Pact. The economic agreement was that Germany would provide manufactured goods while the USSR provided raw materials. On the other side of things, they both agreed not to attack each other. (The Germans later invade Russia anyway.) -
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Invasion of Poland
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland Germany and Russia invade Poland declaring that they need more living space. France and Britain retaliate, declaring war on Germany, initiating World War II. Some people said that it was a “phony war,” because no major military action was taken. -
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Fall of Paris
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris When Paris was taken, the US only froze the American assets of the Axis Powers (Germany and Italy). In the meantime, German officers were arresting and interrogating Parisians while a swastika flag flew under the Arc de Triomphe. (This is the first time the Arc de Triomphe is used.) -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. In response, the US declares war on Japan, and, later on, Germany declares war on the US. The US was now entered in World War two. -
Wannsee Conference
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477 High ranking Nazi party members and German government officials gathered to dicuss "the final solution" of extirpating all European Jews. -
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Battle of Midway
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway After intercepting messeges between the Japanese about battle strategy, the US counterattacks securing thier victry. It became and important turning point in the Pacific war, allowing the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad was the successful Soviet defense of Stalingrad in the U.S.S.R. It stopped German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies. -
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Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/warsaw-ghetto-uprising Due to unfair treatment, residents in the Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland revolted against deportations to concentration camps. This inspire others across German-occupied Eastern Europe to rebell as well. -
Invasion of Sicily, Italy
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/invasion-of-sicily The allies invade Italy, driving the Germans and Italians out by force. -
D-Day
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches of France’s Normandy region. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion area. It bagan to turn the tide against the Nazis ans prevented Hitler from sending troops from France to battle the other front. -
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Battle of the Bulge
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge Hitler planned a Blitzkrieg surprise attack on two inexperienced American divisions. It was the costliest action ever fought by the U.S. Army, mounting up to 100,000 casualties. -
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Battle of Iwo Jima
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima The US wanted a space where their fighter planes could land without having to travel too far from Japan, so they invaded Iwo Jima. The US emerged victorious, claiming the island for use of their airforce. Now they could attack faster and stay near the fighting should something go wrong. -
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Battle of Okinawa
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa It was the last an biggest of the Pacific Island batlles. In order to defend their air bases, the Japanese would crash their planes into US naval ships. This tactic was known as kamikaze or "divine wind." -
Victory in Europe (VE) Day
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe Britain and the US celebrate the defeat of the Nazis as they cease fire. War in Europe had finally ceased. -
Potsdam Declaration
http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c06.html This document outlined the term of Japanese surrender. See the link above to view the conditions of surrender. -
Hiroshima
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki For the first time ever, an American B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing and injuring hundreds of thousands of people. The US had unleashed a new and leathal weapon on Japan. -
Nagasaki
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki The second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki caused just as much damage as the first causing Japan's Emperor, Hirohito, to announce Japan's unconditional surrender. -
Victory over Japan (VJ) Day
www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/September/vjday.htm Japan surrenderd on Aug 15, 1945, officially holding a formal surrender ceremony on Sept. 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri. The war with Japan in the Pacific was finally over.
