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Japanese Invasion of China
In 1931, Japan invaded China in order to obtain its much needed natural resources. They were met with little resistance. When China asked the League of Nations to intervene, the League published the Lytton Report which condemned Japanese aggression. The Japanese were outraged and left the League of Nations. Japan was unable to force victory and China was unable to evict Japan. http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war -
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WWII
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German Blitzkrieg
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German Blitzkrieg
German troops invade Poland all along its 1,750-mile border with German-controlled territory. Hitler wanted Poland for more "living space" for the German people. The Polish army was able to mobilize one million men but was hopelessly outmatched in every respect. On September 28, the Warsaw garrison finally surrendered to a German siege. For the fourth time in its history, Poland was divided by its more powerful neighbors.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland -
Fall of Paris
Hitler unleashes his blitzkrieg invasion of the Low Countries and France a large part of the British force, accompanied by some of the French defenders, is pushed to the English Channel and compelled to abandon the continent at Dunkirk. The French abandon Paris, declaring it an open city. This allows the Germans to enter the French capital on June 14 without resistance. This breaks the French resistance to the German invasion. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/francesurrenders.htm -
Pearl Harbor
Japan bombed a naval base, Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu, Hawaii.
America had been unhappy with Japan and how it believed the only way to fix its economic and demographic problems by invading China. America responded to this with economic sanctions and trade embargoes.
America declares war and joins WWII. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
A conference meeting of senior officials in Nazi Germany (Berlin), to discuss the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question."
This is where they decided to put the Jews to work in slave-like conditions. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/wannsee.html -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The British begins the Allied invasion of the Italian peninsula. On the day of the landing, the Italian government secretly agreed to the Allies’ terms for surrender, but no public announcement was made until September 8. The Italians would be treated with leniency if they aided the Allies in expelling the Germans from Italy.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-invade-italian-mainland -
D Day
156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region, in the largest amphibious attack in history. To liberate Northern France. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Buldge
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Battle of the Bulge
Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe by means of a surprise blitzkrieg thrust through the Ardennes to Antwerp. As the Germans drove deeper into the Ardennes in an attempt to secure vital bridgeheads, the Allied line took on the appearance of a large bulge, giving rise to the battle’s name. A German shortage of fuel and the gallantry of American troops fighting proved fatal to Hitler’s hopes of victory.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The Soviets liberated Auschwitz, the largest killing center and concentration camp, in order to free the emaciated prisoners held there. There was abundant evidence of mass murder in Auschwitz. In the following months, the Soviets liberated additional camps in the Baltic states and in Poland. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005131 -
Iwo Jima
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Battle of Iwo Jima
The U.S. needed a base for escort fighters that would assist in the bombing campaign near the Japanese coast. Three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Okinawa
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Battle of Okinawa
Final, and largest Pacific Island battle of WWII between the U.S. and Japan. At stake were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan. Japan had lost more than 77,000 soldiers and the Allies had suffered more than 65,000 casualties—including 14,000 dead. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa -
VE Day
"Victory in Europe Day' is the day when German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms. The main concern of many German soldiers was to elude the grasp of Soviet forces, to keep from being taken prisoner. this helped lead to the end of the war. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Postdam Declaration
On July 26, the leaders issued a declaration demanding ‘unconditional surrender’ from Japan, concealing the fact that they had privately agreed to let Japan retain its emperor. Japan refused to agree, leading to the dropping of the atomic bombs.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/potsdam-conference -
Atomic Bombs
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Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
Japan refused to agree to the Postdam Declaration issued by the Allies. August 6 the American B-29 plane Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, killing more than 70,000 people and destroying a 5-square-mile expanse of the city. Three days later, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing another 40,000.
Japan quickly surrendered and ended WWII. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day -
VJ Day
"Victoryover Japan Day," it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. August 6 the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, killing more than 70,000 people and destroying a 5-square-mile expanse of the city. August 9, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing another 40,000. Continuing to fight would "ensure the exctinction of Japan."
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
