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Japanese Invasion of China (Second Sino-Japanese War)
As the second Sino- Japanese, this war ignited due to tenacious Japanese interference in Chinese territory. In attempt to dismantle Chang Kai-shek’s government and acquire military and political influence, the Japanese began to occupy many areas of China only for it to result in a stalemate. The war was put to an end with help from United States and the Soviet Union through the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and an invasion of Manchuria. -
German invasion of Poland
On this day, Adolf Hitler decided to put the "blitzkrieg" military tactic into effect through his invasion of Poland. His main goals were to seize control of Poland, accumulate territory, and spread Nazi ideology (not to mention to cast out anyone against his ideals). Through the "blitzkrieg" on Poland, Hitler was allowed to exponentially undermine and dismantle the society through continuous bombing to destroy communication networks. -
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Battle of Britain
Shortly after France's resignation from World War II in June of 1940, The German Luftwaffe forces began to express their desire for power by targeting ports, factories, and infrastructure. The Battle of Britain is remembered for its aerial warfare and extensively destructive bombings. In the end, Britain became able to debilitate Germany's efforts. -
Initiation of the Tripartite Pact
The Tripartite Pact stood as a treaty signed between Saburo Kurusu of Japan, Galeazzo Ciano of Italy, and Adolf Hitler of Germany. Later joined by Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and many other respective countries, the pact served the purpose of mutual defense and assistance with loyalty to the fellow advocates. -
Initiation of the Lend-Lease Act
The Lend Lease Act was initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt as a response to the emergence of German victory in Europe. With this act, The United States, with no opposition from countries being helped, sent food, weapons, ammunition, and equipment to support those countries with compensation in the right to naval bases while staying neutral. -
Blitzkrieg on Soviet Union
As a multi successful military tactic used many times by German forces, the "Blitzkrieg" was once again used during an invasion of the Soviet Union. At first, the tactic was seemingly prosperous. The Russian forces were pushed back to Moscow, but in a second battle, the troops were able to dismantle a German troop in Stalingrad. -
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The Leningrad Blockade
The Leningrad Blockade was an effort devised by German troops that lasted for 872 days. During this time, Germany's Red Army surrounded the city of Leningrad with the goal of physically and mentally manipulating the citizens in hopes of surrender. The troops, for these 872 days, tried to undermine the city of Leningrad by making access to food, fuel, and water almost impossible. The tenacious citizens, despite the efforts of the Red Army, refused to surrender. The overall death toll was 650,000. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
The attack on Pearl Harbor was the result of many economic and wartime tensions between the United States and Japan. To begin, The United States embargoed scrap metal and aviation fuel being sent to Japan. Another bad component was the fact that Japan was an active participant in the Tripartite Pact, meaning that American supplies would also aid Italy and Germany's efforts. Japan was an opportunist in that it used the bombing of Pearl Harbor to acquire the Philippines, Burma, and Malaysia. -
The Wannsee Conference
Attended by German officials and Nazi Elites, the Wannsee Conference served as a deliberation of how to catalyse the physical annihilation of the Jewish identity. Discussed at the meeting were ideas of ghettos for elderly or disabled Jewish people, the use of the Reich Railroad for transportation, and the authorization of German officials to systematically exterminate the Jews and deplete them of their culture and identity. -
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The Battle of Midway
Like the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway was another plan that Japan devised against the United States to rid the country of its significance in the Pacific Ocean. Again, this resentment was ignited from previous economic tensions between the United States and Japan. Through the Battle of Midway, the Japanese air force planned to coerce American aircraft into a trap. As a result, Japan's plan backfired and the United States Navy devised an ambush at the news of the pending siege. -
D-Day
D-Day marks the Allied invasion of Normandy, France. After extensive planning marked from the year before (including falsification of the invasion target to fool Germany) , Allied troops stormed five code named beaches on the coast of Normandy in order to free much of Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany. The raid consisted of more than 326,000 troops, 50,000 vehicles, and 100,000 tons of artillery and equipment. -
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Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference, a meeting between Franklin D. Roosevelt, a representative of United States, Winston Churchill, a representative of the United Kingdom, and Joseph Stalin, a representative of the Soviet Union. The Three converged for the purpose of a deliberation on war criminals, postwar Eastern Europe, and the institution on the United Nations. -
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The Battle of Iwo Jima/Okinawa
The Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa was another advancement in the Pacific War in which the United States moved to seize Japanese Islands. During this battle, the Japanese army initiated the use of the kamikaze in order to bmb Allied ships in pursuit. Despite the American death toll surpassing that of the Japanese, along with the tenacity of the Japanese army and Okinawans, the United Stated Army ended up seizing the island of Iwo Jima. -
The Suicide of Adolf Hitler
On this day, April 30th 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. Apprehensive of the Russians seizing his chancellery, Adolf Hitler took his own life by swallowing cyanide tablets and shooting himself with a service pistol. -
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day allows the commemoration of Germany's yield to the victorious World War II Allies. In other words, this day is also seen as World War II's end in Europe. -
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The Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was another postwar settlement between The Soviet Union, Great Britain, and the United States. This time around, Joseph Stalin represented the Soviet Union, Winston Churchill represented Great Britain, and President Harry Truman represented the United States. The Potsdam Conference served as a continuation for the Yalta Conference and the discussion for postwar territory, the realignment of German-Polish territory, and a formulated response Germany's postwar obligations. -
The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Resulting in 129,000 Deaths, the United States's bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as yet another aspect of the Pacific War. The United States troops were determined to reduce Pan to surrendering, and this bombing led to the final straw of Japanese morale. Omitting lethal radiation, the weapons killed off the Japanese population slowly but surely. After this, the Soviet Union Declared War on Japan, leading to their surrender on August 15th 1945, nine days after the United States bombing. -
Victory Over Japan Day
This day in 1945, Like Victory in Europe Day, marks the Day in which Japan (like Germany) surrendered to the United States and the Allied troops. This day also is recollected as the day of World War II's end. The events leading up to Japan's surrender were the United States bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Russian declaration of war on Japan. -
Formation of the United Nations
With the League of Nations as its predecessor, the United Nations was formed in response to the Events before and in 1945. The main goal of the United Nations was to establish peace and security around the world and was initiated in San Francisco. -
Initiation of the Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine, initiated by President Harry S. Truman, granted that the United States would aid all democratic nations in danger with political, military, and economic reinforcement if needed. Also, President Truman had the goal to prevent the spread of communism and Soviet influence in order to perpetuate United States interests. -
Initiation of the Marshall Plan
With the goal of recovering and re establishing European western European infrastructure, the United States government operated under the Marshall plan and invested $120 billion (current dollar value, it was $17 billion at the time) in the European economy. Devised by George C. Marshall, The Marshall Plan was a continuation of the Truman Doctrine in that it aimed to eliminate communism and influence of the Soviet Union. It also encouraged the use and development of capitalism. -
Formation of the NATO
With a goal of sustaining postwar European peace, the NATO also served as a basis for protection and military alliance against the Soviet Union. It required immediate aid to any loyal country being pursued. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is also arguably a vital part in the Cold War due to Russia's rebuttal using the Warsaw Pact. -
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The Korean War
Suddenly erupting from slowly festering North Korea and South Korean tensions, the Korean War was a bloody combat that resulted in millions of deaths and intensified hatred and resentment between the two districts. Divided using the 28th parallel, the war began when troops of North Korea breached the 38th parallel, causing the United States to intervene using the basis of the Truman Doctrine to aid South Korean troops on defense.The was was an intense tug of war for victory. -
The Death of Joseph Stalin
On this day in history, Joseph Stalin died of a heart attack. He was most importantly known for his reign of terror in which he initiated and perpetuated the deaths of approximately 10 million people. -
Mao Zedong and The People's Republic of China
Mao Zedong was granted his power during the time of civil strife, nationalist prominence, and economic turmoil in China. He gained general acceptance during the Long March, in which people became more open to ideas of communism. Zedong profusely promoted the Maoist ideology, which laid faith in the peasant as the basis for economic and political prosperity. -
The Initiation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact serves as a basis for the Soviet Union's reaction against Germany's incorporation into the NATO. This alliance was made between seven communist European Countries and served as a military alliance like that of the NATO. -
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The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War erupted in response to communist struggles in North Vietnam and South Vietnam (who wasn't communist, and the United States again employed the Truman Doctrine to aid the noncommunist country. While profusely aiding South Korea, the United States troops slowly mobilized against North Vietnam and soon began mass bombings of the territory. As the war neared its end, the United States President Richard Nixon slowly extracted the troops with initiation of the Paris Peace treaty. -
Sputnik
In order to compensate for its lack of consumer goods, as compared to in the United States and Russia, The Soviet Union deployed the first satellite, Sputnik, into space to show its prowess in science and technology. With this, the launch of Sputnik inspired deep resentment in the United States citizens and made them compete with the Soviets in the launch of Explorer I. -
Bay of Pigs
This day in history marks the invasion of Cuba initiated by President john F. Kennedy of the United states through Cubans trained by the CIA. As an operation against Fidel Castro, the invasion at the Bay of Pigs resulted in a failed attempt at an uprising against Castro with lack of American air support. -
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The Berlin Wall
As a reaction to the the migration of refugees from communist East Germany to West Germany (where capitalism lived), the Berlin Wall was constructed and developed dangerously over the years to keep the steadily migrating East Germans from moving to West Germany -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
With the United States and the Soviet Union emerging as two of the most prominent superpowers of the 1900's the Cuban missile crisis was almost an opportunity for the two to go hand and hand (With the Soviet Union on Cuba's side). At the news of nuclear foul play in the midst, the United states moved to deplete Cuba of all of the lethal nuclear weapons while making a negotiation with the Soviet Union promising not to invade Cuba. -
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The Reign of President Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev was the last standing president of the Soviet union before it took its fall in 1991. He also advocated for the end of the cold war and desperately tried to sustain the already crumbling Soviet Union with new economic policies and liberalization. After trying to hold onto the reins of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev resigned, frustrated and declaring the government extinct. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
After Mikhail Gorbachev's declaration of the Soviet Union's government as extinct, he relinquished his presidency and left the Soviet Union to fall completely. Despite the emergence of the Soviet Union as a superpower, it was succumbed to nationalist aspirations, newly emerging democracy, and market based economies.
