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German Invasion of Poland
In the Early Morning of September 1st, Germany invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg tactics. Along with the Soviet Union, they crushed all Polish forces in just over a month. The Germans had long wanted to expand into Poland and had faked an attack by Poland so they could justify attacking. The invasion of Poland marked the start of WWII in Europe, Allied Germany, and the Soviet Union. It also put France and Britain into the war. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland -
German invasion of France
Following an invasion of the Low Countries, hitler moved his armies into France and defeated them by June 25. Hitler's goal of "lebensraum" involved ambitious attacks on all of Europe and Hitler was also concerned with an idea of a two front war, so getting rid off any threat to the west was of utmost importance. Hitler's defeat of France brought Italy into the war, established a cruel pupped regime in France and left the UK to fight alone until 1941.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/battle_of_france -
German Bombing of London Began
In an uncoordinated assault, the Germans began to bomb London. This marked the transition of the months-long battle of London from one targeting military assets to one targeting civilian ones. After France surrendered, Germans began developing a plan to defeat the unwavering British, and an air offensive was required to weaken the British defenses. The battle left the British victorious, the Luftwaffe weakened, and the RAF superior. britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Britain-European-history-1940 -
Lend-Lease Act
The land-lease act was a Federal law signed by FDR that allowed the United States to give free aid to allied nations. Though the US was relatively isolationist at the time, an Axis controlled world would have been harmful to the United States. The Lend-Lease act helped keep the allies from collapsing, and pushed the US towards war. history.com/topics/world-war-ii/lend-lease-act -
Germans invade the Soviet Union
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Germany and Italy Declare war on the United States.
In an alliance with Japan, Germany and Italy go to war with America. About a year prior to the attack on pearl harbor, Germany, Japan, and Italy had joined together in the Tripartite alliance, where if war is declared on one nation, the other two would declare war on the aggressor. The declaration of war by Germany and Italy int war with the US, which through operation Torch helped liberate Africa, as Italy and France later through Overlord.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany–Japan_relations#History -
US wins battle of Midway
After intercepting and deciphering Japanese communications, the US intercepted the Japanese fleet preparing to attack Hawaii and a battle ensues. Japan had wanted to occupy Hawaii and hold it as hostage to force the US to leave the war. The battle ended in an American victory, with a huge blow to the Japanese navy and naval air forces. Japan lost four aircraft carriers, 322 aircraft, and one heavy cruiser. The US lost 147 aircraft.
history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Early in the morning of the 7th, Japanese bombers arrived at the harbor at Honolulu, And destroyed several key aspects of the American Pacific fleet, and killing over 2,000 Americans. The Japanese launched the attack in an attempt to scare the Americans away from entering the war, This, of course, had the opposite effect, and instead forced the US into the war earlier than planned, causing the utter defeat of Japan.
history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor-bombed -
German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union was ended here, with a slow and bloody battle lasting months that ended with utter destruction of the German 6th army. Two years earlier, with the western front closed, Hitler attacked Russia, pushing them back hundreds of miles al the way to Moscow. As winter set in, the invasion was slowed, and the months long battle of Stalingrad put an end to the German advance and marked the turning point in the European Theatre. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad -
D-day
Also known as Operation Overlord, this battle reopened the western front and marked the beginning of the end of Hitler's thousand year reich. Almost 200,000 troops attacked the beaches of Normandy, France, with nearly 14,000 aircraft supporting. The battle, which was necessity to crack the wavering German empire, cost over 2,000 lives, but it secured a toehold in Europe that would lead to Hitler's defeat.
history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day -
Bombing of Hiroshima
At 8:16 in the morning, the bomb "Little Boy" is dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, instantly killing 80,000 people with an explosion the force 12,500 tons of TNT. As the war drew to a close, Japan was refusing to surrender, and the US was preparing to invade Japan. The invasion however, would lead to an astronomical number of American, Japanese, and civilian deaths, and the atomic bomb was a suitable alternative. Another bomb would be dropped on Nagasaki before Japan would surrender.
