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Invasion of Poland
The Invasion of Poland was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet Union. The attack marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. -
Fall of France to Nazi Forces
The Fall of France gave the Germans dominance in Continental Europe with no significant allied forces to contest them for two years. Obtaining France also meant Germany was able to isolate Great Britain from the rest of Europe. -
Rescue at Dunkirk
The Dunkirk Evacuation effectively ended the Battle of France. The successful evacuation was a great boost to civilian morale, and created the 'Dunkirk spirit' which helped Britain to fight in the summer of 1940. -
London Blitz
The London Blitz amounted to nearly half of Britain's total civilian deaths for the whole war. The Blitz was devastating for the people of London and other cities. But bombing failed to demoralize the British into surrender or do much damage to the war economy. -
Victory at Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad is considered to be one of the greatest battles of World War II. It marked a turning point in the war and significantly weakened Germany's military forces. -
Italian Campaign
The Italian Campaign was a series of Allied beach landings and land battles from Sicily and southern Italy up the Italian mainland toward Nazi Germany. It helped secure the Mediterranean Sea for Allied shipping and contributed to the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. -
D-Day
D-Day had opened another major front, where the bulk of America's rapidly expanding army could at last be brought to bear. It led to the liberation of France, denying Germany any further exploitation of that country's economic and manpower resources. -
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was one of the largest Allied operations of the Second World War. It aimed to secure the bridges over the rivers Maas, Waal and Rhine in the Netherlands in order to outflank the heavy German defences of the Siegfried Line and to insure a swift advance towards Berlin. Though Operation Market Garden liberated much of the Netherlands, it remained a costly failure, with lasting consequences. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last German offensive on the Western Front in World War II. Although the surprise attack was initially successful, Allied counterattacks ultimately drove the Germans back, opening the way for the occupation of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. -
Victory in Europe Day
On Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day, Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States. Celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe.