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Germany invades Poland
WHO: Germany & Poland
WHAT: "Blitzkrieg"-extensive bombing to decimate air capacity, railroads, communtication lines and munition dumps; followed by a land invasion
WHERE: Poland
WHY: In order to regain lost territory and rule Poland -
Battle of Britain
*July 10th - October 31st, 1940
WHO: Germany & Britain
WHAT: The Germans tried to attack the British by taking out the Royal Air Force. Great Britain had radar that allowed them to see the German attack coming. The Germans could only fly over Britain for half an hour before having to return home.
WHERE: Great Britain
WHY: To try and get control of the English Channel -
Lend-Lease Act
WHO: Britain (Churchill) & United States (Roosevelt)
WHAT: A way to let Britain borrow military supplies from the USA, the US would lend supplies to the countries that were necessary for the defense of America and remain neutral
WHERE: USA-passed by congress
WHY: To provide military supplies to countries in need and prepare the United States for war while remaining neutral -
Germany declares war on the United States
WHO: Germany & United States
WHAT: The United States declared war on Japan after the Pearl Harbor attack. Germany was in an alliance with Japan and declared war on the U.S.
WHERE: Germany
WHY: The United States becomes involved in WWII -
Period: to
Battle of El Alamein
*the battle took place during the summer of 1942
WHO: Montgomery (Great Britain) & Rommel (Germany)
WHAT: A battle fought by Britain and Germany, which ended with a Britain victory
WHERE: the deserts of North Africa
WHY: This battle is known as one of the decisive victories of WWII. The Allies would have lost a way of support and the Axis would have access to oil in the Middle East. -
Period: to
Battle of Stalingrad
*the battle took place over the winter of 1942-1943
WHO: USSR & Germany
WHAT: A battle took place to try to conquere a major city and secure oil fields
WHERE: Stalingrad
WHY: Stalin ordered "not a step backward" so the USSR could maintain control of Stalingrad. The German army was badly defeated. -
Allies land in Italy:
WHO: Allies, Italy & Germany
WHAT: The Italian government surrendered to the Allied forces
WHERE: Italy
WHY: The Allies began an assult on Italy which was being defended by Germans. -
D-Day Invasion
WHO: Allies & Germany
WHAT: An invasion in Europe-a military operation come to be known as the greatest Allied operation in WWII (Operation Overlord)
WHERE: Normandy
WHY: Largest invasion force in human history and consisted of air, land, and sea attacks -
Battle of the Bulge
*it started on the 16th but lasted more than a day
WHO: Germany & Allies (US and Britain)
WHAT: The Germans had success for a couple days until the weather cleared allowing the Allies to use their air force. The Germans ran out of fuel which made it impossible for them to hold control and fight back
WHERE: Antwerp Port
WHY: To try to break up the Allies and make them unstable; also to take over the port that was supplying the Allies -
Yalta Conference
*opened on feb. 4th, 1945
WHO: The "Big Three": Roosevelt (America), Churchill (Britain), Stalin (USSR)
WHAT: A meeting of the Big Three
WHERE: Black Sea resort of Yalta
WHY: To discuss war strategy and issues about post war -
Franklin Roosevelt dies
WHO: Franklin D. Roosevelt
WHAT: He suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage that killed him in minutes
WHERE: White House
WHY: The United States mourned the loss of the president whom has lead them through the Great Depression and WWII. -
Hitler commits suicide
WHO: Adolf Hitler
WHAT: Hitler took a cyanide capsule and shot himself in the head
WHERE: He shot himself in a bunker under his headquarter in Berlin
WHY: It was clear that Germany would lose the war and Hitler was terrified of becoming a communist. -
Germany Surrenders (VE Day)
WHO: Germany & Allies
WHAT: The total surrender of Germany after the Allies crossed the Rhine and overran West Germany
WHERE: Rheims
WHY: The end of WWII
