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Germany's Invasion of Poland
On September 1, German troops invaded Poland along their shared border. Meanwhile, Polish airfields were bombed and their naval forces were attacked under the leadership of Hitler. Hitler claimed it was a defensive act, but Germany wanted to expand their territory and see how far they could go before they were stopped. This invasion led to France and Britain quickly declaring war on Germany on September 3 which initiated WWII.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland -
German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is an offensive military strategy with a quick, focused blow on the enemy to limit the loss of soldiers and artillery. Blitzkrieg actually means "lightning war" in German and was commonly used by Nazi Germany. The use of tanks and aircraft are important in this mobile approach to war. An example is the invasion of Poland in 1939 where they used the combination of air-ground attacks and tank divisions to crush the Polish troops.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
The Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact was a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union that was agreed upon right before the start of WWII. The purpose was for the Soviets to keep peace with the Germans and allow time to build up their military which had become weakened. The pact detailed that they would not attack each other or join any other nations that would pose a threat and it led to them invading Poland together.
https://www.britannica.com/event/German-Soviet-Nonaggression-Pact -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was the first battle ever fought entirely in the air. It was between Britain's Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany's air force. The battle was for control of the airspace over Great Britain, Germany, and the English Channel. It started in July and ended in October when Hitler called off his planned invasion of Britain and both sides suffered a great loss of life and aircraft.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-britain-1 -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, Japan initiated a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base in Hawaii, after a rivalry had been building between the two nations. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the base and destroyed or damaged many vessels, battleships, and airplanes. This resulted in thousands of Americans dying or becoming wounded, and the next day President Roosevelt declared war on Japan.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a brutal battle between Russia and Germany. It started when Hitler's forces attacked Stalingrad, an industrial city in Russia because they wanted to occupy it for propaganda purposes. The Russians suffered, but they pulled through and created a defensive ring around Stalingrad to cut off the Germans' aid. In the end, the Russian winter worked in Stalin's favor and they recaptured Stalingrad.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway started on June 4 between American and Japanese fleets in the Pacific Ocean. Japan's success from Pearl Harbor fueled their wish to gain control of Midway because of its strategic location. The U.S. deciphered the Japanese naval code and attacked a few Japanese fleets before they could be attacked. It ended with their naval powers being roughly equalized and was a major turning point in the war.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jun4/battle-midway-begins/ -
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first-ever air-sea battle and it started when the Japanese were trying to control the Coral Sea by invading Port Moresby. When the Japanese landed in the area they were attacked by American aircraft carrier planes. Both forces suffered damages but the Japanese didn't have enough planes to cover the ground attack of Port Moresby so it was an Allied victory.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-coral-sea -
Bataan Death March
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese began to invade the Philippines and eventually the U.S. and Filipino troops surrendered the Bataan Peninsula on the island of Luzon. These troops were then forced to march about 65 miles to prison camps where thousands died from harsh treatment during the march or once they arrived. In 1945, U.S. and Filipino forces recaptured the Batan Peninsula from the Japanese.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
The Battle of Normandy started on June 6 which is known as D-Day when American, British, and Canadian forces landed on the beaches of France's Normandy region. The invasion took Germans by surprise because they had been misled about the intended invasion target. It ended with all of northern France being liberated and the Germans were defeated. It is now regarded as the beginning of the end of WWII.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Bulge
Also known as the Battle of the Ardennes, the battle consisted of German troops attacking American troops in the Ardennes Forest. The purpose was to split the Allies in their drive towards Germany. As the German troops attacked, the Allied line created a large bulge and the Germans couldn't divide them which led to a victory for the Allies. This was one of Hitler's last major offensive drives along the Western Front in WWII.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was fought between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Army of Japan. The island of Iwo Jima was off the coast of Japan and the American troops wanted to invade it to have as a staging facility that could help with an attack on mainland Japan. The bloody battle lasted for five weeks and ended with a U.S. victory after most of the Japanese on the island were killed.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The world's first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima by a U.S. bomber on August 6. It completely destroyed the city and killed many immediately or later from radiation. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki with equally devastating effects. The goal was to destroy Japan's ability to make war which succeeded because soon after, Japan's emperor announced its surrender in WWII.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
VE Day
The eight of May is known as VE Day because it stands for Victory in Europe Day. It was the day when the Nazi German troops finally surrendered. Surrender documents were signed in Berlin and in eastern Germany after they laid down their arms. This surrender finally ended the war and was celebrated by the nations of Europe and the U.S.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
VJ Day
August 14 and 15 are now known as VJ Day which stands for Victory over Japan Day. On this day, Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies which ended WWII. Their surrender came several months after Nazi Germany surrendered and led to a feeling of relief among all the nations of Europe and the U.S. The war was finally over and this day was celebrated by all the Allies.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
