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German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is the German word for lightning war. It is a military strategy used primarily by the Nazi's in WWII. It is concentrating forces on a single target to defeat them in a short time. Germany used this tactic because they had limited manpower and resources. By using this technique, it made their army as strong as possible. This technique worked well against the western countries, but not against the Soviet Union. It was seen as a revolutionary type of warfare, later copied by the Allies. -
Fall of Paris
Germany struck southern France, and the Maginot line. They broke through and took Paris. France signed an armistice, surrendering. Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium had already fallen, so France lacked the support and military power to defend themselves. France became under the control of Germany, with many Allies being captured, and many civilians losing their lives. This unexpected defeat made Britain's and France's plans useless, Britain having to take on most of the war effort. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa is the giant surprise attack of the Nazis on the Soviet Union. It happened because Hitler wanted the Soviet Resources. The Nazis did well at first, but when winter came, many died, ending in failure. In fact, it is one of the deadliest military operations in history. This failure was a turning point for the war. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was the place of an attack by the Japanese Navy. Here the Japanese bombed U.S. ships, airplanes, buildings etc. Many Americans were killed during this attack. This attack happened because it was Japan's way of declaring war on the U.S. They officially did after the attack. They were trying to wipe out the U.S. Navy. This event was the beginning of war between the U.S. and Japan, Germany, and Italy. It is what brought the U.S. into WWII. -
Wannsee Conference
Wannsee villa was the site of the Wannsee Conference, a conference where the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question" was announced. This conference's purpose was to inform German leaders that the annihilation of the Jewish people was to begin, and to ensure they had their support in carrying out this plan. The impact of this conference was that the plan to annihilate the Jews now became a reality, and millions were slaughtered because of it. -
Bataan Death March
This is when U.S. and Filipino troops captured by the Japanese had to march 65 miles to prison camps. Thousands died during this march because of the extreme heat and severe treatment from the guards. It happened because the U.S. and Japan were at war, so when these U.S. and Filipino troops were forced to surrender, this was their treatment. Its impact was the U.S. wanting revenge and invading the island of Leyte, and later Bataan, where this death march occurred. -
Battle of Stalingrad
This was a large, long, and deadly battle between Germany and the Soviet Union, over control of Stalingrad, an industrial city in the USSR. Germany lost. It happened because Germany wanted this city because it was an important industrial center for the USSR. They also wanted it because it was named after Soviet ruler Joseph Stalin, so it would humiliate the USSR, while boosting morale in Germany. Its impact was that it was a turning point in the war, the Allies gaining the upper hand. -
Warsaw Ghetto uprising
This was when the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto revolted when they learned they were being sent to extermination camps. This armed uprising occurred because they did not want to be sent to these death camps. They didn’t win, this ghetto being demolished with them in it, any survivors being sent to death camps, and the Warsaw synagogue being blown up. Even though this revolt failed, it inspired other revolts in other camps and ghettos. -
D-day (Normandy Invasion)
This operation, codenamed Operation Overlord, was when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France. These were heavily occupied by the German’s, but because they had deceived the German’s on where they were going to attack, the German’s were not expecting an attack here, resulting in victory for the Allies. It happened because they wanted to liberate Northern France. The Allies won, and this was the beginning of the end of WWII. -
Liberation of concentration camps
The first concentration camp liberated was Majdanek in Poland, by Soviet forces. As Allied forces got closer to Germany, they found many concentration camps and killing centers. If there were still alive people in these camps, they were rescued. The last camp liberated was Stutthof in May, 1945. The Allies liberated these camps to save the people in them. The impact was the world finding out what horrific things the Nazis really did, and the alive tenants of these camps not being killed. -
Battle of the Bulge
This battle was Hitler’s last major offensive in WWII. His aim to split the Allies and stop them from closing in on Germany failed, but was very costly for both sides, especially the U.S. Severe coldness, changed road signs, and Nazi spies did not stop the Allies from winning. It happened because it was Hitler’s last chance to stop the Allies, and the Allies were on their way to Berlin. This paved the way for Germany’s surrender five months later. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
This was a bloody battle between the U.S. and Japan on the island of Iwo Jima. The U.S. ended up taking control of this Japanese island. It happened because this seemingly strategic island had three airfields that could be used for potential invasions of Japan. A lot of people died during this battle, and this island was never used for invasions. Its impact would be that the Japanese army took a very large manpower loss, only 200 of the 21 000 surviving this attack. -
VE Day
On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered, ending fighting in Europe. This was confirmed the next day, May 8th and was named Victory in Europe, or VE day. It happened because the Allied forces forced Germany to surrender, ending war in Europe. The impact was nationalistic pride, celebration, as well as work to restore Europe to its former self. -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
On August 6, 1945 the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb, made from uranium, on Hiroshima, Japan. On August 9, they dropped an atomic bomb made from plutonium on Nagasaki, Japan. They did this as a quick and easy way to end the war with Japan, as well as to give them a lot of power to decide how things would be with the war finished. The impact was Japan surrendering. Most of Japan’s infrastructure was gone, as well as an estimated 130 000 to 215 000 people dying due to the bombs. -
VJ Day
After the dropping of the atomic bombs, on August 14, 1945 Japan surrendered. Because of the time difference, the Allies did not receive this news until the next day, August 15. Japan surrendered because of the devastation the atomic bombs brought. The impact was celebration throughout the Allied countries. Japanese people in internment camps in Canada were either deported to Japan, or forced to move east in Canada, out of BC and AB. -
Sources
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps#:~:text=In%20the%20summer%20of%201944,concentration%20camp%2C%20in%20January%201945.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima#&gid=ci0230e5c1301826df&pid=image-placeholder-title
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki#&gid=ci023ad3b01000262e&pid=hiroshima-gettyimages-568885325
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vj-day-victory-over-japan -
Sources
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/history-and-stories/fall-of-france/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/07/world-war-ii-operation-barbarossa/100112/
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/07/world-war-ii-pearl-harbor/100117/
https://www.ushmm.org/learn/timeline-of-events/1942-1945/wannsee-conference -
Sources
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march
https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/warsaw-ghetto-uprising
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/normandy-invasion
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge
