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Japanese Invansion of China
On this day, Japan launched a full-scale attack on China. What started as sporadic skirmishes (Marco Polo Bridge Incident) quickly escalated into a battle. The war was a result of Japan attempting to expand its influence politically and militarily to gain food and labour. China emerged from the war nominally a great military power but econically weak. -
Ribbentrop / Molotov Pact
Ribbentrop / Molotov PactOn this day, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a pact that stated no war was to come between them for the next ten years and how they would secretely split up Eastern Europe. This obviously shocked the world, and the Hitler did this so that when they started WWII the Soviets would not attack them. This also gave the time to build back up the Soviet army. This pact ended when the Nazi's invaded the Soviets in June of 1941. -
Germans Biltzkrieg
Germans BlitzkriegOn this day, Hitler and the Germans invaded Poland with a new style of attack, Blitzkrieg. 1.5 million troops invaded along all 1,750 mile border while they are bombing their airfields and attacking their naval forces. In Hitlers words "the invasion would bring Lebensraum" or living space. This invasion was the battle the started WWII -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Invasion of PolandOn this day, Germany invaded Poland after setting up many nonagression pacts with different countries. They did this so that when they did go back on theirs with Poland noone would attack them back. Within weeks of the invasion, the Polish army was defeated by German units, 2,000 tanks, and 1,000 planes. They then annexed the former Polish territories along with German's border. These stayed under German control until 1945. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation BarbarossaThis is the date of the largest invasion of any battle until the date. Hitlers invasion to Russia was meant to "make the world hold its breath". At this point Hitler had lost interest in the Battle of Britian and become too focused on Russia. Germans Centre army advanced extremely fast into Russia but an order by Hitler caused them to waste too much time and the army was caught in the harsh conditions of the winter. They then had to turn back or die. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl HarborOn this date, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes surprise America and attack the naval base Pearl Harbor. They destroyed 20 naval vessels, 200 airplanes, and killed more than 2,000 American soldiers. This attack happened because America took away Japans supply of money and goods, like oil, in hopes to stop their expansion. This attack was the cause of America entering WWII by declaring war on Japan. -
Wannsee Conference
Wannsee ConferenceOn this day 15 high-ranking Nazi and German officials met to discuss the "Final Solution of the Jewsh Question". The Final Solution was the code name for the systematic, deliberate, and physical annihilation of European Jews. Seeing as how Nazis hated Jews, they were in favor of the solution. This meeting was the beginning of what we know as the Holocaust -
Battle of Midway
Battle of MidwayOn this day, Americans found the Japanese fleet that was going to launch a surprise attack. They knew about this attack by decyphering a Japanese code. The loses ended up being great for the Japanese compared to the US. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of StalingradOn this day, the Soviets defended their city (Stalingrad) in what is known as one of the bloodiests battle ever. Nearly 2 million people were killed during this battle. This victory stopped the German's advanced and is thought to be a turning point for the Allies. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Warsaw UprisingDuring this time, the Jewish camp in Warsaw staged a revolt against deportations to extermination camps. This led to other ghetto's also revolting. While Germans lost several hundred men in the uprising, 7,000 Jewish men died and 50,000 others were sent to extermination camps. -
Allied Ivasion of Italy
Invasion of ItalyAfter winning their attles in Northern Africa the Allied troops had only two options, and they decided to attack Sicily, which was the stepping stone to Italy. The Axis troops had already been weakened because of the losses they suffered in Africa. The Allies continued moving North. -
Operation Gomorrah
Operation GamorrahOn this day, British bombers raided Hamburg, Germany by night. They dropped 2,300 tons of incendiary in just a few hours. This was caused by a previous bombing on Britian by the Russians a few months earlier, causing 167 civilian deaths. This attack ended up lasting months, and caused 30,000 deaths while dopping 9,000 tons of incendiary bombs. The result a major drop in Moral and a sight of defeat for Hitler. -
D-Day
D-DayOn this day, the Allies invaded Western Europe in the largest amphibious attack in history. This attack was simply used to break through the front line of germany's control. This invasion resulted in the Allies freeing Western Europe free Nazi control. -
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the BulgeOn this day Hitler attempted to split the American amry in two by sending a large blitzkrieg the heavely wooded Ardennes. As the Germans pushed further in the American amry eventually stopped them from advancing. The Americans lost over 100,000 men but this battle led to the nuetralization of the German counter-offensive. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo JimaOn this day, Americans took their first strike at the Jaoanese islands. They attacked Iwo Jima becuase the needed a base near the Japanese coast. Even as this shore was defended by around 23,000 Japanese soldiers, America took it in less than a month. This gave them a place they could send their B-29 bombers if they were damaged rather than sending them all the way back. This was a strategic victory. -
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of OkinawaOn this day, the last and largest of the Pacific island battles took place. This battle needed to be won because it held the airbase that was vital to the desired invasion of Japan. This was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific resulting in an extreme loss on both sides includng civilians death that were up in the 100,000. -
VE Day
VE DayOn theis day, both the US and Great Britian rejoiced at the victory in Europe. Even previously captured cities put out flags and rejoiced at the victory and defeat of the Nazi war machine. Captured soldiers were also released and returned home. -
Dopping the Atomic Bombs
Atomic BombsOn this day, America officially ended WWII by dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This makes them the only nation to have used atomic weaponry during combat. As some people say this ended WWII, others argue that it started the Cold War. -
VJ Day
VJ DayOn this day, Japan officialy and unconditionly surrendered thus ending WWII. After long battles in the Paciific and the infamous Pearl Harbor attack, the war had ended and America was victorious,
