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Japanese Invasion of China
In 1937 Japan and China found themselves in a small battle, which ended up turning into a war between the two countries. Japaneese agression started when they thought that their economy was deadlocked. Japan had few materials and the growing population both led to the deadlock. Military forces were sent when the Japaneese tried to overtake Manchuria. Conclusively this invasion led to the bombing on Pearl Harbor.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/japan_quest_empire_01.shtml#top -
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German Blitzkreig
Early 1940 Germany and Brittain had plans to invade Norway. Brittain wanted to be able to force Germany out of the coast, where they would be more likely to be attacked. Just months after the invasion, Germany was able to break through the British forces and overtake most of North and West France. -
Ribbentrop/ Molotov Pact
This pact was signed between the Sovuet Union and Germany. it stated that there was to be no aggression between these two countries for the next ten years. For Hitler, this pact was the way that Germany would be able to invade Poland without being stopped. Stalin used this pact as a way for him to build an army without being interrupted. Hitler broke the pact when he sent the Nazi's to breach the Soviet Union.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Hitler, who was leading Germany, invaded Poland on September 1st, 1939. Hitler thought Britain and France were too weak to oppose the attack, but he was worried about the possbility of the Soviet Union stepping in the way. The attack happened on September 1st. Germany was able to catch Poland by surprise with most of their planes still on the ground, they couldnt do much for defence. Poland tried to reach out for help.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/invasion_poland_01.shtml#four -
Fall of Paris
On June 14th, 1940 Germany invaded Paris. The Unites States was able to assist by sending materials to help the people of Paris. Roosevelt wanted to make this a public action, but realizing that Germany might take this as a war declaration, they kept it private. When German tanks arrived in Paris, a lot of poeple were able to escape before they got there.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris -
Operation Barbarossa
Hitler invaded Russia, also known as operation Barbarossa. Germany wanted to enslave the Slavic people, and to destroy the Jewish population. Eventially the weather turned the germans around, leaving Operation Barbarossa a failed mission. At the same time both British and German cities were under attack.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ww2_summary_01.shtml#four -
Pearl Harbor
Japan and the Unites States had been leaning towards a war for a long time before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan had been experiencing some economic struggles and thought the way to resolve this was to invade the surrounding territories, which the United States didn't agree with. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. The attack was a surprise, but both countries knew it was only a matter of time before war errupted.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
The Wansee Conference was a meeting between various Nazi officials who were trying to decide what to do about the Jewish poeple. Concentration camps was one of the suggestions. The group decided that the camps would take too long, what they wanted was to take out large numbers of Jews at once. Just months after, they found that gas vans were a better solution. Thousands of people would be killed in just a day.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-wannsee-conference -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was the result of Japan wanting to destroy all the aircraft carriers that had been salvaged from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Months after Pearl Harbor the United States broke some of Japans codes and was able to figure out the plan for Japan's counterattack. The United States successfully won the Battle of Midway.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Bataan Death March
When Japan was able to successfully invade the Phillipines the armies were forced to retreat to Bataan. Around 75,000 American and Filipeno people were forced by the Japanese to make a 65 mile long march (Bataan March). Because of the casualties of this march, it became known as the Bataan Death March. The march made America angry and later they were able to invade Lyte.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Stalingrad
In this battle, the Soviet Union was able to beat the Germans. They sucessfully defended Stalingrad against the German attack.This war is known as the turning point in WW2 in favor of the allies.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Operation Gomorrah
Operation Gomorrah was an attack by Brittain on Germany. Germany had attacked Britain in July. The air raids of Operation Gomorrah had gone on until November. This attack was bruital to German forces. Cities were destroyed by the bombings. Hitler himself refused to go to the burned cities because he didnt want to accept defeat.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched -
D-Day
The day that the Battle of Normandy started is known as D-Day. British, Canadian, and American troops began to invade France's coast. Within a few months the forces were able to free France from German control.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Operation Thunderclap
On feburary 13th the Allied forces began bombing the German city of Dresdon. This bombing was the most lethal bombing of WW2. The attack went on for about two days, Dresdon was on fire and burning for several days after. The bombing wasnt pointless, but it had almost no strategic accomplishments beause Germany had already been concidering a surrender.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/firebombing-of-dresden -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The United States invaded Iwo Jima on feburary 19th, 1945. The U.S. had needed a base that was closer to the Japaneese coastline, so that the dammaged aircrafts wouldnt have to go as far as the Marinaras. the Japaneese had a chain of caves, underground tunnels, and foxholes that made it hard for the U.S. to find them. After about a month of fighting, The unites States came out victorious.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was the biggest battle of the pacific island battles. The Japaneese had a different fighing tactic during this battle, one way missions or suicide missions. Japan was able to defend Okinawa for many weeks.This battle lasted 82 days after the U.S. took Okinawa. Both sides of this war suffered great losses.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/21/newsid_3564000/3564489.stm -
VE Day
Victory in Europe day was on May 8th, 1945. Victory fot the United States and Great Brittain. Nazi Germany surrendered, the allied powers won. The Russians took about 2 million German prisoners right after they had surrendered.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Droping of the atomic bombs
During the war, the United States was the first and only country to use atomic bombs. The bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. This event was what truely ended WW2. When The U.S. first started developing the atomic bomb (1940) they had planned using it on Germany, but by the time it was finished Germany had already surrendered.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
VJ Day
Japan surrendered on August 14th, 1945. the Allied forced won the war. Japan officially surrendered on September 2nd, 1945 while on the U.S.S. Missouri. The term "VJ Day" has been used referring to both of these dates.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day -
Battle of Bulge
Adolf Hitler tried to seperaate the Allies by dividing them. December 16, Germany bagan what was one of the deadliest battles in WW2. The Allied defense was able to overrule the German attempt to take on the Allied powers.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge
