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The Invasion of Poland
This was the official beginning of WWII. While Hitler got away with invading many other countries, his invasion of Poland was the last straw for the British and French, causing them to declare war on Germany. -
The Battle of Britain
This was an air battle over Britain between the UK and the Germans. The Germans made many mistakes, which led to a British victory. This restored hope that the Germans weren't invincible. -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
While the United States was trying to stay out of WWII, this brought them in. In the early morning hours, the Japanese bombed the U.S. Naval Base. The attack killed over 2,400 people and destroyed almost 20 ships and over 300 airplanes. -
The Battle of Midway
The Japanese set an attack on a U.S. base, but little did they know, that the United States had broken their code and was ready for them. The U.S. troops at sea attacked the Japanese and eventually caused them to retreat. The Japanese had way more casualties than the United States, and the victory stopped the Japanese from spreading throughout the Pacific. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
This battle stopped the Germans from invading the Soviet Union. This was considered a turning point because, despite the losses that the Soviets endured, they still stopped the Germans from spreading all across the continent. -
Operation Torch
This was a planned invasion of North Africa, then controlled by the French. This was the first time that the British and Americans had jointly worked on a plan. -
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Program
Also known as the Monuments Men, this group risked their lives to protect culture. They rushed to protect artwork and monuments from the destruction of the Nazis. Despite their efforts, it is estimated that over 30,000 pieces of artwork are still missing. -
The Battle of Kursk
This was the largest tank battle in history. This is considered to have marked the end of Germany's offensive capability. -
D-Day
This is known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The land, air, and sea forces all came together to invade the beaches of Normandy. -
This was one of the bloodiest battles. The Allies were able to invade Germany because the Germans lost many resources.
This was one of the bloodiest battles. The Allies were able to invade Germany because the Germans lost many resources. -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
During this, the U.S. Navy and Marines attacked and captured this island from the Japanese. This was the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history with 24,053 casualties. After this battle, the island served as an emergency landing site. -
The Battle of Okinawa
This was the last major battle of the war. This battle is known as one of the deadliest in human history. Many citizens, Japanese troops, and U.S. troops were harmed or killed in the battle. The U.S. had over 49,000 casualties, which led to the next decision by President Truman, to drop atomic bombs. -
The Death of FDR
FDR had many health issues, including severe hypertension, congestive heart failure, post-polio syndrome, and more. These issues combined with the stress of being president during the Great Depression and WWII, is what eventually led to his death. He died of a stroke at Little White House Historic Site in Georgia. -
The Death of Adolf Hitler
On this day, Hitler killed himself in an underground bunker, known as Führerbunker. He is believed to have done this because he was being hunted by Soviet troops that were storming Berlin. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
To prevent more American lives lost and cause a quick surrender by Japan, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It caused mass destruction and an estimated 140,000 deaths with almost all of the survivors having an increased rate of chronic disease and cancer. This bomb was known as "Little Boy". -
Atomic Bombing Nagasaki
Since the bombing of Hiroshima didn't cause the Japanese to surrender, President Truman decided to drop another one. This was done for the same reasons as Hiroshima. There are an estimated 80,000 deaths from this and many more health problems. The bomb was named "Fat Man".