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Japanese Invasion of China
After Japan took over Manchuria in 1931, the Chinese were not happy with their neighboring country. Issues of mistrust lead to both parties placing troops near Manchuria’s border where a conflict occurred. This conflict angered Japan and drove them to war, which was later called the Second Sino-Japanese War.
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Germany's Invasion of Poland:
Once Adolf Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia, France and Britain responded with a guarantee that Poland had their protection if Germany ever decided to attack. To retaliate, Hitler made a pact with the Soviet Union, allowing him to invade Poland without any interference from them. A result of this is France and Britain declaring war on Germany.
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German Blitzkrieg:
In 1939, Germany launched a blitzkrieg on Poland by attacking them from three sides without declaration. The blitzkrieg was a success and Germany obtained Poland. In 1940, Germany launched a blitzkrieg on Britain because it was seen as a large obstacle that had to be overcome in order to assume power over Europe. However, the blitzkrieg, otherwise known as the Battle of Britain, was unsuccessful and lead to the downfall of Hitler.
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Fall of Paris:
On May 10th, Germany invaded France and immediately took over the country. This attack was so that Hitler could defeat the weaker link before going up against the tougher power, Britain. As soon as the allies heard, the US, Britain, and Canada sent aid and troops to help rid France of the Germans. The allies were outnumbered and overpowered, so a plan was mad to evacuate to England. After the evacuation from May 26 to June 4, the country was left defenseless, and so it fell.
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Operation Barbarossa:
Operation Barbarossa was a codename for the invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany. Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union because he saw it was weak and had endless potential. At first, Germany seemed to be in the lead, but once the Russian winter hit them, they became weak. This gave the Soviets the strength to defeat them. More casualties belonged to the Soviets than the Germans, but the Germans still suffered and set back their military for all of Europe.
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Pearl Harbor:
The attack on Pearl Harbor was by the Japanese on the United States of America. Japanese fighter planes attacked the base for the US navy near Honolulu, Hawaii. The reason for this attack is the US’s reluctance to trade with Japan after The Sino-Japanese War. This angered Japan and lead to their attack. As a result, a day later President Roosevelt declared war on Japan, who had allies in Germany and Italy.
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Battle of Midway:
This battle occurred between Japan and the US, when Japan tried to capture the island of Midway. The battle was a naval battle, meaning it only involved aircrafts and no in-land conflict ensued. During the battle, Japan lost a number of their aircrafts and planned to retreat. This was a turning point for the war in the Pacific.
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Battle of Stalingrad:
The battle took place when the Nazis invaded Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Hitler wanted to capture Stalingrad because it was an industrial hub, and so would cut off all trade routes to the rest of the Soviet Union. Also, since the city was named after Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Union, it would be Hitler’s pleasure to tear his name apart. The Soviet Union won the battle, and defeated the Nazi party.
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Manhattan Project:
The Manhattan Project was a codename for a research project to create the first atomic bombs. The atomic bombs were created to launch on Japan. The first bomb was launched in New Mexico to test its success. After the trial, two bombs were dropped in Nagasaki and Hiroshima three years later. This resulted in the death of thousands, but an important advancement in war technology.
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Operation Gomorrah:
After Britain suffered bombings from the Nazis, they saught out for revenge. In 1943, they dropped bombs in Hamburg, Germany during the night and America invades during the day. This was called Operation Gomorrah. The raid went on for months and ended up killing more than 30,000 people.
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Allied Invasion of Italy:
Before the invasion, the Italian people were trying to overthrow Benito Mussolini, their leader, and create peace with the allies. But, they could not overthow him since there were German influences in the country fighting it. Later on, the allies invaded Sicily, an island of Italy, and then moved more inland. This lead to the fall of Rome, and Mussolini’s execution.
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D-Day (Normandy Invasion):
Since Hitler invaded France, their allies Britain, The United States, and Canada came to rescue them. Troops from the three countries invaded from different areas of Normandy, France. They eventually liberated France from Germany’s hold. This weakend the German military and lead to their downfall.
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Battle of the Bulge:
The Battle of the Bulge is the battle between Germany and the allies when Germany invaded the port of Antwerp in the Netherlands as a blitzkrieg. It was called the Battle of the Bulge because the troops formed a bulge when lining up. The purpose of this invasion was to create a divide between the US and Britain to weaken them. If they become weak and divided, Germany will have more of a chance to win the war. The allies won and this also aided to the downfall of the Nazis.
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Liberation of Concentration Camps:
Concentration camps were created to put certain people under a secured environment. Hitler made the camps and imprisoned anyone who did not fit into his description of an ideal human being, which was the majority. At the end of the war the camps were liberated by the allies. The prisoners were finally free but a large number did not survive because of the harsh conditions. Hundreds of thousands of deaths occurred in those camps due to extreme conditions such as starvation and disease.
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Operation Thunderclap:
Operation Thunderclap was the bombing of Dresden by the United States and Britain. Dresden is a city in Germany that was the target for a range of firebombs that were created in discussion with the Soviet Union. The reason for this bombing was to seek revenge from Germany and anihelate Hitler once and for all. The result of this bombing left tens of thousands of people killed and houses destroyed, as well as thousands of injuries.
newworldencyclopedia.org -
Battle of Iwo Jima:
The Battle of Iwo Jima was between the US and Japan. The United States sought for a military base to attack and prepare from, for the war between them. Iwo Jima was the perfect location, it was an island controlled by Japan. American battleships and troops surrounded and attacked before the actual invasion. After nearly a month, America gained control over Iwo Jima. This event proved Japan’s loyalty to their country, inspiring the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Battle of Okinawa:
As the United States were island hopping along the Pacific Coast, the last stop was Okinawa. They wanted to rule over Okinawa to ensure they had a better chance of winning their war with Japan. In order to gain control of the island, they had to battle it out with the Japanese. This battle was so bloody and deadly that generals of both countries died before the end of it. Finally, the United States won the battle, but great losses were suffered on both sides as a result.
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VE Day:
This day is known famously as the Victory in Europe day, where Great Britain and the United States rejoice over the fall of the German Empire. The Germans raised the white flag of defeat in Prague infront of the Soviet troops. All land outside of Germany, formerly ruled by Hitler, was liberated and celebrated as well. This marked the end of the Second World War.
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Dropping of the atomic bombs:
On August 6th, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. On the 9th of August, another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The bombings ocurred to force Japan to surrender. The bombings destroyed cities and killed thousands, it was the most traumatizing event Japan has ever seen.
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VJ Day:
VJ Day is known as the Victory over Japan Day. It is the official day the Japanese surrendered to the United States after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They surrendered on board the U.S.S Misouri, an American battleship named after the state of Misouri. This day ended the 6-year conlfict between the two opposing countries.
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