-
Japanese Invasion of China
This war ignited at Marco Polo Bridge from a conflict between Chinese and Japanese troops for control of Chinese territory ; the Chinese resisted. In an effort to unseat the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese occupied large areas of eastern China in 1937–38. Japan aimed at taking all roads, railroads, and cities, in order to gain total control of China and become an imperial power. The war played a big role in the ultimate Communist defeat of the Nationalist troops in 1949. -
Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
Germany and the Soviet Union signed the pact, in which they agreed to not fight against each other and to divide eastern Europe between themselves.With Europe about to enter another huge war, Stalin saw the pact as a way to keep his nation on good terms with Germany and give him time to build up his military.Hitler used the pact to make sure Germany was able to bomb Poland unopposed.The pact made the invasion of Poland possible which led to France and Britian declaring war thus starting WWII. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany's leader,Hitler, thought that the only way he could control Europe is through neutralizing Poland in the East first and The German-Soviet Pact enabled Germany to invade without fear.On Sept. 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland which started World War II and also made France and Britain declare war on Germany.After heavy shelling,blitzkriegs and bombings, Warsaw finally surrendered to the Germans on September 27, 1939. -
German Blitskrieg
German forces tried out the blitzkrieg in Poland in 1939, the tactic proved to be successful so they used it to invade Belgium, the Netherlands and France in 1940.They used blitzkriegs to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces.Through blitzkriegs, Germany was able to take most of Europe and was victorious for more than two years. Also,its successful execution results in short military campaigns, which preserves human lives and limits the use of artillery. -
German Blitzkrieg Video
-
Fall of Paris
Hitler wanted revenge after his humiliation in WW1 and in treaty of Versailles so he invaded France and made them feel humiliated and degraded.The French government departed Paris on June 10, and the Germans occupied the city on June 14. Paris was taken over. Hitler also wanted to gain more land so he invaded France.France was divided into a German occupation zone in the north and west and a nominally independent state in the south, to be based in the spa town of Vichy, dubbed Vichy France. -
Operation Barbossa
Hitler's objectives were that he wanted the Baltic states and Leningrad , Moscow, and the economic resources of the Ukraine and southern Russia. Hitler took Russia by surprise when he launched the blitzkriegs on them but when the Russian winter came, Germany had to abandon the operation and in turn Russia defeated Germany by attacking them by 2 fronts . The operation's failure made Soviet forces fight all the way to Berlin and it also resulted in the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Pearl Harbor Video
-
Pearl Harbor
Japan was angry at the U.S because of the ban imposed by the U.S on the trade functions of Japan especially export of oil, steel and iron.Also,Japanese were eager to take control of South East Asia but the U.S stood in there way.Because of that,Japan attacks the U.S navy base at Pearl Harbor in retaliation. As a result, the U.S declared war on Japan and Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S, thus bringing the U.S into WWII.Also, more than 2,000 military and civilians were killed. -
Bataan Death March
The U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during WWII resulted in theabout 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan being forced to make an arduous 65-mile march to prison camps.The marchers made the trek in intense heat and were subjected to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. Thousands perished in what became known as the Bataan Death March. U.S avenged its defeat in the Philippines with the invasion of the island of Leyte in Oct. -
Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. Thanks in part to major advances in code breaking, the United States was able to preempt and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The battle was the successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad in the U.S.S.R. during WWII.It stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies. The battle had a combined military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million.The Soviet victory at Stalingrad was a great humiliation for Hitler, who had elevated the battle’s importance in German opinion. He now became more distrustful than ever of his generals. -
Manhattan Project
It was a U.S. government research project that brought many scientists in to produce the first atomic bombs as the U.S feared that Germany would build and use a nuclear weapon during World War II.The project was done for military purposes to produce a new type of weapon.The significance of the project was that it put an end to WWII by using weapons of mass destruction and forced Japan to surrender.It also took science from the laboratory and into combat. -
Operation Gomorrah
British bombers raid Hamburg, Germany, by night in Operation Gomorrah, while Americans bomb it by day in its own “Blitz Week.”Britain had had wanted revenge for the deaths of 167 civilians caused by Germany.British attacks continued until November 1943.The operstion did a great deal to lift morale in Britain.Hamburg was a major port in Germany so the work done by the port was disrupted. Hitler refused to visit the burned-out cities, as the ruins made him realize the end of the war for him. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the coast of France’s Normandy region.The goal was to surprise Germany and defeat them, but Germany was ready to fight.It was the beginning of the end of World War II.It also resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control.Moreover, the event prevented Hitler from sending troops from France to build up his Eastern Front against the advancing Soviets.It was a psychological blow to Germany. -
D-Day Video
-
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans create a “bulge” around the area in attempt to push back the Allies from Northern France. While the battle was meant to split Allied lines and force negotiated peace, American forces were able to contain the battle and inflict heavier losses on the Germans.It was the first major victory for the Allies and the Germans were pushed back into Germany in the end.The Battle is significant in that it ruined the German army and in essence brought about the end of the war and the Nazi reign. -
Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap had been under discussion within the Allied Command for some time, the proposal was to bomb the eastern-most cities of Germany to disrupt the transport infrastructure behind what was becoming the Eastern front.The RAF and USAAF chose to drop bombs on Dresden to help aid the Soviets.Out of 28,410 houses in the inner city of Dresden, 24,866 were destroyed. An area of 15 square kilometers was totally destroyed, and around 25,000-35,000 people were killed. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
U.S soldiers make their first strike on the Japanese Islands at Iwo Jima as the U.S needed a base near the Japanese coast.It was defended by the Japanese army but the marines managed to wipe out the defending forces.The capture of the island was part of America's plan to win the war in the Far East.Japan had two air fields before the battle, but because the U.S. won, the air fields were shut down.It was also the only Marine battle where the U.S casualties, 26,000, exceeded the Japanese ,22,000. -
Battle of Okinawa
The capture of Okinawa was part of a three-point plan the U.S had for winning the war in the Far East. As part of the allied effort to invade Japan, troops storm the islands of Okinawa.A series of defense lines north and south of the U.S landing beaches, enabled the Japanese to conduct a fierce defense of Okinawa over many weeks.The battle was an example of how deadly the invasion of mainland Japan would be.It is the last major campaign in the Pacific War.U.S had 65,000 casualties(14,000 dead). -
VE Day
German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms as they had lost more than 8,000 soldiers to the Soviet Union.Great Britain, the U.S, and formerly occupied cities in Western Europe all put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi and celebrating the victory of Europe.Meanwhile, more than 13,000 British POWs were released and sent back to Great Britain.Amidst the street parties and rejoicing, many people mourned the dead and there was also an air of anti-climax. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
President Truman, warned by some of his advisers that any attempt to invade Japan would result in horrific American casualties, ordered that the new atomic bombs be used to bring the war to a speedy end.The U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped a bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.The explosion wiped out 90% of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people; many later died because of radiation exposure.Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s surrender in WWII on Aug,12. -
V-J Day
Several months after the surrender of Nazi Germany, Japan’s surrender in the Pacific brought six years of hostilities to a final and highly anticipated close.On Aug 14, it was announced that Japan had surrendered to the Allies.Allied supreme commander General Douglas MacArthur, along with the Japanese foreign minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, and the chief of staff of the Japanese army signed the official Japanese surrender aboard the U.S. Navy battleship Missouri, effectively ending WWII on Sept 2. -
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/event/Sino-Japanese-War-1937-1945
http://totallyhistory.com/second-sino-japanese-war/
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/sino-japanese-war-second-outbreak-war.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005070
http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/invasion-of-poland.asp
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005437
http://www.britannica.com/topic/blitzkrieg -
Sources:
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXxPkpOTx9o
http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/barbarossa
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa
http://www.historyinanhour.com/2011/06/22/operation-barbarossa-summary/
http://www.enkivillage.com/why-did-japan-attack-pearl-harbor.html
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor
http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/pearl-harbor -
Sources
http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/operation-gomorrah/
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day
http://worldhistory2battleofthebulge.weebly.com/results-and-significance.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-bulge
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bombing_of_Dresden_in_World_War_II
http://ww2today.com/13-february-1945-operation-thunderclap-raf-start-firestorm-in-dresden -
Sources
http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Med/Med.html
http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/pre-cold-war/manhattan-project/
http://www.atomicarchive.com/History/mp/
http://manhattanproject-rui-uhs.weebly.com/conclusion.html
http://www.britannica.com/event/Manhattan-Project
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/the-bombing-campaign-of-world-war-two/the-bombing-of-hamburg-in-1943/ -
Sources:
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_Iwo_Jima2,00.html
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima
http://battlesofworldwariiiwojima.weebly.com/long-term-effects.html
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_Iwo_Jima2,00.html
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/the-pacific-war-1941-to-1945/the-battle-of-okinawa/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Sources:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-ve-day
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/08/06/70-years-ago-today-the-moment-the-us-deployed-the-most-powerful-weapon-known-to-man/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Sources
http://www.britannica.com/event/German-Soviet-Nonaggression-Pact
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005156
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march
http://bataanmarch.com/
http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Battle_of_France
http://www.historyinanhour.com/
