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the invasion of Normandy (D-Day)
Codenamed Operation Overlord, D-Day was a combined effort made by the Allied Forces (Britain, America, and Canada). Using a massive amount of deception and tactics, these forces landed on five beaches along the coast of the Normandy France region. Operation Overlord is considered one of the largest amphibious military assaults. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of the war in Europe and resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. -
G.I Bill of Rights signed
Officially named the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, the G.I Bill provided a number of benefits to veterans. This bill was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt and hoped to give veterans an easier transition back into civilian life coming home from the Second World War. Through the Veterans Administration (VA), the bill provided endowments for school and college tuition, low-interest mortgage and small-business loans, job training, hiring privileges, and unemployment payments. -
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
By the time the atomic bomb was "invented" WW2 was coming to a close. Germany had surrendered and the war in Europe was already demolished. Japan had yet to surrender, leading America to contemplate invading Japan. To avoid risking the lives of their soldiers, President Harry Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands of civilians. Not long after the bombing of Nagasaki, Emperor Hirohito and Japan surrendered to US forces. -
United Nations formed
The United Nations (U.N.) is a global diplomatic and political organization dedicated to international peace and stability. Seeing the devastating effects of the Second World War, many international leaders proposed the establishment of a global organization to prevent conflict and another world war from occurring. The U.N. hoped to promote the idea of peace throughout the world, avoid war, develop relations among countries and achieve worldwide cooperation to solve international problems. -
atomic energy act
The Atomic Energy Act was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman. Through this act, the United States determined how they could control and manage the newly discovered nuclear technology. This act also stated that nuclear weapon development and nuclear power management would be under civilian, rather than military control. A direct effect of this act was the establishment of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. -
Cold War begins
The end of the Second World War saw two opposing “superpowers” emerging in the form of the United States of America and the Soviet Union. The Cold War was a long period of tension between these two "superpowers". Communist expansionism in Europe fueled many Americans’ fears of a Russian plan to control the world. Although never officially declaring war on one another, these two countries "fought" against each other through proxy wars through the use of propaganda and the arms and space race. -
marshall plan
The Marshall Plan, or the European Recovery Program (ERP), was proposed by U.S Secretary of State, George C. Marshall. The program was created in response to the economic ruin and political chaos present in European countries due to the WW2. The program hoped to prevent the spread of communism throughout these countries and assist in the rebuilding of these countries as they recover from the war by providing finances and funds to assist their reconstruction after the devastation of WW2. -
north atlantic treaty organization (NATO) established
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) comprised of 12 member nations consisting of Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States. The organization was established during the Cold War as a collective approach against communism and the Soviet Union's influence on other European countries, stating that a military attack against any of the signatories would be considered an attack against them all.