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Invasion of Poland:
The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, marked the beginning of World War II. It was a coordinated air and ground blitzkrieg attack that resulted in the rapid occupation of Poland by German forces. -
Declaration of War:
On September 3, 1939, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany in response to the invasion of Poland. This declaration formalized the onset of hostilities in Europe. -
Dunkirk Evacuation
The evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk between May 26 and June 4, 1940, was a massive military operation that rescued over 300,000 British and French soldiers from advancing German forces. -
Battle of Britain
Between July and October 1940, the Royal Air Force defended British airspace against German Luftwaffe air raids, inflicting significant aerial losses on Germany and thwarting a potential land invasion. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, destroying much of the US Pacific Fleet and leading the US to enter the war. -
Operation Barbarossa
On June 22, 1941, Germany launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union in an attempt to conquer vast territories and eliminate the communist threat. This operation marked the beginning of the Eastern Front in World War II. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Between August 1942 and February 1943, Soviet forces fiercely defended the city of Stalingrad against the German advance. The battle resulted in a devastating defeat for Germany and is considered a turning point in the war on the Eastern Front. -
Battle of Midway
In June 1942, the United States Navy dealt a decisive blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers and shifting the balance of power in the Pacific. -
Battle of Kursk
Between July and August 1943, German forces launched an offensive against the Kursk salient on the Eastern Front. However, they were halted and defeated by Soviet forces in one of the largest tank battles in history. -
Casablanca Conference
In January 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill met in Casablanca, Morocco, to discuss Allied strategy and reaffirm the commitment to seek unconditional surrender from the Axis powers. -
Normandy Landings (D-Day)
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched a massive invasion of the Normandy coast in France, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. -
Battle of the Bulge
In December 1944, German forces launched a counteroffensive in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg in a desperate attempt to halt the Allied advance. Although initially successful, the Germans were ultimately defeated. -
Surrender of Germany
On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally, bringing an end to the war in Europe. This day is known as Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day). -
Yalta Conference
In February 1945, the Allied leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) met in Yalta, Crimea, to discuss the future of Europe after the war and the terms for the surrender of Germany.