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Japan invades China
A small battle between Japanese and Chinese forces on the border led to a full war, later known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. By 1940 the was became a stalemate where there was no end in sight for both sides,as a result of this Japan decided to attack pearl Harbor, bringing America into World War two.
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Germany Invades Poland
On September first 1939, 1.5 Million German troops invaded Poland, while they bombed their airfields and attacked their naval forces at the same time. Germany claimed that the attack was in an effort to defend themselves against Poland. However Britain and France were skeptical of Germany's claims, and in September third they declared war on Germany. Link text -
Fall of Paris
France ignored British pleas to continue to resist the control of German forces, and allowed them to take control over their country. While america continued to remain idle after the invasion of France they did cut off ties with all axis countries.
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German Blitz
After Germany took control of France, they put their sights on Great Britain. In an attempt to win the people over, Hitler decided fear would be the best way to lead the British people to surrender, and to provoke fear into the people Germany bombed the streets of London every night for 57 consecutive nights.
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Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was Hitler's failed plan to invade Soviet Russia. In June 1941, Hitler deployed over three million troops in a massive invasion of the Soviet Union. However, the Soviets harsh climates slowed down the mobilization of the troops, and a long with Germany's underestimation of the Soviets fighting power led to the plan failing and Germany left with a two front war.
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Pearl Harbor
At around 8 in the morning on a quiet Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes came down on the Hawaiian Naval base Pearl Harbor. The attack took the base by surprise, and as a result over 2,400 American lives were lost in the attack. The next day America declared war against Japan, throwing us into World War two.
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Bataan Death March
After Japan invaded the Philippines following the Pearl harbor attacks, they were left with many captured Filipinos and Americans. In order to get to their prisoner of war camps they were forced to march 65 miles from Mariveles to San Fernando. A long the way they treated horribly, and while it is not known how many, thousands of people are said to have died on this march.
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Battle of Midway
Six months after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, America managed to to outsmart Japans attack on our navel carriers that survived Pearl Harbor. All of this was possible because the United States managed to crack the Japanese codes and intercept their messages. Through reading these messages the US was able to know the Japanese plan, and place their ships accordingly for a surprise counterattack on Japanese Forces. In the end US sank five Japanese carriers, and over 322 planes.
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Battle of Stalingrad
After Adolf Hitler attempted to take the city of Stalingrad, the Russians stood their ground to defend their city. The battle of Stalingrad was a bloody battle between Axis and Russian forces. For over six months, two million troops fought, and almost two million troops died or were injured in the fighting, many of which were Russian Civilians. While many lives were lost, this battle gave the Allied forces an upper hand against Nazi Germany.
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Wannsee Conference
Nazi Officials met at this conference in order to discuss the logistics of Germany's final solution. The officials discussed what the best way to exterminate the Jewish was, and they settles on Gas Chambers. This conference helped convict several Nazi Officials when they were put on trial for war crimes.
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Operation Gomorrah
After Germany's bombing of Britain left British civilians dead, Britain decided to hit back hard. For four months British bombers would drop explosives into the city of Hamburg Germany. As a result thousands of German civilian lives were lost, and German officials began to accept their defeat.
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Normandy Invasion
On June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, 156,000 Allied troops invaded the coast of Normandy France In an attempt to liberate the people of France. Although we suffered many casualties, the offense was successful and by August Germany was driven out of France. It is said that this was the beginning of the end of the war.
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Battle of the Bulge
The battle of the Bulge started when German forces tried to break up the allied armies in Europe by surprise blitzkrieg attacks. The Germans plan failed, and American troops managed to overpower the Germans, but the battle was very costly for America and we suffered many casualties.
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Battle of Iwo Jima
750 miles off the coast of Japan lay the island of Iwo Jima, which contained a Japanese airfield that could be used by the US military to attack mainland Japan. American forces decided to invade the island in what they though would be a short and easy takeover, however the Japanese put up a good fight, and the battle ended up lasting over 5 weeks. Heavy casualties on both sides happened as a result, but in the end America gained control over the island.
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Battle of Okinawa
In order to get closer to Japans mainland the United states invaded Okinawa Island on April first, 1945. They knew that if they could take out Okinawa, Japan would fall. Many casualties happened on both sides, however in the end America had control over Okinawa, which helped lead to the surrender of Japan.
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Operation Thunderclap
A series of allied firebomb attacks began against the German city of Dresden. These attacks killed over 135,000 people, and it was the most destructive bombing of the war. This attack was controversial because Germany was already on the verge of surrender and this attack did little to bring the war to the end, and it is debated whether or not it was necessary.
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VE Day
VE day, or Victory in Europe day is the day that Germany surrendered, and the fighting in Europe was over.
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Postdam Declaration
Held near Berlin, the Potsdam conference was the last meeting of the big three. Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin all met to discuss Germany's surrender and the punishment for their war crimes.
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Atomic Bombs Drop
On August sixth, 1945 an American B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb used onto the Japanese city Hiroshima. The explosion killed 80,000 Japanese citizens, and desolated the city. When Japan refused to surrender, the US dropped another atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki three days later. Which lead to the surrender of Japan.
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VJ Day
VJ day, or Victory over Japan day is the day that Japan surrendered, and the US officially won the war. After America's excessive bombing of Japanese civilians they were forced to surrender, bringing an end to all of the fighting of World War two.
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