World War II

Japanese Invasion of China

Jul 7, 1937

SourceSource Japanese Invasion of China was a military conflict fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. China fought Japan, with much financial help from Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States. Chinese troops achieved a victory in the Battle of Changsha, which earned the Chinese government much respect from the Western Allies. China joined the Allies and declared war against Japan, Germany and Italy. Chinese estimates put the death toll at 250,000 civilians. 1,700 Japanese t

German invasion of Poland

Sep 1, 1939

SourceSource The German attack on the Poles was strategic display of military and technological superiority. By using the “blitzkrieg” doctrine, they were able to overwhelm the Poles. They also used ground troops to prevent Ally powers from helping. The German invasion of Poland was lead by Adolf Hitler. The Poles were not independent until 1989,

German Blitzkrieg

Period: Sep 1, 1939 to Jun 22, 1940

Source Picture Was a military doctrine/ tactic that was used to gain control. German forces lead coordinated attacks with air support and many ground troops to gain quick control of territory. Blitzkrieg was highly effective. And was heavily carried out between 1939, and 1940. The tactic was bested demonstrated on Poland when in fail to German control in 1939.

Fall of Paris

Jun 14, 1940

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The French collapse was as sudden and very unexpected. It destroyed the balance of power in Europe, and overnight left the strategic decision of Britain had planned to fight Hitler completely destroyed. With France out of the war, Britain's war for the next four years was fought in the air, at sea, and in the Mediterranean - but never on the Western Front. Until D-Day, 6 June 1944, did a major British army return to France.

Operation Barbarossa

Jun 22, 1941

SourceOperation Barbarossa was Hitler attack on the Soviet Union which was to insure his German Empire would succeed. He was to use the blitzkrieg with 3.8 million men. They were to use Personnel from all ranks of the Axis Powers. They lead three axis army groups, and were pushed into the three different areas of the Soviet Union. The operation lasted from June 1941 until December 5th. They eventually were unable to successfully control Moscow effectively, so Hitler decided to defeat them economically

Pearl Harbor Attack

Dec 7, 1941

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Japan had long held a stance to incorporate much of the Pacific Ring into a sphere of influence for its future. Japan saw the weakening of the Native, and colonial powers as the perfect time to take the island, the only problem was that the Pacific Fleet was centralized on the Hawaiian Islands. They attacked on December 7th, 1941, and they attacked with great surprise, a

Wannsee Conference

Jan 20, 1942

Picture Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler's second in command of the SS, convened the Wannsee Conference in Berlin with 15 top Nazi bureaucrats to coordinate the Final Solution where the Nazis would attempt to exterminate the entire Jewish population of Europe, an estimated 11 million persons. "Europe would be combed of Jews from east to west," Heydrich told.

Battle of Midway

Period: Jun 3, 1942 to Jun 7, 1942

Around 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. In part to major advances in coding, the United States was able to intercept and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy. An HUGE turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position.

Operation Gomorrah

Jul 24, 1943

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Britain had suffered the deaths of 167 civilians as a result of German bombing raids in July. The evening of July 24 saw British aircraft drop 2,300 tons of bombs on Hamburg in just a few hours. The explosive power was the equivalent of what German bombers had droped in five of the biggest raids.

D-Day [Normandy Invasion]

Jun 6, 1944

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Germany was fighting a bloody struggle in the East with the Red Army, and it was known that France would be the ultimate battle ground. The German forces mistakenly thought that the glooming attack would come from the North of England, yet while the US carried out fake military plans to attack that region to trick the Germans, they were actually gathering in the south to attack the forces from Germa

Battle of the Bulge

Period: Dec 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945

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It was to be the US biggest pitched battle in their history, involving 600,000 American troops. The Allied forces were moving towards Germany, and were pushing the Germans back and believing the war to be almost won. But this was going to be Hitler’s last attempt to stop the momentum. His aim was to move through the wooded area of the Ardennes. Germans had surrounded almost 20,000 A

Operation Thunderclap

Feb 13, 1945

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In February 1945, the Allies launched Operation Thunderclap, a series of full power efforts against cities in eastern Germany, which aimed to pave the way for the Red Army that would soon be overrunning that territory. These heavy raids would tax the bomber crews immensely, as well as bring new destruction to cities yet unhit by U.S.

Battle of Iwo Jima

Period: Feb 19, 1945 to Mar 26, 1945

U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, after months of naval and air bombardment. The Japanese defenders of the island were dug into bunkers deep within the volcanic rocks. After the battle, Iwo Jima served as an emergency landing site for more than 2,200 B-29 bombers, saving the lives of 24,000 U.S. airmen. Securing Iwo Jima prepared the way for the last and largest battle in the Pacific: the invasion of Okinawa. The flag-raising atop Mt. Suribachi took place on February 23, 1945;

Battle of Okinawa

Period: Apr 1, 1945 to Jun 22, 1945

The largest and last of the Pacific island battles of World War II, the Okinawa campaign involved the 287,000 troops of the U.S. Army against 130,000 soldiers of the Japanese Army. At risk were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan. After the 82-day campaign, Japan had lost more than 77,000 soldiers and the Allies had suffered more than 65,000 casualties including 14,000 dead.

Liberation of the Camps (1945)

Apr 5, 1945

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The concentration and slave-labour camps, were different from the extermination camps. Although the concentration camps were also places of appalling suffering and death, the authorities 'merely' incarcerated the inmates. Germans opened negotiations for the surrender of the nearby concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. During a local truce, the German negotiators stated that as the camp had 9,000 sick

VE Day

May 8, 1945

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VE Day was created for, both Great Britain and the United States to celebrate Victory in Europe. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. The eighth of May was the day when German troops throughout Europe finall

Dropping of the Atomic Bombs

Aug 6, 1945

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During World War II, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion wiped out 90 percent of the city and instantly killed 80,000 people and tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Days later, a second B-29 dropped another A-bomb on Na

VJ Day

Aug 15, 1945

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When Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II both August 14 and August 15 have been known as Victory over Japan Day, or simply V-J Day. The term has also been used for September 2, 1945, when Japan’s formal surrender took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, anchored i