World War II Timeline

Japanese Invasion of China (1937)

Jul 7, 1937

sourceChaos occurred between China and Japan in Manchuria, China. Japan desired to be an imperial power while also needing more resources. They needed space to expand in order to get raw materials and produce industrial goods such as steel. They also wanted to be recognized as the strongest nation in Asia. Japan would invade China and take land in order for them to prosper and to weaken the country in Asia that was originally the most dominant power. Nationalism, imperialism, and militarism were key.

Rape of Nanking (1937)

Dec 13, 1937

source The total death count of this brutal massacre was 300,000 deaths. After a battle between the Japanese and the Chinese, the Japanese army marched into China’s capital, Nanking, and would proceed to kill any soldiers or civilians that they could find. This is considered one of the worst atrocities during World War II. No one was spared during this massacre, not even women or children and continued on for approximately 6 weeks. Included burning, rape, drowning, and stabbings, truly a massacre.

German invasion of Poland (1939)

Sep 1, 1939

(source)Germany was also a country that wanted to expand and dominate. German forces would invade poland under the order of Adolf Hitler, attempting to regain lost territory and essentially rule the country. This invasion would set the precedent for Germany’s Blitzkrieg strategy. Germany set up their operations in Poland then Hitler’s troops began eliminating anything that went against his Nazi ideology. Concentration camps were set up and civilians were decimated. The Polish were no match for Germany.

German Blitzkrieg (1939-1940)

May 10, 1940

(source)Blitzkrieg or “Lightning War” was a strong tactic used by the Germans that eradicated the enemy and was developed to be more superior than trench warfare. There was extensive bombing at the beginning to destroy air capacity and communication. What followed would be a large land invasion with unmatched tanks and troops. After these strong attacks, the remaining enemies would be killed efficiently. This began in the invasion of Poland in 1939 and continued on with several more battles.

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

Jun 22, 1941

(source)Operation Barbarossa referred to Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union. 3 million German troops marched into Soviet territory as the finest army in the 1900s. This operation’s failure was a turning point in the war. It caused Nazis to fight against the underestimate yet superior Soviet Union. The Germans tried to come in and conquer the Slavic people rather than prepare for a sustained war. The weather, environment, and Soviet troops stopped the Germans at Moscow, causing a retreat.

Pearl Harbor (1941)

Dec 7, 1941

(source)Relations between the US and Japan were getting worse. Japan was planning an assault on the naval base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This came as a surprise to the Americans as they were expecting a delivery from the US. Over 2,000 Americans were killed along with several ships and several wounded, causing the US to join WW II. More than 300 planes bombed the naval base, decimating any chances of the US fighting back at the time. The US would want revenge after this attack.

Wannsee Conference (1942)

Jan 20, 1942

(source)Reinhard Heydrich organized this meeting in order to get a “final solution of the Jewish question.” This meeting was with several other officials about getting rid of the Jewish people. There was talk about sterilization and removing them to Madagascar. Ultimately the Jewish people were forced to work in concentration camps that lead to mass genocide of the people. They were exterminated with gas and other methods at these camps. They were gotten rid of, “combed from west to east.”

Bataan Death March (1942)

Apr 10, 1942

(source)Japan decided to invade the Philippines the day after they had bombed Pearl Harbor. The American troops could not beat the Japanese, they ordered a retreat but not all of the soldiers were not able to make it out. After the surrender of the people of Luzon, a Philippine Island, Japanese soldiers forced the civilians and American soldiers to march 85 miles in 6 days to the prison of Cabanatuan. Hundreds of Americans and Filipinos had died by the end of the march and very few made it.

Battle of Stalingrad (1942)

Aug 23, 1942

(source)This battle was an important win for the Soviets on their territory, stopping the Germans in their tracks. The Soviets and the Germans wanted this city for it had a beneficial strategic advantage. However, Stalin’s troops at the Germans surrounded and kept his territory, hence his name in the city. The Germans advanced in the city, with heavy tolls on both sides. This win shifted the Russians from defensive to offensive, boosting their confidence while destroying Hitler’s.

Operation Gomorrah (1943)

Jul 24, 1943

(source)After being bombed by Germany in the war, Britain decided to get revenge, releasing thousands of bombs on the city of Hamburg. Thousands of German civilians were killed in a matter of hours. A new radar jamming technique used by Britain caused very little casualties on their side called the Window. The US also went on raids during the daylight. The thousands of bombs destroyed the morale of Germany along with Hamburg. At least 30,000 people were killed by these raids.

D-Day [Normandy Invasion] (1944)

Jun 6, 1944

(source)The Allies tricked the Germans, making them think the point of their invasion would be at Pas-de-Calais. 5,000 ships and landing craft carrying troops and supplies left England for the trip across the Channel to France, while more than 11,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion. Attacks continued and France was eventually liberated by August. This win stopped Hitler from building up a front in eastern Europe, Allies would advance into Germany.

Battle of the Bulge (1945)

Dec 16, 1944

(source)Germans launched this offensive to push the Allies from France to Belgium. The Germans sent in 250,000 troops early morning to attack. The dense fog and the vulnerable units caused the Allies to retreat for they could not see the advancing Germans. The spies that infiltrated the Americans were effective in sabotaging communications. The battle lasted for approximately 3 weeks with many casualties including soldiers and civilians. This was the largest battle fought on the Western front.

Operation Thunderclap (1945)

Feb 13, 1945

(source)Operation Thunderclap was the name of a plan in the war that was cancelled and never used. It involved a devastating attack on Berlin that would cause thousands of casualties, destroying any hope the Germans had. It was decided that the plan was not the best option to use. It would involve mercilessly bombing the city, killing thousands of key German personnel while also killing thousands of civilians. Instead, smaller attacks were used with less casualties on effective targets

Battle of Iwo Jima (1945)

Feb 19, 1945

(source)The US needed a base near the Japanese coast so they implemented an amphibious invasion. After the air and naval attack, the US landed on the island met by 23,000 Japanese soldiers that were in caves and tunnels. The US gained a victory after a month of fighting and perhaps the most memorable symbol is the soldiers raising an American flag. The battle was not easy but the Japanese were eventually forced out of their dugouts to be defeated.

Battle of Okinawa (1945)

Apr 1, 1945

(source)This was the last and biggest Pacific island battle of this war. In total there were about 417,000 soldiers in total. The Japanese used their kamikaze tactics to destroy American defenses. Many deaths occurred because of this battle, including several civilian deaths. The Japanese had superior defensive positions with caves and castles. The Japanese had conservative tactics, making the Americans blow up caves one by one. Both sides had thousands of casualties and both generals were killed.

VE Day (1945)

May 8, 1945

(source)On this day in 1945, America and Britain celebrate a victory. They celebrated the defeat of the German Nazi machine. The Germans finally surrendered to the Soviets and stopped all of the death. Surrender documents were signed by Germany in Berlin and eastern Germany. The Germans tried to avoid capture but were stopped by the Soviets. British prisoners were released while confrontation between German and the Soviets would continue the next day. The war would finally be considered finished

Dropping of the Atomic Bombs (1945)

Aug 6, 1945

(source)On August 6, 1945, the American army would drop an atomic bomb on two Japanese cities. The first one was dropped on Hiroshima. 90 percent of the population was decimated and 80,000 people were immediately killed. Thousands would day later due to radiation exposure. Three days later, another atomic bomb would be dropped on the city of Nagasaki, killing and additional 40,000. Japan announced its surrender after this bombing, fearful of the atomic bomb.

VJ Day (1945)

Sep 2, 1945

(source)On August 14, 1945, there was an announcement that Japan had surrendered in the war. The Allies now knew that World War Ii was over. This day was called Victory over Japan day, or VJ day. The hostilities between all of the countries was now finished. The dropping of the atomic bombs frightened the Japanese, causing them to surrender unconditionally. The most notable image of this day is a soldier kissing a woman in the midst of several celebrating people.