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Invasion of Rhineland
Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles by sending German military forces into the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River in Western Germany. This is significant because it violated the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and it was the first time since the end of World War I that German troops had been in this region. -
Nanjing Massacre
The Japanese army marched into China's city of Nanking and murdered 300,000 out of 600,000 civilians and soldiers in the city. The six weeks of wreckage would become known as the Rape of Nanking and represented the single worst event during WWII in either theaters of war. Women over the age of 70 as well as little girls under the age of 8 were sexually abused. More than 20,000 females were gang-raped by Japanese soldiers, then stabbed to death or shot so they could never bear witness. -
Munich Pact
The Munich pact was a settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia along the country's borders mainly inhabited by German speakers. This was significant because it allowed German troops to manouvir around the Treaty and begin to expand their borders. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Agression Pact
Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a non-aggression pact before the war had begun. The pact stated that they should take no military actions against each other in the next upcoming years (10 years). This is significant because Hitler had later broken the rules of the treaty a couple of years later (1941) when he had invaded the Soviet Union. This proves to the Soviet Union and the rest of Europe that Hitler cannot be trusted when it comes to complying with agreements mad. -
Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland was what sparked the beginning of the war in the Atlantic/European theater. The Germans were loaded with more than 2000 tanks and much more war equipment. France and Britain had a foreign policy to appease, they guaranteed to protect Poland. Hitler negotiated with the Soviet Union to attack Poland from both sides. This event is significant because it had started the second World War and was the cause of Britain and France declaring war on Germany. -
Canada declares war on Germany
Canadians were the ones making the decision on whether they are going to risk another generation of men for the Brits following WWI. Mackenzie King made the decision to join the war 10 days after the British declared war on Germany, but only sending over volunteers. This was significant because it made Canada's army stronger and more capable than before. Canada's army became one go the best in the war but the end. -
Dunkirk Invasion
Thousands of British troops went across the English Channel to defend France. Even though Britain fought a good fight, Germany invaded France quickly, and French and British troops became trapped. During this time, the British evacuated over 300,000 Allied soldiers but had to abandon almost its entire tank supply and other war supplies. They were rescued by using privately owned boats and fishing boats to get across the English Channel. -
Battle of Britain
A significant turning point, the Battle of Britain ended when Germany’s Luftwaffe failed to be superior over the Royal Air Force even though they had been targeting Britain’s air bases, military posts and, ultimately, its civilian population for months. Britain’s victory saved the country from invasion and possible occupation by German forces. This is significant because they prove that you could win a major battle by using air forces alone. -
Pearl Harbor
This attack on was a surprise military strike by the Japanese against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese managed to destroy 20 American naval vessels. A day after the attack, Franklin Roosevelt declared war on Japan and congress accepted, but shortly after Japan allied with Germany and Italy which caused congress to say no. This conflict lasted for 2 years before the U.S finally joined the war. This is significant because it brought the U.S into the war. -
Invasion of Hong Kong
This battle was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. It occurred on the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the British Crown colony of Hong Kong. This is significant because the attack on Pearl Harbor and this battle are the two events that started the war in the Pacific theatre. -
Dieppe Raid
Canadians made up the great majority of the attackers in the raid. Nearly 5,000 of the 6,100 troops were Canadians. This battle occurred while Germany had occupied the majority of Europe. It consisted of an Allied attack over the German-occupied port of Dieppe. This was significant because it was the first Canadian Army engagement in the European war, designed to test the Allies' ability to launch assaults against Adolf Hitler. This resulted in mass casualties on the Allied forces side. -
Battle of Stalingrad
This was a successful Soviet defense of the city in the U.S.S.R. during WWII. It stopped the German from advancing into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the war in favor of the Allies. This battle was one of the bloodiest battles in history, with combined military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million. Russian soldiers began destroying and burning everything that the Germans were fighting for which created a shortage of food, and weather was bad and the Germans weren't prepared. -
Battle of Ortona
The allied forces, including Canada, invaded Italy. They first captured the island of Sicily, leading to their victory over the mainland of Italy. German forces quickly mobilized throughout Italy, and as the Canadians began their march north.This would be the first real divisional level battle fought by Canadians in the Second World War. The Canadians fought their way through the Moro River Valley, taking villages and towns. This is significant because it was a turning point for Canadian forces. -
D-Day
Allied Forces of Britain, America, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy, France. The Allies attacked and became victorious which became the turning point for World War II in Europe. The Allies had reached the Seine River and the Germans had been removed from northwestern France. This was significant because it is the largest military operation by sea in history, and made a huge impact on the upcoming year of war. -
Bombing on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
America dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion wiped out 90 percent of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people; tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Three days later, Americans dropped another bomb over the city of Nagasaki. Japan's emperor later announced his unconditional surrender. This is significant because it was such a drastic solution that America decided on, causing mass casualties.
