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Germany Invades Poland
This is the day WWII begins. Hitler wanted to regain territory that Italy lost. They first wanted to take Poland.. This was part of the Blitzkrieg strategy, which means "lightening war." They bombed Poland to destroy railroads, air capacity, and communication lines. In response, the Polish army made many miscalculations. They were unfortunately under-equipped. they lost the battle, and World War 2 began. [http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland] -
Germany Invades France and Captured Paris
German troops occupy Paris to gain more territory. The Parisians awaken to the sound on the loudspeakers that curfew would be at 8 pm. Winston Churchill tries to convince the French gov. to hang on. German tanks begin to roll in, while 2 million Parisians had already fled. Then Gestapo began to make its claims and raid. On this day, Roosevelt stopped assets to the Axis Powers, Germany and Italy.
[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris] -
Germany Bombs London-Battle of Britain Begins
This is the day the Germans begin the long series of air raids. The Battle of Britain lasts 3 months. It started with the German troops bombing a British shipping convoy and 70 others bombing in South Wales. Fortunately, Britain had great aircraft and an effective radar system. Britain had systems and radio cast to give the citizens safety. Britain fortunately won, being the first battle Hitler lost.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-britain] -
US Has Lend Lease for Britain
This meant that the US had provided military aid for Britain. This is because Britain was a friend to America. The president could transfer arms for which Congress appropriated money to. This meant that the US could support war interests without being involved in battle. However, this meant that it was a step closer to entry into war for America. -
Operation Barabarossa
Adolf Hitler launched his armies to invade the Soviet Union for the reason that he wanted to keep his reign in dictatorship. 3M soldiers, 3K tanks were ruched into the Soviet territory. At this time, the Germans proved to be one of the finest armies. Unfortunately, Germany faced a two-front war, creating a loss as well as a turning point in war. It proved that Germans had underestimated their fight.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa] -
Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred at a US naval base on Honolulu. Japan wanted to sink American aircraft carriers. Japanese fighter planes descended destroying nearly 20 of the US naval planes. This occurred at 8 am in the morning with another approximately 1000 other individuals dying. The next day, President Roosevelt asks congress to declare war on Japan. -
United States Declares War on Japan/Germany Declares War on US
After Pearl Harbor, there is a clear indication that there will be a World War for America. However, this is not a surprise because Japan and America had been edging toward war for decades. The US was unhappy about Japan's attitude toward China. Japan also declared war on China. The entire concept of America and Japan having war caused the other countries to target each other because they were associated with one another.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor] -
Bataan Death March
The day after Pearl Harbor, the invasion of the Phillipine Islands by the Japanese began. For three months, US-Filipino held out. This was an end result of US surrender of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands to the Japanese. The Americans and Filipino troops were forced to march to prison camps. They were also subject to harsh treatment by the Japanese.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march] -
US Victory Over Battle of Midway
Six months after Pearl Harbor, the Us defeated Japan in the Battle of Midway. Japan chose to target again near Pearl Harbor, but America made a counter attack. The Japanese planned for it to happen, but the Americans solved the Japanese fleet codes fortunately. US carriers were placed to attack Japanese on their trail. Overall, it was a tough battle for the both.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway] -
Soviet Union Defeats Germany at Stalingrad
Prior to this, USSR and Germany had made a pact to not attack one another in the event of war. Germany did not follow that because Hitler wanted his empire to be undefeatable as well as his lack of trustworthyness. During this battle Soviets surrounded and defeated the German army terribly It was considered very patriotic to the USSR. This stopped German advance into the USSR and was a turning point in war in favor of the Allies.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad] -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
There had been concentration camps and Nazis that occupied Warsaw for years. Warsaw, Poland then staged a revolt against the deportations to extermination camps. It was an inspiration to other camps and other German-occupied Europe. Small groups of survivors from exportation formed ZOB and smuggled weapons. When the Nazis arrived, they ambushed them.After that, Nazis suspended deportation for a few weeks from Warsaw. -
US and Allies Land in Normandy - D-day
156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on 5 beaches of Normandy. It was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. Before D-Day, the Allies made a large-scale campaign designed to mislead Germans to target. Northern France was liberated by Aug. 1944, The next spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings were called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day] -
Battle of Bulge
Hitler tried to split the Allies by having a surprise blitzkrieg. He wanted to travel from The ardennes to Antwerp. The American armies then fought back, catching Germany off guard. The Germans tried to continue to the Ardennes, but the other Allied troops fought back and back (like a bulge). It lead to the neutralization of the German counter offense.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge] -
Battle of Iwo Jima
This started from a need at a base near a Japanese coast. After a preparatory naval and air bombardment, 3 US marine divisions landed the island. Iwo Jima had much Japanese military defenses. They fought elaborate tunnels, underground installations and caves. Despite these, America had their victory, raising their flag.
[http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima] -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Allied troops moved across Europe against Nazi forces and saw the prisoners of war. The Soviet forces were the first to approach the Nazi labor camps. In Jan 1945, the Soviets liberated Anschultz. Germans tried to cover up the evidence of mass murder while this happened by demolishing the camps. In the following months, the Soviets, Americans,and British liberated other camps. The result of this was the exposure of the truth to the world and what they were doing to targeted victims
www.ushmm.org -
US Drops First Atomic Bomb
The US was the first country to use atomic weaponry. It first dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. By the time america tested the bomb, Germany had "already been defeated." 3 days later, the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and Germany then announced its surrender. This may have ended the WWII, but it might have sparked the Cold War. The reason America dropped it on Hiroshima is because it was a well-known city and to prove a point.
