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Vichy France Begins
a. On June 14, 1940 German Armies invaded Paris, while the Prime Minister, Paul Reynaud, suggested that they move out, His vice premier insisted they stayed and seek am armistice. Reynaud resigned and Albert Lebrun appointed Petain. On June 22 an armistice was signed with Germany, and France was split into occupied and unoccupied zones. Germany would control 3/5 of the country while the rest would be governed by Henri-Philippe Petain at Vichy. -
Battle for Britain
(July 10- October 31, 1940) The Battle of Britain took place between Germany and Britain, but was most controlled by Germany’s air force during the summer and fall of 1940. Germany hoped to gain superiority in the air over Royal Air Force. The Battle was the first to be fought majorly by air forces. German Luftwaffe waged destruction on England’s major cities, “raining” down the destruction from the sky. The RAF eventually pushed back the German bombers, with the aid of radar installations. -
Japan joins Axis
After Japan and Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact, Italy joined, then Germany and Italy signed the Pact of Steel, which started an alliance between the two. On September 27, 1940, all three countries signed the Tripartite Pact, and the Axis alliance was started. -
Hitler breaks Non-Aggression agreement and invades the Soviet Union
a. On June 22, 1941, Germany broke the Non-Aggression Pact and invaded the Soviet Union. Operation Barbarossa commenced with 4.5 million Axis troops moved into the USSR. Along with the men there were 600,000 motor vehicles and 450,000 horses. While Hitler had been expected to win the Red Army held its own at first. While the German won important areas, like that of Ukraine, the USSR soon started pushing Germany back away from Moscow and Germany could not successfully fight back anymore. While he -
FDR aprroves "shoot on sight"
During the Battle of the Bulge, 80 American soldiers were shot down and killed in an open field by German troops, after which the shoot on site was issued to shoot any SS or paratrooper when seen. -
Pearl Harbor attacked
a. Roosevelt used the saying “a date that will live in infamy” as a description of the events on December 7, 1941. At 7:55 a.m. Japanese aircraft carriers dropped bombs on Pearly Harbor. The U.S. battleships, Arizona and Oklahoma were sunk and remain at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The attack lasted two hours and killed 2,400 Americans. Japan lost only 30 planes and returned to home waters. The attack on Pearl Harbor is known as the biggest reason that America declared war against Japan. A few da -
Germany and Italy declare war on the US
After the US declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japans Axis, Italy and Germany declared was on the US on December 11. -
General Eisenhower and his forces land in North Africa
a. During WWII the campaign took place from June 1940 to May 1943. It included both the Desert War and Operation Torch. North Africa was important to everyone in the world because of the Suez Canal, oil, as well as important for the water opening. Germany had already set up a fortified front that we could not break, so it was easier to fight in other areas. -
Bataan death march
a. Bataan is a part of the Philippines, and the Battle of Bataan was significant to WWII. During the war against Japan, American and Filipino soldiers were fighting against the Japanese forces, and they were over taken at Bataan. The famous event known for this is the Bataan Death March. The march was 60 miles long, and became a Japanese war crime. During the march 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war were physically abused and murdered. Many soldiers suffered beheading, throat-cutting -
Battle of Coral Sea
a. The Battle of the Boral Sea was a carrier battle between Japan and the U.S. on May 7th and 8th of 1942. The U.S. searched for carriers they were there while Japan searched in fear. The first hit was the most important in assuming victory and safety. While they attempted to hit the heaviest targets, soldiers were not well trained and could not perform well. While Japanese looked in the air for carriers on the water, they found two American ships. A little while later a US scout plane found a g -
Battle of Midway
a. (June 4-7, 1942) Midway was a tiny island, about 1000 miles off the coast of Hawaii. When Japan realized that they need to extended their perimeter defensively. Their new target was the Midway Island. The Japanese put all there effort into winning the fight, with six aircraft carriers, eleven battleships, thirteen cruisers, forty-five destroyers, as well submarines, and mine sweepers. The United States although they could tell something was up, only compiled 3 carriers, 8 cruisers, fourteen d -
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Guadalcanal
rom August 7, 1942 to February, 1943. The Allied forces led an offensive attack Japan. Their goal was to cut off supplies and communication between Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Florida, in the Solomon Islands for US, Australia and New Zealand. . Their ultimate goal was to use the area as a base in order to capture Rabaul or New Britain. The Japanese defenders were greatly outnumbered and the US captured Tulagi and Florida. The Japanese fought for months trying to regain Henderson Field, with 3 land batt -
Rome Falls
a. From January 17, to May 18 the Allies fought for Rome. Much of the battle took place in Monte Cassino. American bombers destroyed the monastery of February 15. The Allied troops “killed” the German troops four times over the course of five months. At the last battle Americans brought together twenty divisions and drove the Germans off, but also lost a lot of men. -
End of Battle of Stalingrad
a. The Battle of Stalingrad was fought between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Lasting from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, it was one of the largest on the Eastern Front, and one of the bloodiest. At the end of the battle, two airfields had been lost from the Germans, and they could not fly in or out, meaning no ammunition, food, and they could not fly out injured soldiers. In the battle alone, the Axis suffered 500,000-850,000 casualties, while the Red Army suffered 1,129,619. -
D Day
a. When the Allied nations invaded Normandy on June 6, 1944, it was referred to as D-Day. The invasions were also known as Operation Overlord and Operation Neptune. The attack took place in two different parts, an airborne attack with 24,000 troops including those from Britain, American, Canadian, as well as Free French. The second attack came in the water about seven hours later on the coast of France, with 160,000 troops. In order to distract the German troops they planned other operations, so -
MacArthur returns to Philippines
a. In 1944 he returned to the Philippines and attacked Leyte Island. The Battle of Leyte Gulf lasted two days from October 23-25. It is known as the largest naval battle ever fought. During the battle Kamikaze, or suicide planes, were first used by the Japanese. The battle took place in five parts, two beginning before the battle, and another three during the battle itself. It was the last major naval fight of WWII, and took place in five parts; Palawan Passage, Sibuyan Sea, Surigao Strait, Cape -
Truman becomes president
a. Roosevelt’s doctors suggested that he slowdown from his hectic life and take a break; they were extremely worried about his health and didn’t want him to push it. When President Roosevelt finally took a rest he ended up in Warm Springs on March 30. On April 12,1945, he was complaining about a horrible headache, soon after he passed away. Winston Churchill’s physician had told him that was experiencing hardening of the arteries in the brain, and only had a few months. When he spoke to Congres -
Hitler commits suicide
On April 30, 1945 Adolf Hitler committed suicide. While in his headquarters, held up in a bunker, he shot himself and swallowed a cyanide pill. Hitler knew the war was coming to an end, and that Berlin would soon be taken over by Soviets, he lived out his last few days under the chancellery in an 18 room shelter with water and electricity. Hitler knowing he was committing suicide appointed Admiral Karl Donitz and retired to his quarters. -
VE Day
a. On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany finally surrendered unconditionally. After Hitler had committed suicide at the end of April, Germany was run by President Karl Donitz who authorized the surrender. The surrender was signed on the 7 in Reims, France and then ratified in Berlin on the 8th. There were no conditions for Germany, and the surrender seemed simple. The day is considered VE day, representing Victory in Europe. -
Hiroshima
Hiroshima was the first city hit with the atom bomb on August 6, 1945. The Second General Army was located in the town, and the destruction was disastrous, with 80,000 people killed and the entire city ruined. -
Nagasaki
Nagasaki was hit with the second atomic bomb on August 9, 1945 destroying the city and killing another 35,000. -
Formal surrender of Japan
a. While the surrender was announced August 15, 1945, the formal surrender took place on September 1945, when Japan formally surrendered, and the surrender was ratified. The surrender took place in Tokyo Bay, aboard the Missouri battleship. General Douglass McArthur was the man to preside over the ceremony and helped to guide them into establishing democracy. -
VJ Day
a. VJ day named after VE day took place on August 15, 1945, when Japan announced surrender. It is considered Victory over Japan Day. While the US commemorates VJ day on September second, when the formal surrender was ratified, the UK celebrates August 15th when the surrender was first announced. The surrender took place in Tokyo Bay, aboard the Missouri battleship. General Douglass McArthur was the man to preside over the ceremony and helped to guide them into establishing democracy. -
25. Japanese ambassadors arrive in Washington, DC to discuss Pacific island violations
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Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, named after the bulge that appears on the map, took place in December 1944 and lasted till January 1945, so about 6 weeks. It is known as the largest land battle fought during WWII, over a million fighting in the battle, 600,000 Germans, 500,000 Americans, and 55,000 British. The 80 mile track of the battle ran through the Ardennes Forest and down into Luxembourg. Hitler aimed to catch the Allied forces off guard, hopefully being able to finally defeat them. He hoped