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Nazi invasion of Poland
An invasion of Poland by Germany, who was led by Hitler, and the Soviet Union, who was led by Stalin. The invasion started on 1 September 1939 and ended 6 October 1939. -
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World War II
World War II -
France falls to Germany
The Fall of France is when the German army invaded the France. The event started on 10 May 1940 and ended on June 14 1940. -
Germans bomb Paris
Germany begins bombing Paris. Troops enter Paris and France is divided in half; A german occupation zone in the North and West and independent France in the South with Vichy as the capital. De Gaulle of Britain leads a resistance to German occupation for remainder of war. Italy declares war on Britain and France. -
Battle of Britain
A four month long air battle between Germany and Britain takes place over Britain's airspace. After much destruction brought upon Britain's cities and airforce, they achieve a victory over the Germans. -
Nazis invade Russia
Germany invades Russia in Operation Barbarossa begins. The Russians are surprised and fall back quickly as the Germans take large chunks of land. -
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor
The suprise attack commited by the Japanese on the United States. Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. The next day the United States declared war on Japan. -
The US is forced to leave the Philippines
Even after Pearl Harbor, Japan had a strong army that caused the US forces to deteriorate. The fighting was rigorous and devastating in the Philippines. FDR took the troops out in order to prevent any more American casualties. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was known as the most important naval battle of World War II. Six months after Japan's attack on the United States, the United States Navy defeated Japanese ships. -
Battle of Stalingrad begins
A 7-month battle for Stalingrad took place in which over 2 million people died. The battle swung back and forth but the Russians finally emerged as the victors. -
D-Day
General Dwight Eisenhower led allied troops in an invasion on Normandy, France. The armies fought their way through France and Belgium and into Germany while Russian troops fought from the east. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
October 23-26.Located in the Philippines. Also known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea." Largest naval battle in WWII and might be the largest naval battle in history. -
The first atomic bomb dropped on Japan
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945 and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only active deployments of nuclear weapons in war to date.