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Non-aggression pact
It was a national treaty between the Germans and the Soviet Union where the countries promised not to engage in any military action, whatsoever, against each other for the next 10 years. -
Battle of Britain
The first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces in World War II. It was an air battle where Germany bombed civilian as well as military targets. It caused Hitler to make a tactical decision to postpone the invasion of Britain indefinitely. -
Atlantic Conference
It was considered a pivotal policy statement issued during World War II. This stated the Allied goals for the post-war world. The leaders of the Britain and the United States drafted the work and then the other Allies confirmed it. -
Battle of Midway
A decisive naval battle that was considered a major turning point of World War II in the Pacific. This ended the seemingly unstoppable Japanese advance. Japanese forces would never again threaten Hawaii or dominate the Pacific. It was a victory for the United States Navy. -
Battle of Stalingrad
This battle was considered the true turning point of the war in Europe. It ended any realistic plans Hitler had of dominating Europe. It also was the largest confrontation of World War II, in which Germany and their allies fought the Soviet Union for control of Stalingrad. -
Operation Torch
A codename for the Allied invasion of French North Africa. It was the first time the British and United States had cooperatively worked in an invasion plan. This allowed the Allies to clear North Africa of Axis forces and control. -
Italian Campaign
This campaign of World War II consisted of Allied operations near Italy from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. It gave the Allies complete control of the western Mediterranean, paved the way for an invasion of Italy, and ended the rule of Benito Mussolini. -
Tehran Conference
This conference was a strategy meeting of Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill. It was to set the direction of World War in Europe. It was also the first time that the Big Three had met. -
Operation Overlord
A codename operation for Battle of Normandy. This Allied operation that launched the largest, successful marine invasion of Western Europe during World War II. This was a critical battle because it opened a second major front against the Germans. -
Battle of Bulge
This was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. It created a bulge in the American line and captured several key towns. This was considered a desperate attempt to drive a wedge between American and British forces. -
Yalta Conference
It was a conference that took place on the Black Sea to discuss final strategy and crucial questions concerning postwar Germany, Eastern Europe, and Asia. The long fighting gave the Allies (The Big Three) time to make plans for a postwar world. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
This was one of the fiercest battles in the island hopping campaign. It allowed United States President Harry Truman to see how long and hard Japanese forces would fight to keep control of their islands. The famous photograph of six marines planting the American flag on Iwo Jima symbolized the heroic sacrifice of the American soldiers. -
Battle of Okinawa
A major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Marine and Army forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. Taking Okinawa was the most complex and costly operation in the Pacific campaign. The Allies won and occupied Okinawa. -
Surrender of Berlin/Germany
This was the final major European offensive battle of World War II. The result caused Adolf Hitler to become a physical wreck which led to the suicide of himself and a few of his closest associates. Later after Hitler's death, Germany surrendered. -
Potsdam Conference
One of the most important peace conferences of World War II. During this conference, the Big Three decided to divide Germany into four zones of occupation, agreed to new borders and free elections for Poland, and they also recognized the Soviets' right to claim reparations for war damages from their German sector. -
Hiroshima
Under President Truman's command, an United States bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Within two minutes more than 60,000 of Hiroshima's 344,000 residents were dead/missing. -
Nagaski
This was the second atomic bomb dropped on Japan from the United States. It caused the death of over 35,000 residents of Nagaski. The bombing was considered the turning point to end the war.