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Japanese invasion of China
The Japanese invasion of China or also known as the Second Sino-Japanese War was one of the largest battles in the Asian Continent. Japan wanted to obtain more resources and land in order to gain power, so they decided to take over parts of China. The country in general had a very small land mass which made resources like oil and steel scarce. The invasion of China resulted in about 10 to 25 million people dying due to famine or murder, and about 20 000 women were raped. -
German Blitzkrieg
The German Blitzkrieg is a specific war tactic that involves heavy and quick force against the enemy. Tanks, aircrafts, and artillery with high amounts of speed and concentration are generally used. This strategy usually causes a lot of confusion among the enemy because there is so much going on. The Germans used this tactic in the fight against Poland. They won because the Polish army couldn't keep up with the amount of weaponry force Germany was using. -
Fall of Paris
The Nazi Germans took over France, more specifically Paris. The French built the Maginot Line to defend France, but it wasn't complete in Northern France because they figured the Germans wouldn't get through the thick brush and forest with their tanks. When the Germans cut through the unfinished area in the North, France wasn't prepared especially with all of the enemy's weapon and artillery. In result, France surrendered. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was a military invasion plan to save Germany from the Soviet Union. It was launched to eliminate communism, Slavic people and take over parts of the Soviet Union, so Germany could gain more power. This was one of the largest invasions plans in history. The Red Army was caught by surprise at Germanys military force and many ended up dying or being captured because Stalin forbid them of retreating. Hitler severely crippled the Soviet Union. -
Pearl Harbor
The attack of Pearl Harbor was directed at a US naval base in Hawaii. America and Japan always held tension between each other because they were both trying to gain territory in the pacific at the same time. The Japanese bombed the harbor to eliminate them as a threat, so they could keep conquering islands. It was this attack that caused the US to declare war with Japan. -
Wannsee Conference
This event was a conference held in the Wannsee villa outside of Berlin. This is where some Nazi leaders gathered and discussed what they would do with the Jews. Heinrich Himmler was the man in charge of this meeting and he decided the fate of the Jewish citizens. The "final solution" was to put them into labour camps or exterminate them. -
Battle of Stalingrad
This battle was one of the largest and barbaric wars of all time. This battle was held in the city of Stalingrad, Russia and was between Germany and the Soviet Union. The Germans attacked this city because it produced mainly artillery, and other goods here. Many civilians were killed in this battle because German aircrafts would drop bombs over the city resulting millions of casualties. Russia never gave up and they eventually were able to push the Germans out of the city. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
D-Day was when America, and Britain invaded land in France that was occupied by the Germans. They wanted to push back the German forces and finally defeat Hitler and his army. Ally troops stormed many French beaches and gained back French land. Hitler was then faced with a two front war because he know had to fight in the west and east. His army was now split which weakened it immensely. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the German army's last offensive toward the allies to get them out of occupied German land. The Allies were defeating Germany, so they decided to send one final attack that in hopes would destroy the allies. The strength of the allies was just too much for the Germans and their army crumbled. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
A battle that broke out between America and Japan on the pacific island of Iwo Jima. America wanted to take over this island, so they could use it as a base for their major plan to corrupt Tokyo. The island was not only close to Tokyo, but it was also not too far away from the Mariana Islands where the US had set up other bases on. The Battle of Iwo Jima had some of the most violent fighting in war history. The US conquered the island and a near 7000 American and 21 000 Japanese soldiers died. -
Battle of Okinawa
This was the last battle between America and Japan before the end of WW2. America wanted to take this island because it would have been the last one before they reached the mainland of Japan. Around 49 000 Americans were either injured or killed and a total of 110 000 Japanese soldiers died. There was also about 40 000 to 150 000 of Okinawa's community killed. Before anyone could win the island the atomics bombs were dropped in Japan. -
VE Day
VE-Day, also known as Victory in Europe was the day the Second World War ended. Germany had surrendered because their army was crippling tremendously and the ally forces were just too much for them. Although there was war still happening with Japan, the world had once less problem to worry about and they could somewhat go back to their normal lives. -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
The 2 bombs that were dropped on August 6th and the 9th in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan were by American forces. They thought this would put an end the war between the two countries. In Hiroshima approximately 140 000 died either died from impact or from the effects later on. In Nagasaki nearly 40 000 more people died. Japan surrendered a few days later because they didn't know if the US would drop another bomb. -
VJ Day
VJ-Day or Victory over Japan is when Japan finally surrendered to America ending all major wars in the world. They surrendered because they couldn't take another bomb and their army was becoming weaker as the days went by. Japan didn't have Germany to help them fight and the allies had more manpower. Once they surrendered, men could return to their families and countries could begin to rebuild their economies. -
Liberation of concentration camps
Members of the Nazi party were put onto trial for many crimes they have committed during WW2. This included the torture and murder of the Jews. The court used what happened in the camps and the many documents the Nazis kept as evidence. There was 1108 war crime trials, 413 death sentences, 210 acquitted, and 485 prison terms. After this occurred the Declaration of Human Rights Act was created in 1948. Many Jews didn't end up getting justice for the horrible acts that were committed to them. -
Sources
- https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/the-early-war-in-the-pacific/ https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Japan-invade-China https://www.histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/camp/pac/china/occ/w2c-jocc.html
- Notes- WW2-Prelude and Opening Offensives
- Notes- Japan Enters the War, the Holocaust and Crimes against Humanity https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/children-pearl-harbor-180961290/
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Sources
- Notes- The Air Campaign Over Germany https://www.thedesertreview.com/news/d-day-allies-stormed-normandy-s-coast/article_00ca3ed0-87a9-11e9-935a-47b9e493ef2a.html 9.https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge 10.https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Iwo-Jima 11.https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ve-day-victory-in-europe
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Sources
12.https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-bomber-drops-atomic-bomb-on-hiroshima
13.https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa
https://stationhypo.com/2020/04/07/battle-of-okinawa-post-6-of-6/
14.https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vj-day-victory-over-japan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-J_Day_in_Times_Square
15.http://origins.osu.edu/milestones/may-2015-liberation-concentration-camps
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/nuremberg-trials -
Sources
- Notes-WW2-Prelude and Opening Offensives https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-europe-blitzkrieg-2361455
- Notes-WW2-Prelude and Opening Offensives https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa 6.https://www.britannica.com/event/Wannsee-Conference https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/wannsee-conference-and-the-final-solution 7.https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad
