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German Blitzkrieg (Lightening war)
This was a military tactic to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Tested this in Poland before successfully employing the tactic with invasions of Belgium. The Blitzkrieg was also by German commander Erwin Rommel during North African campaign of WWII
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Rape Of Nanking (Nanjing/Nanking Massacre)
Late 1937, Japanese imperialist in the army brutally murdered hundreds of thousands of people including soldier and civilians in the Chinese city Nanking (Nanjing) (capital of china). 20,000-80,000 women were sexually assaulted, This took decades to to recover.
http://www.history.com/topics/nanjing-massacre -
Japanese Invasion Of China/Second Sino-Japanese War
This war was created from a problem between Chinese and Japanese troops for control of the mainland. This was the biggest Asian war in the 20th century, contributing more than 50% of casualties in the Pacific War, slowly this was emerged into WWII after Japans attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
http://totallyhistory.com/second-sino-japanese-war/ -
Invasion Of Poland
After Germany invaded Poland the Polish army was defeated in weeks of the invasion. With more than 2000 tanks and 1000 planes. Nazi Germany occupied the remainder of Poland when it invaded the Soviet Union in June. Poland remained under German occupation until January 1945.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005070 -
Battle Of France (Fall Of Paris)
German invasion of France and the low Countries during WWII . German air raids on Belgium and Holland, followed by parachute drops and attacks by ground forces.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Jews in ghettos in eastern Europe tried organizing resistance against the Germans arming themselves in smuggled homemade weapons. Underground resistance movements were formed in about 100 Jewish groups. The most famous attempt was in the Warsaw ghetto.
https://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007745 -
Attack On Pearl Harbor
Just before 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning on a naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base where they destroyed/damaged nearly 20 American naval airplanes. More than 24,000 Americans died including civilians and another 1,000 were wounded, The day after President FDR declared war on Japan. -
Battle Of Midway
6 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. defeated Japan during WWII. The U.S. was able to preempt and counter Japan's planned ambush of it's few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on Japans Navy. Turning point in the Pacific campaign.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Wannsee Conference
Fifteen high-ranking Nazi party and German govt. leaders gathered for an important meeting. The meeting was held in a suburb of Berlin at a villa by a lake known as Wannsee, the conference was the debate of the so-called "Final Solution of the Jewish Question." Heydrich wanted to harmonize the organization.
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/Wannsee/wannseeconference.html -
Bataan Death March
U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II. 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to march 65-miles to prison camps. Marching in intense heat and harsh treatment by Japanese guards.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Allied Invasion Of Italy
U.S. and Britain (leading powers) planned to invade Italy , was a series of allied beach landings and land battles from Sicily and southern Italy up the Italian mainland toward Nazi Germany.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/italian-campaign -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
This resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany's control.The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required planning.by late august 1944 all of northern France had been liberated, allies had defeated Germans.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle Of The Bulge
The Allied line took the appearance of a large bulge, giving the battles name. General George S. Patton's successful maneuvering of the Third army to Bastogne proved vital to the Allied defense, leading to neutralization of the German counteroffensive despite heavy casualties.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle Of Okinawa
Last major battle of WWII and the most bloodies. Easter Sunday 1945 the Navy's Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine corps troops descended on the pacific island of Okinawa for a final push toward japan. This was part of Operation Iceberg, a complex plan to invade/occupy the Ryukyu Islands. -
Liberation Of Nazi Camps
In the summer of 1944 the Soviets overran the sites of Belzec Sobibor, & Treblinka killing centers dismantling the camps.Later Soviets liberated Auschwitz (largest killing center and concentration camp) in Jan. 1945. -
Battle Of Iwo Jima
America invaded Iwo Jima during WWII for the need of a base near Japanese coast. Iwo Jima was defended by about 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. Marines wiped out the defending forces after the moth of fighting and eared a place in American lore with a publication of a photo showing the U.S. flag raised in victory.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
VE Day
Both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. They put out flags and banners rejoicing the defeat of the Nazi war machine.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Potsdam Declaration
Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender Issued, at Potsdam.
http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c06.html -
Dropping Of The Atomic Bombs
The U.S was the first/only nation to use atomic weaponry during wartime when they drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese city Hiroshima . This marked the end of WWII but the possible start of Cold war. The bombs killed 80,000 people, tens of thousands more died in the following weeks from wounds and radiation poisoning .
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
VJ Day
On Aug. 14th 1945, Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies ending WWII, VJ Day is known as "Victory Over Japan Day" Japans formal surrender took place in the U.S.S. Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
