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Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland
On September 1st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, kickstarting WW2. The Germans used a new tactic called "Blitzkrieg" litterally meaning lightening war. The tactic utilized a combination of foot soldiers and armor to quickly break through enemy lines. -
Battle of Dunkirk
Evacuation of Dunkirk.On May 26th, the British ordered a massive evacuation at Dunkirk, as France was deemed lost. 338, 226 soldiers were evacuated over the course of nine days. -
Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was the first sustained conflict fought entirely by airforces. Germany's plan was to cripple Britain's morale and force them to surrender. The term Battle of Britain was coined by Winston Churchill in a speech, "The Battle of France is over, I'd imagine the Battle of Britain will start soon." -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the name for invasion of Russia by German forces. The Germans crushed Russian forces up until the Battle of Stalingrad, which was the turning point of the war in the Eastern Front -
Battle of Minsk
Operation Minsk The battle of Minsk was one of the first battles of operation barbarossa. The German soldiers quickly surronded and forced the Russian defenders to surrender. -
Battle of Wake Island
The Battle of Wake Island was a battle taking place on Wake Island immediately after the Battle of Pearl Harbor. After 15 days of fighting, the soldiers surrendered, and the island was not liberated again until the end of the war. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first battle in which aircraft from the opposing carriers fought each other. It was a tactical victory for the japanese, but a strategic victory for america. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a decisive turning point in the Pacific theatre. Japanese forces lost four of their crucial carriers, crippling the Japanese navy. After the battle of midway, The Japanese fought a constant defensive campaign. -
The First Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was an important battle. While a tactical loss for the Commonwealth forces, It stopped Erwin Rommels advance into Africa, and allowed the Commonwealth forces to dig in and build a defensive line. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle between German and Russian forces, over the non-strategically important city of Stalingrad. The battle lasted nearly 8 months, but finally the Russians came back victorious. This marked the end of Germany's advance into Russia. -
Guadalcanal Campaign
The Guadalcanal campaign was a crucial turning point of the war in the Pacific. While small, the island held a vital piece of land, an airfield, in which the US could stage air strikes on Japanese held islands. Initially, the japanese were surprised by the american invasion, and put up little resistance. However they were determined to take it back. After nearly 7 months of constant fighting, the Japanese gave up. -
The Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second battle of El Alamein was a strategically important battle in the African Theatre. Montgomery's Commonwealth forces pushed Erwin Rommels Axis forces out of their defensive position, and crushed his military power. This battle marked the turning point of the African Theatre. -
Tunisia Campaign
The Tunisian Campaign was a campaign to prepare for the invasion of Italy. It involved piercing through axis defensives and pushing them out of Africa. The campaign was an allied success, paving the way for the invasion of Italy. -
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was one of the largest armoured conflicts of the entire war, and the last german offensive on the Eastern Front. The German offensive was smashed, and Russians counterattacked quickly, destroying hundreds of Germany's limited tank supply. -
Invasion of Normandy
The invasion of Normandy was one of the largest seaborne invasions undertaken in WW2. It was nearly cancelled due to weather. The invasions paved the way for the invasion of Germany, and the surrender of Germany. -
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was a massive airborne drop by allied forces. It's goal was to paradrop soldiers behind German lines to capture strategic buildings, roads, and bridges. The operation was a failure, as the airborne forces were unable to hold the roads and bridges before more allied forces could come to relieve them. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last German offensive of WW2. The plan was to break through allied lines and recapture key strategic points for supplies. It was named because it created a so called bulge in Allied lines. The offensive was a failure, and only managed to delay Germany's inevitable defeat. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the largest and bloodiest invasions in the Pacific theatre. The island was strategically important, as it held land for an airbase to launch attacks on the Japanese mainland. The battle lasted over a month of constant fighting against determined Japanese forces. -
Battle of Remagen
The Battle of Remagen was a battle over a bridge in the town of Remagen. This bridge was vital to the allies as it allowed them access into the Rhineland, a crucial step in the invasion of Germany. The battle was hard fought for two days, but allied forces managed to succede in capturing it. -
The Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious invasion in the Pacific theatre. It was also one of the most brutal. The Japanese defenders were ordered to hold the island at all costs. Massive Kamikaze raids, suicide aircraft, were sent against the US fleet. The result of the battle was one of the highest military and civilian death counts of the entire pacific theatre.
